We are deeply alarmed by the “transparency” bill introduced on 13 May 2025 by Hungary\u2019s ruling Fidesz party. This legislation marks a dangerous step toward the intimidation and silencing of independent media, civil society, and other public-interest organisations.<\/p>\n
If passed, the law would give sweeping powers to the so-called Sovereignty Protection Office, enabling it to target any group receiving foreign funding – including EU grants or legitimate private donations. Its vague and expansive language threatens to criminalise a wide range of public life, from journalism to human rights advocacy.<\/p>\n
This is not transparency. It is repression – and echoes the playbook used by Vladimir Putin\u2019s regime to dismantle press freedom, discredit civil society, and consolidate state control over public discourse.<\/p>\n
Such measures are in direct contradiction with the values enshrined in the EU Treaty and Charter of Fundamental Rights. The systematic erosion of democratic space in Hungary must not be normalised.<\/p>\n
Media freedom and open civic debate are not domestic matters alone. They are core to the health of democracy across our continent.<\/p>\n
We call on EU institutions and national governments to act – urgently and decisively – to oppose this bill and defend the fundamental freedoms it threatens.<\/p>\n
We stand in solidarity with all those in Hungary working to uphold democracy, accountability, and the right to be heard.<\/p>\n
We, members of the Committee for Editorial Independence of the media house Economia, fully support the statement signed by many editors-in-chief of European media:<\/strong><\/p>\n Hungary Moves to Silence Its Free Press \u2014 The EU Must Act Now<\/strong><\/p>\n Hungarian Fidesz is effectively outlawing the free press \u2014 and, more broadly, democratic public debate.<\/p>\n With its ‘transparency’ bill proposal, introduced on May 13, Fidesz is aligning itself with the authoritarian tactics seen in Putin\u2019s Russia. If adopted \u2014 and there\u2019s no sign it won’t be \u2014 the legislation would open the door to targeting Hungarian media outlets and civil society organizations that receive funding from any foreign sources, including donations or transparent EU grants essential to their sustainability.<\/p>\n The draft law is written so broadly that it could be applied to virtually any organization involved in public life or debate – that includes independent media outlets and also human rights groups. Entities listed could face severe consequences, just some examples: their bank accounts can be frozen, their leaders would be required to file public asset declarations, and they could be hit with massive fines.<\/p>\n The survival of a free press is not a local issue, especially in a region where more and more populist leaders are borrowing techniques from Viktor Orban. It is in our common European interest to express as loudly as possible that freedom of information, critical, free, fact-based media and critical voices in the public space are crucial.<\/p>\n We call on our governments and the EU institutions to do their utmost to prevent this law, which is in stark contradiction with the EU Treaty and Charter of Fundamental Rights.<\/p>\n Statement of Solidarity with Independent Media and Civil Society in Hungary We are deeply alarmed by the “transparency” bill introduced on 13 May 2025 by Hungary\u2019s ruling Fidesz party. This legislation marks a dangerous step toward the intimidation and silencing of independent media, civil society, and other public-interest organisations. If passed, the law would give […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":3950,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[26],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\n\n\n\n\t\n
\nThe bill\u2019s enforcement would fall to the Sovereignty Protection Office, led by a figure who has recently encouraged the public not to support independent media. This office will place \u201cproblematic\u201d organizations on a watchlist, confirmed by government decree.<\/p>\n\n