Yesterday, Saturday, the European Commission threatened to take action against it if the government of Prime Minister Victor Urban passes a draft law that restricts the activities of NGOs.
Approval of the draft law “transparency in public life” imposes strict rules on NGOs that receive funding from abroad, as it is seen as a threat to Hungary’s sovereignty. While the Urban government says it aims to dismantle a “advertising network” funded from abroad.
The project also provides for the ban on non -governmental organizations from abroad, and may not be allowed to receive material support except with a statement from the Hungarian Tax Office.
The draft law requires that if a non -governmental organization obtains foreign funds by other means, it must pay 25 times the amount it received as a fine of the state, otherwise it will be resolved and prohibited.
The law includes non -governmental organizations that defend human rights, the environment and health, such as “Doctors Without Borders”, “Amnesty International”, “Green Peace” and others.
The Commission considered the draft law – which was submitted by the Urban “Fids” party – a serious violation of the European Union laws, and called for the withdrawal of the draft from the legislative process, and also warned that it would not hesitate to take the necessary measures if the law is approved, including imposing large fines.
Tens of thousands demonstrated, last Sunday, in Budapest against the draft law, while a number of European Parliament deputies called for freezing all the funds submitted to Hungary, accusing the government of restricting freedoms and undermining democracy in violation of the laws of the European Union.
The Federation has actually frozen about 19 billion euros of money allocated to Hungary due to issues related to corruption and restrictions on the independence of the media.
Urban – who was a lot with the European Union during his 15 -year -old leadership – is exposed to growing pressure at home, a year before the parliamentary elections, especially with its dissident rival from the Fids Peter Magear party for opinion polls over the past months.
