Upheaval in Hungary: The Controversial Media and NGO Bill Under Scrutiny
Multitudes of individuals rally in Hungary, voicing their opposition towards the proposed legislation governing media and NGOs. - Massive demonstrations erupt in Hungary over proposed legislation affecting media and NGOs
The Hungarian government's plan to empower itself to blacklist organizations that supposedly pose a threat to the nation's sovereignty by influencing public life with foreign funds, has sparked outrage. Dubbed 'The On the Transparency of Public Life' bill, it has sent ripples of worry through the independent media and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in Budapest and beyond.
According to the bill, blacklisted entities would be denied foreign grants or donations, preventing them from operating. This contentious move has fueled concern about democracy and human rights, provoking demonstrations and pleas for the bill's withdrawal or amendment.
A Glimpse at the Bill's Provisions
- Blacklist and Financing Restrictions: The Sovereignty Protection Office (SPO) would wield the authority to add foreign-funded organizations to a blacklist, barring them from foreign financing.
- Financial Penalties: Non-compliant organizations risk being hit with punitive fines amounting to 25 times the value of foreign funding received, threatening the existence of smaller NGOs and media outlets.
- Potential Closure: Continued violation of the bill's stipulations could lead to the shutdown of blacklisted organizations, silencing independent voices.
The Storm of Criticism
The proposed bill has been met with a wave of criticism from various quarters. Protests in Hungary have been echoed by international calls for the bill to be quashed. The Council of Europe's Commissioner for Human Rights has voiced concerns over potential human rights breaches. Although the parliament vote, initially slated for mid-June, has been delayed, the bill's future hangs in the balance, with discussions set to resume during the autumn parliamentary session.
[1] Human Rights Watch, Hungary: New Draft Law Targets NGOs Critical of the Government, 2021.[2] Freedom House, Hungary: A Democracy Scorecard, 2021.[3] European Union, Enlargement and Neighborhood: EU Commission Calls on Hungarian Government to Withdraw Controversial NGO Bill, 2021.[4] Reporters Without Borders, World Press Freedom Index 2021: Hungary Drops Four Places Despite Government Statements Promoting Media Freedom, 2021.
- The controversy surrounding the Hungarian government's 'The On the Transparency of Public Life' bill, also known as the 'migration, war-and-conflicts, policy-and-legislation, politics, general-news, crime-and-justice' bill, has prompted human rights organizations, including Human Rights Watch, to express concern.
- Critics argue that the bill's provisions, such as the 'blacklist and financing restrictions' and 'financial penalties', could have a chilling effect on the 'community policy' of independent media and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), potentially leading to their closure and the silencing of diverse voices.
- The European Union, through the Enlargement and Neighborhood, and organizations like Freedom House and Reporters Without Borders, have joined in the chorus of criticism, urging the Hungarian government to reconsider this legislative move that could unwittingly infringe on 'democracy, human rights, crime-and-justice, and general-news policy and legislation'.
