Hungarian EU parliament member indicted for alleged spying

BUDAPEST, Hungary – Hungarian prosecutors say they have indicted a member of the European Parliament for allegedly spying on the European Union.

The Chief Investigative Prosecutor's Office said Wednesday that charges against Bela Kovacs, from the far-right Jobbik party, also include fraud totaling 21,079 euros ($24,900) stemming from the fictitious employment of interns in the EU parliament.

Prosecutors didn't identify which country Kovacs was purportedly spying for, but earlier said that Hungary's counterintelligence service had been alarmed by his regular contacts with Russian diplomats and monthly visits to Moscow.

Kovacs has been a member of the EU parliament since 2010, and worked and studied in Russia for many years. He has denied any links to Hungarian or foreign secret services.

Three others have been indicted in the fraud case.