Ukrainian Sz. Aleksandrov, who was arrested in Budapest and expelled from Hungary on suspicion of espionage, is challenging his expulsion in court, with an initial hearing taking place yesterday. He says he wants to return to Hungary, as his family is located in the country.
The questions at stake, according to a report in Blikk, were if he should have been sent to Russia or Ukraine and, most importantly, if he was in fact a national security threat, justifying his expulsion.
Sz. Alekszandrov’s lawyer, Dr. Gábor Szűcs told the paper, “My client wants to return to Hungary, as his family is here and he has built his existence here.”
One issue is that last November, Sz. Aleksandrov listed Ukraine as his homeland in his application for a Hungarian residence permit, indicating it as his destination in case he had to leave. His lawyer, however, argued that there is no space on the application form for another, intermediate citizenship. The basis for this argument is that the man is actually from Crimea, annexed by Russia, making him also a Russian citizen from a Russian area.
Sz. Alekszandrov had worked as a diplomat at the Ukrainian Embassy in Budapest in the 2010s, but no longer holds diplomatic status. His wife is the co-owner of a Ukrainian restaurant in Budapest.
His arrest came directly after Ukraine arrested two former soldiers accused of spying for Hungary’s military intelligence service, tasked with, among other things, assessing the potential reaction to Hungarian troops entering Western Ukraine.
In addition to the Immigration Office, the Constitutional Protection Office is also a defendant in the case, although it was not represented at yesterday’s hearing, nor was it even mentioned at the hearing. This is seen as odd given the most important issue to be addressed is if this man is a national security risk.
Sz. Alekszandrov, also not present, has requested a remote hearing so that he can have the opportunity to speak.
A family friend who works with a Ukrainian charity organization told Blikk that the accused was deported “despite having lived in Hungary with his family for more than 10 years, he was sacrificed in a theatrical performance. This was neither a peace-loving nor a rule-of-law measure. Moreover, Sz. could get into terrible trouble in Ukraine, as he is subject to military service, and despite having resided in Hungary for a long time, he did not respond to numerous military drafts.”
Employees of one of the accused’s restaurants said they were shocked, claiming that Sz. was a “law-abiding, honest businessman.” They also indicated that he is part of a Ukrainian aid foundation that used U.S. donations to deliver medicine, food, and ambulances to Ukraine.
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