In Hungary, a “Russian-style” law to “criminalize” opponents
A bill introduced on May 13th calls for the establishment of a "register of foreign-funded organizations" that threaten national sovereignty. Opposition media outlets denounce this measure as it compromises their existence and that of NGOs.
On March 15, Viktor Orban promised to "cleanse" the country of his opponents, whom he compared to "bedbugs." On May 13, a member of parliament from the Fidesz majority party followed the Hungarian leader's wishes by submitting a "transparency" bill, targeting NGOs and independent media outlets accused of serving foreign interests. Its adoption will be a mere formality, as the Orban camp holds two-thirds of the 199 seats in the Hungarian National Assembly. The vote on the bill is scheduled for June 10-12.
"The goal: to criminalize their opponents, discredit their critics, and prevent anyone from causing harm before next year's elections," HVG criticizes . The law is "supposed to prevent foreign influence" but "could be used to punish environmentalists speaking out against a dangerous project, parents creating an NGO to fill gaps in the school system, or entrepreneurs speaking out about the state's economic policy," the liberal magazine laments.
“Inducing self-censorship and deterring” with a text “inspired by the Russian law on foreign agents,” according to 444.hu , is a “proven Fidesz method.”
Courrier International
