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https://twitter.com/NAFO_Hungary/status/1653292127542034433?s=20

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Pete

@splendid_pete

Jun 23

1/14 🟥 How MET Group became one of Europe’s shadiest energy giants. And Hungary’s most profitable political fix.

Let’s talk about MET Group, a Swiss-registered, Hungarian-rooted energy trader that somehow turned gas arbitrage into one of the most profitable political businesses in Europe. You’ve probably never heard of them.

That’s by design.

But this company isn’t just another trader. It’s a monument to how Viktor Orbán’s Fidesz machine monetized state power, funneled public money to loyalists, and courted Russian blessing, all while pretending to be “market players.”

Here’s the story.

2/14 💼 A MOL baby turned Swiss giant (2007–2013)

MET was born in 2007 inside MOL, Hungary’s state-adjacent oil giant. It started small, led by Benjamin Lakatos, a former MOL executive. The game? Buy gas cheap in Austria, sell it for more in Hungary. Fair enough.

Except they didn’t compete.

In 2011, Orbán’s government handed MET exclusive access to the Hungary–Austria HAG pipeline, the main artery for Western gas, via Government Decree 13/2011 (IV.7).

There was no public auction, no competitive process. Just a decree.

This access displaced E.ON Földgáz, a German-Hungarian venture, from a dominant pipeline position. Foreign players out. Orbán’s inner circle in.

From 2011 to 2015, MET was allowed to buy cheap gas in Austria and re-sell it in Hungary at inflated prices, sometimes selling it to state-owned MVM, then buying it back through murky shell games. It was a closed loop of public-to-private wealth transfer.

The result? Billions of forints in profit for MET and its owners, while Hungarian taxpayers footed the bill.

3/14 💸 Who got rich? (2012–2017)

This isn’t theory. In 2012 alone, MET paid out HUF 55 billion (~€180 million) in dividends.

That money didn’t go to pensioners or reinvested into Hungarian infrastructure. It went to a tiny elite circle, including:

‣ István Garancsi – Orbán’s football buddy, Fidesz’s go-to oligarch.

‣ György Nagy – another Fidesz-linked businessman, close to both MOL and OTP Bank.

‣ And, surprise, a mysterious Russian investor, Ilya Trubnikov, who secretly owned 12.6% of MET between 2009 and 2017 via a chain of offshore firms in Belize, Cyprus, and Zug.

Trubnikov’s background? Obscure. His role? Silent. His presence? Highly suspicious.

And who was left out? Lajos Simicska, Orbán’s old financial kingmaker. According to Direkt36, Simicska was furious that the “MOL–OTP–Garancsi” axis got the golden goose. That helped trigger his infamous fallout with Orbán in 2015.

Read 14 tweets

Pete

@splendid_pete

Jun 12

🄺🅁🄴🄼🄻🄸🄽 🄿🄾🄾🄳🄻🄴

1/9 Georg Spöttle: Orbán’s Propagandist, Russia’s Pawn

This is not just about one man—it’s about the rot that seeps through a whole system when propaganda, espionage, and party loyalty blur into one.

Georg Spöttle isn’t just a mouthy security “expert.” He’s a pipeline. A conduit between Orbán’s propaganda machine and the Kremlin’s disinformation strategy—a man who went from UFO hunter to the Hungarian government’s favorite TV talking head, and finally to a tool of Russian military intelligence.

And now, we have receipts.

2/9

📌 2025: The bomb drops

This morning, Telex and Direkt36 dropped the kind of story that, in a functioning democracy, would cause resignations:
Georg Spöttle, a mainstay of Fidesz media, has documented ties to Russian military intelligence, namely the GRU, through his contact and handler Oleg Szmirnov, a military attaché in the Russian embassy in Budapest.

What blew the lid off?

A security vetting process. A young diplomatic candidate failed his clearance. Why? Because he was personally backed and promoted by Spöttle.
And security services flagged Spöttle as compromised. Not speculative. Not maybe.

A known pro-Russian actor with active ties to Russian intelligence.

What followed was pure Orbánism:

Spöttle lobbied hard, even getting a lunch with Minister Szijjártó to pull strings. It didn’t work. The ministry didn’t help, but it also didn’t disown him.

And so Spöttle, briefly humiliated, announced his “retirement.”
Three weeks later, he was back on air, business as usual.

3/9

🧠 How did we get here?

You can’t understand this without looking at the decade-long buildup. Spöttle was never credible. He was useful.

Before he was Orbán’s mouthpiece, Spöttle was a German military dropout turned UFO chaser. Yes, really.
He claimed alien abductions, strange scars on his body, telepathic communication. He was featured in paranormal magazines in the 1990s.

Then pivoted to “terrorism expert” and moved to Hungary. From UFOs to counter-terrorism to Putin in one lifetime.

In Hungary, he became a fixture in pro-Fidesz media:

‣ HírTV
‣ PestiSrácok
‣ TV2
‣ Origo
‣ M1
‣ Magyar Nemzet
‣ Mandiner

All calling him an “independent security analyst.” Independent? Bullshit.

He ran as a Fidesz candidate in Szentes in 2019. Lost badly. Didn’t matter. The point wasn’t to win. It was to signal loyalty.

He was also an “expert” at the Nézőpont Intézet, a Fidesz-aligned think tank. He spoke next to ministers. Did press events. Sat on panels with Orbán’s advisor György Bakondi. He even co-led forums with State Secretary Tibor Pogácsás.

The message was clear: this guy speaks for the government.

Read 10 tweets

Pete

@splendid_pete

May 13

🧵1/7

Orbán’s gas propaganda is Kremlin-grade bullshit — here’s why.

The Hungarian regime is once again vomiting out its tired, deceitful narrative: that the European Union is trying to sabotage Hungary’s “cheap” Russian gas deals and force it into ruinously expensive Western energy dependency. This propaganda, pushed aggressively by Péter Szijjártó and Viktor Orbán’s entire media echo chamber, claims Hungary will lose €1.5 billion a year if Russian gas is cut off. In reality, it’s nothing but a cynical, pro-Kremlin lie meant to justify corruption, geopolitical treachery, and economic incompetence.

Let’s tear this garbage apart point by point.

⸻

1️⃣ 🟥 Lie: “The EU is forcing Hungary to abandon cheap Russian gas to punish it for political reasons.”

‣ The EU’s plan to phase out Russian fossil fuel imports by 2027 is not about Hungary. It’s a bloc-wide response to Russia’s weaponization of gas in 2021–22, including when it slashed supplies to Europe to extort political concessions.

‣ Hungary isn’t a victim here—it’s a parasite riding the coattails of EU-funded energy security investments while openly siding with Putin.

‣ The idea that the EU wants to “punish” Hungary is laughable. Hungary has been actively helping Russia dodge sanctions by continuing nuclear and gas deals. If anyone deserves to be punished, it’s Orbán for financing Putin’s war machine.

✔ Verdict: This isn’t about “Hungarian sovereignty.” It’s about EU security—and Orbán playing the Russian stooge.

energy.ec.europa.eu/news/focus-eu-…

2/7

2️⃣ 🟥 Lie: “Russian gas is cheaper than LNG or Norwegian gas.”

‣ Total bullshit. Hungary’s 2021 Gazprom deal pegs prices to the Dutch TTF index—with a 2-month delay. That means Hungary ends up paying outdated market prices, often higher than spot prices paid by Poland or Czechia.

‣ In May 2025, EU prices dropped to €30-35/MWh, while Hungary was likely still stuck paying around €45/MWh. That’s not cheap—just delayed price gouging.

‣ A 2023 analysis showed Hungary paid 8% more for Russian gas than the EU average. So much for the fairy tale of “Putin’s friendly discount.”

✔ Verdict: Russian gas isn’t cheap. It’s a geopolitical bribe disguised as a deal—and Hungary’s taxpayers foot the bill.

balkaninsight.com/2024/12/11/hun…

3/7

3️⃣ 🟥 Lie: “Cutting Russian gas will cost Hungary €1.5 billion annually.”

‣ Where the fuck is this number from? Szijjártó pulled it out of thin air—no methodology, no data, just fear porn.

‣ Studies show that Hungary has ample access to alternative sources, including LNG from Krk, gas via Austria, and interconnectors funded by the EU.

‣ Hungary makes money from being a Russian gas hub, reselling energy to neighboring states and profiting by up to €600 million/year. So Orbán is crying over the loss of a racket, not national interest.

✔ Verdict: The €1.5B figure is a scare tactic with zero grounding in reality.

sciencedirect.com/science/articl…

Read 7 tweets

Pete

@splendid_pete

Mar 24

🧵1/8 #PeteFactCheck: Charlie Kirk's historical and constitutional revisionism is pure nonsense

Charlie Kirk’s statements are a mix of historical distortion, misrepresentation of legal principles, and outright Christian nationalism. Let’s rip this apart piece by piece.

2/8 1️⃣ Lie: "Our country was taught on common law, because the declaration only refers to God four times in the constitution. It doesn't refer to God at all."

🟥Blatant ignorance—these are two separate documents, and the Constitution deliberately omits God.

‣ The Declaration of Independence mentions a "Creator," "Nature’s God," "Divine Providence," and the "Supreme Judge of the World." These were Deist references, not explicitly Christian.

‣ The United States Constitution—the actual legal framework of the country—does not mention God or Christianity at all. It is a secular document, intentionally designed to separate government from religious authority.

‣ The only religious reference in the Constitution is in Article VI, which explicitly bans religious tests for public office. This completely destroys Kirk’s claim that America was founded as a Christian nation.

✔ Verdict: Kirk is butchering basic civics. The Constitution is deliberately secular.

3/8 2️⃣ Lie: "13 out of 13 state constitutions required a declaration of faith."

🟥 Half-truth twisted into Christian nationalist propaganda.

‣ Some early state constitutions had religious tests for officeholders, but these were not national policies, and many were removed over time.

‣ The U.S. Constitution (Article VI, Clause 3) explicitly bans these religious tests. The First Amendment later reinforced this by preventing Congress from establishing a religion.

‣ Several state constitutions referenced Christianity, but many were rooted in generic Deism, not explicit evangelical Christianity.

✔ Verdict: Misleading. Some early state constitutions had religious requirements, but these were later overridden by federal law.

Read 9 tweets

Pete

@splendid_pete

Mar 16

Fact check

1/7 The truth about the USAID loan guarantee, Viktor Shokin’s firing, and Republican hypocrisy.

The truth about the USAID loan guarantee, Viktor Shokin’s firing, and Republican hypocrisy
The Trump propaganda machine, led by figures like Mike Benz, has manufactured a false narrative about the 2016 U.S. loan guarantee to Ukraine and the firing of Viktor Shokin. These lies attempt to frame Joe Biden as corrupt while conveniently ignoring the Republican-led efforts to remove Shokin and Ukraine’s broader anti-corruption agenda.

2/7 The USAID loan guarantee—what it was and what it wasn’t

Mike Benz, either due to ignorance or willful deception, falsely claims that USAID gave Ukraine money. That is completely false.

‣ The 2016 USAID loan guarantee was not a grant—Ukraine did not receive direct funds from the U.S. government.

‣ Instead, the U.S. acted as a guarantor, allowing Ukraine to borrow $1 billion from international capital markets at lower interest rates.

‣ This measure was intended to stabilize Ukraine’s economy following Russia’s 2014 invasion of Crimea and its ongoing aggression in Eastern Ukraine.

‣ The purpose of the loan was to fund Ukraine’s economic and anti-corruption reforms, something that directly contradicts the narrative pushed by Trump and his allies.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loan_guar…

3/7 The truth about Viktor Shokin—he was not investigating Burisma

One of the biggest lies in Trump-world is that Viktor Shokin was actively investigating Burisma when he was fired. The evidence says otherwise.

‣ Shokin’s own deputy, Vitaly Kasko, stated that the investigation into Burisma was dormant under Shokin. In other words, he was doing nothing.

‣ When Shokin’s successor, Yuriy Lutsenko, took over, he confirmed that there was no active investigation into Hunter Biden or Burisma.

‣ The Obama administration, the European Union, the International Monetary Fund, and Ukrainian anti-corruption groups all pushed for Shokin’s removal because he was blocking corruption probes, not enforcing them.

Read 8 tweets

Pete

@splendid_pete

Mar 10

https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1898608186858373428

#PeteFactCheck

1/17 So, here is the kicker: Most of the Ukrainian oligarchs who reside in Monaco and the French Riviera are pro-Russian. Let's go through them, shall we?

https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1898608186858373428

2/17 Kostiantyn Zhevago (Костянтин Живаго)

Background: A prominent Ukrainian oligarch, ranked fourth among Ukraine’s wealthiest by Forbes. Former owner of the Finance and Credit Bank and shareholder of Ferrexpo Plc, an iron ore company. Known for his luxurious 65-meter yacht "Zet," valued at $70 million.

Legal Status: Wanted by Ukraine’s State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) since September 2019 for allegedly embezzling 2.5 billion UAH from his bank’s depositors. Declared on an international wanted list a year ago, though his exact whereabouts were unknown until spotted in Monaco. He denies wrongdoing.

Connections to Russia: No direct ties mentioned in the document, though his yacht’s name "Zet" (initially linked to his surname’s English transliteration "Zhevago") raised speculation due to its similarity to Russian war symbols, which he refuted.

Current Residence: Spotted on his yacht near Monaco, later moving to Saint-Tropez, Cannes, and currently near Sardinia, Italy, suggesting he’s living abroad, likely on the French Riviera or nearby regions.

3/17 Hryhoriy Surkis (Григорій Суркіс)

Background: A Ukrainian businessman and politician, former MP from the banned pro-Russian Opposition Platform – For Life (OPZZh) party. Part of the influential Surkis brothers, known for their business ventures and ownership of Dynamo Kyiv football club.

Legal Status: No explicit legal actions mentioned against him, but his family reportedly left Ukraine at the start of the full-scale invasion without declaring cash, later registering over $17.5 million at Hungarian customs (disputed by the brothers).

Connections to Russia: Linked to the pro-Russian OPZZh party, suggesting political alignment with Russian interests pre-ban, but no direct business activities in Russia or with Russian entities are documented.

Current Residence: Renting apartments at the five-star Monte-Carlo Bay hotel in Monaco for several years, per Ukrainian Pravda sources.

Read 17 tweets

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