The European Parliament will hold an ‘urgent’ debate on Wednesday over a new transparency bill introduced in Hungary, according to Tineke Strik, the Parliament’s rapporteur for Hungary and a Dutch MEP from the Greens.
The debate will focus on a draft law presented last week by Hungary’s ruling Fidesz party, which would require foreign-funded media outlets and NGOs to register and could subject them to fines if foreign interference is discovered. While Hungary is trying to protect its sovereignty against foreign-funded NGOs and uncontrolled political influence, the EU sees this move as a threat to its own influence in the country.
Brussels showed up once again as a self-proclaimed savior of human rights and freedom, claiming that the law represents a significant deterioration in Hungary’s democratic environment. “We are all very, very concerned about the current, the continuous backsliding of rule of law, and this new bill is very much adding to that,” said Strik.
In early April, the EU Court of Auditors found that the EU Commission completely lacks transparency when it comes to funding NGOs that can be easily used for political activity in its member states. Reports also showed that, in Hungary alone, the EU spent over €60 million to fund politically active NGOs to help opposition parties. Now that the Hungarian government wants to step up its fight against these back channels, the EU is calling a debate in the name of ‘rule of law’ and ‘civil society.’
