Friday

29th Mar 2024

Kroes gives Hungary an ultimatum on media law

The EU commissioner in charge of media issues, Neelie Kroes, has raised "serious doubts" about Hungary's new media law in a letter to Budapest and given the country a two-week ultimatum to the government to explain itself. Hungarian leader Viktor Orban however said the law was intended to combat racism.

"The commission services have serious doubts as to the compatibility of Hungarian legislation with Union law. Considering the urgency of this case ... I invite the Hungarian government to submit within two weeks observations on how these serious doubts may be addressed," the letter, sent on Friday (21 January) and seen by EUobserver, says.

Read and decide

Join EUobserver today

Get the EU news that really matters

Instant access to all articles — and 20 years of archives. 14-day free trial.

... or subscribe as a group

  • Ms Kroes has told Budapest to change the media law or face legal action (Photo: European Parliament)

Ms Kroes also warned the Mr Orban's government that if they "fail to satisfy" the requests, she may take legal action against Hungary.

The commission finds worrying three provisions in the Hungarian media law.

Firstly, "obligation to provide balanced coverage" by all audiovisual media, which it says appears disproportionate in regards to freedom of expression and information as enshrined in the EU's Charter of Fundamental Rights, which Hungary has signed.

Secondly, the proportionality of imposing fines or restricting content from other member states, which under EU law can only be done in cases of incitement to hatred or where the protection of minors is at stake, but which Hungary is keen to stretch further.

Finally, Ms Kroes finds that the new obligation to register all media, including bloggers, a "disproportionate restriction to the freedom of establishment and the free provision of services," as well as an infringement on the fundamental right of freedom expression and information.

The Hungarian government, whose rotating EU presidency has been tarnished by the media law affair over the past month, is trying to downplay the criticism.

In an interview with Hungarian press agency MTI, Zoltan Kovacs, the state secretary for government communications, said on Tuesday (24 January) that the "[Kroes] letter contains questions of a technical nature rather than ones relating to freedom of speech and freedom of the press."

Speaking to a Jewish delegation in Brussels the same day during an event commemorating the Holocaust, Prime Minister Orban said his new law is aimed at combating anti-Semitism and racism.

Ukraine slams grain trade restrictions at EU summit

Restrictions on Ukrainian agricultural exports to the EU could translate into military losses in their bid to stop Russia's war, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky warned EU leaders during their summit in Brussels on Thursday.

Difficult talks ahead on financing new EU defence spending

With the war in Ukraine showing no signs of ending any time soon, EU leaders will meet in Brussels on Thursday and Friday (21 and 22 March) to discuss how to boost the defence capabilities of Ukraine and of the bloc itself.

Opinion

Why UK-EU defence and security deal may be difficult

Rather than assuming a pro-European Labour government in London will automatically open doors in Brussels, the Labour party needs to consider what it may be able to offer to incentivise EU leaders to factor the UK into their defence thinking.

Latest News

  1. Kenyan traders react angrily to proposed EU clothes ban
  2. Lawyer suing Frontex takes aim at 'antagonistic' judges
  3. Orban's Fidesz faces low-polling jitters ahead of EU election
  4. German bank freezes account of Jewish peace group
  5. EU Modernisation Fund: an open door for fossil gas in Romania
  6. 'Swiftly dial back' interest rates, ECB told
  7. Moscow's terror attack, security and Gaza
  8. Why UK-EU defence and security deal may be difficult

Stakeholders' Highlights

  1. Nordic Council of MinistersJoin the Nordic Food Systems Takeover at COP28
  2. Nordic Council of MinistersHow women and men are affected differently by climate policy
  3. Nordic Council of MinistersArtist Jessie Kleemann at Nordic pavilion during UN climate summit COP28
  4. Nordic Council of MinistersCOP28: Gathering Nordic and global experts to put food and health on the agenda
  5. Friedrich Naumann FoundationPoems of Liberty – Call for Submission “Human Rights in Inhume War”: 250€ honorary fee for selected poems
  6. World BankWorld Bank report: How to create a future where the rewards of technology benefit all levels of society?

Join EUobserver

EU news that matters

Join us