Serbian troops have discovered a cache of powerful explosives near the Hungary border, igniting fears of sabotage against a vital Russian gas pipeline just days before Hungary’s high-stakes election.
The find near Trešnjevica in Kanjiža district, roughly 20km from where the TurkStream pipeline crosses into Hungary, prompted Prime Minister Viktor Orbán to convene an urgent National Defence Council meeting on Sunday.
The two rucksacks brimmed with detonators and high-yield explosives, as confirmed by Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, a key Orbán ally who tipped off Budapest.
“Our units found an explosive of devastating power,” Vučić posted on Instagram. “I told PM Orban that we would keep him updated on the investigation.” Hungary depends on TurkStream for 5 to 8 billion cubic metres of Russian gas annually, a supply shared with Slovakia that has helped Orbán buck EU pressure to ditch Moscow’s energy amid the Ukraine war.
Timing could not be worse for Fidesz, which polls from Medián and Nézőpont show lagging challenger Péter Magyar’s Tisza party by double digits ahead of Sunday’s vote. Orbán ally Bálint Pásztor claimed on Facebook that the plot targeted Hungary’s lines to topple the leader.
“If the investigation proves that we were not the primary target after all, but rather Hungary’s supply lines, then this makes it even clearer: the terrorist attack was planned with the aim of bringing down Viktor Orban.”
Magyar decried it as “panic-mongering” by “Russian advisers,” aligning with experts like András Rácz, who on 2 April warned of a staged assault in Serbia to frame Ukraine. Former intelligence officer Péter Buda told the BBC, “We had some solid preliminary information about this operation, including details about the place and possible timing. It’s clear that Ukraine’s interests aren’t at stake here. An operation like this would help Orban before the election by influencing public opinion in his favour.”
Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó insisted the threat was real, citing prior Ukrainian oil blockades and drone strikes. Ukraine denied involvement, with spokesman Heorhii Tykhyi posting on X: “Ukraine has nothing to do with this. Most probably, a Russian false-flag operation as part of Moscow’s heavy interference in Hungarian elections.”
Magyar vowed Orbán could not derail the vote. “He will not be able to prevent next Sunday’s election. He will not be able to prevent millions of Hungarians from ending the most corrupt two decades in our country’s history.”
As Serbia’s probe unfolds, analysts fear it could tip a razor-close race testing Hungary’s democratic mettle.