Survival of free press is not a local matter (Solidarity statement)
The Hungarian Fidesz de facto puts a free press outside the law.
The Hungarian Fidesz de facto puts a free press beyond the law – and in a broader sense, democratic public debate.
By its draft Act on “Transparency « Of May 14. Fidesz joins authoritarian tactics we know from Putin’s Russia.
If the legislation is adopted – and there is no indication that it is not – it will be the targets of the Hungarian media and civil NGOs that receive money from foreign sources, including donations or transparent grants from the European Union. These are necessary for their activities.
The law is formulated so vague that it could apply virtually any organization involved in public life or discussion – including independent media or human rights initiatives.
Orbán attacked the media and NGOs as hard as never before Read
The enforcement of the law is to fall to the newly established sovereignty office, headed by a person who recently called on the public not to support independent media.
This office will include « problematic » organizations on the list of monitored organizations, which will then confirm the government regulation.
Entities included in this list could face serious consequences; Including freezing of bank accounts, the obligation to disclose the property declarations of its representatives or the threat of high fines.
Survival of free press is not a local affair – especially in the region, where more and more populist leaders are taking over Orban’s techniques. It is in our common European interest to declare as loudly as possible that freedom of information, independent and facts based on the media and critical voices in public space are essential.
Therefore, we call on our governments and the European institutions to do everything to cancel this law, which is in a sharp contradiction with the Treaty on the European Union and the Charter of the EU fundamental rights.
Solidarity’s declaration was signed
- Alessia Cerantola, Head of Editor, Investigate Europe (Italy)
- Andrei Ciurcaan, publisher, Rise Project (Romania)
- Anna Gielewska, editor -in -chief, Vsquare (Poland)
- Anneleen Ophoff, Executive Director, Apache (Belgium)
- Anuška Delić, founder and editor -in -chief, Oštro (Slovenia)
- Attila Bíró, editor -in -chief, context.ro (Romania)
- Augustine Zenakos, editor -in -chief, The Manifold (Greece)
- Bartosz T. Wieliński, Deputy Editor -in -chief, Gazeta Wyborcza (Poland)
- Bastian Obermayer, Director and Co -Folder, Paper Trail Media (Germany)
- Beáta Balogová, editor -in -chief, SME (Slovakia)
- Bettina Hamilton-Irvine, fellow-indactor, republik (Switzerland)
- Catalin Tolontan, Head of Editor, Hotnews (Romania)
- Catalina Albeanu, Executive Director, Display Europe (Austria)
- Catarina Carvalho, Editor, Mensagem de Lisboa (Portugal)
- Cecilia Anesi, Center Director, IRPI (Italy)
- Christiane Schulzki-Haddouti, Member of the Board of Directors, riffreporter.de (Germany)
- Cristian Delcea, editor -in -chief and co -founder, Recorder (Romania)
- David Schraven, Director of Publishing House, Correctiv (Germany)
- Dieter Bornemann, Chairman of the Editorial Board, ORF (Austria)
- Dimitris xenakis, publisher, Inside Story (Greece)
- DO ALFON, Editor -in -chief, Libération (France)
- Elena Sánchez Nicolás, editor -in -chief, Euobserver (Belgium)
- Elisabetta Tola, founder and editor -in -chief, Facta.eu (Italy)
- Erik Tabery, editor -in -chief, Respect (Czech Republic)
- Eva Belote, editor -in -chief, Civio (Spain)
- Filip Minich, Editor -in -chief, Refresher (Slovakia)
- Florian Klenk, Editor -in -chief, Falter (Austria)
- Florian scaffold, editor -in -chief, Dossier (Austria)
- Francesca Festa, co -founder, Spher Network (France)
- Frederik Obermaier, director and co -founder, Paper Trail Media (Germany)
- Gian-Paolo Accardo, Editor-in-chief, Voxeurop (France)
- Gulio Rubino, festivalfredactor, Irpimedia (Italy)
- Harry Lensink, Editor -in -chief, Follow The Money (Netherlands)
- Ivajlo Stančev, editor -in -chief, Capital (Bulgaria)
- Jakub Patočka, editor -in -chief, Deník referendum (Czech Republic)
- Ján Simkanič, CEO and publisher, Deník N (Czech Republic)
- Janusz Schwertner, editor -in -chief, goniec.pl (Poland)
- Jaroslav Mašek, editor -in -chief, Hospodářské noviny (Czech Republic)
- Jelena Pavic Valentic, editor -in -chief, telegram (Croatia)
- Jerzy Baczyński, Editor -in -chief, Polityka (Poland)
- Joanna Krawczyk, Director, Correctiv.Europe (Germany)
- Josef Pazderka, editor -in -chief, Czech Radio Plus (Czech Republic)
- Karl van den Broeck, founder and editor -in -chief, Apache (Belgium)
- Katharine Vincer, editor -in -chief, The Guardian (UK)
- László Juhász, editor -in -chief, Paramati (Slovakia)
- Lise Witteman, Deputy Editor -in -Chief, Follow The Money (Netherlands)
- Lorenzo Bagnoli, festerfredactor, Irpimedia (Italy)
- Loucas Fesias, Editor -in -chief, Alphanewslive (Cyprus)
- Lukáš Diko, editor -in -chief, investigative center of Ján Kuciak (Slovakia)
- Lukáš Fila, Director of Publishing House, Diary N (Slovakia); Chairman of the Board of Directors, Respect, Deník N, Heroine (Czech Republic)
- Magda Jethon, editor -in -chief, Radio Nowy świat (Poland)
- Magdalena Chrzczonowicz, editor -in -chief, ok.press (Poland)
- Mašenjka Bačić, Deputy Editor -in -Chief, Oštro (Croatia)
- Mathias Destal, Editor -in -chief, Disclose (France)
- Matúš Kostolný, editor -in -chief, daily N (Slovakia)
- Matyáš grain, editor -in -chief, current (Czech Republic)
- Michał Danielewski, Editor -in -chief, OK.Press (Poland)
- Michal Musil, editor -in -chief, Magazine Reporter (Czech Republic)
- Michał Szułdrzyński, editor -in -chief, Rzeczpospolita (Poland)
- Mihai Vinea, editor -in -chief and co -founder, Recorder (Romania)
- Miroslava Kernova, editor -in -chief, Omediach.com (Slovakia)
- Mustafa Kuleli, Editor -in -chief, Mediternews (Turkey)
- Nikolas Leontopoulos, co -founder and editor, Reporters United (Greece)
- Norbert Molnar, Director of Digital Publishing, Új Szó (Slovakia)
- Pavel Tomášek, editor -in -chief, Deník N (Czech Republic)
- Peter Bárdy, editor -in -chief, news (Slovakia)
- Petr Kain, editor -in -chief, Economy (Czech Republic)
- Petr Šabata, editor -in -chief, Deník Law (Czech Republic)
- Robert Břešťan, editor -in -chief, hlidacipes.org (Czech Republic)
- Robert Čásenský, editor -in -chief, Seznam Report (Czech Republic)
- Roman Imielski, first deputy editor -in -chief, Gazeta Wyborcza (Poland)
- Rozina Breen, editor -in -chief and CEO, The Bureau of Investigative Journalism (UK)
- Sam Tranum, Editor, Dublin Inquirer (Ireland)
- Sebastian Esser, publisher, Krautreporter (Germany)
- Slawek Blich, Executive Director, Display Europe (Austria)
- Sofia da Palma Rodrigues, co -founder and executive editor, divergent.pt (Portugal)
- Štefan Hríb, editor -in -chief, week (Slovakia)
- Stefan Johannesberg, Executive Board, Riffreporter.de (Germany)
- Teresa O’Connell, editorial director, Are We Europe (Netherlands/Germany)
- The Fumaça Team (Portugal)
- Virginia Pérez Alonso, Editor -in -chief, Infolibre (Spain)
- Wojciech przybylski, editor -in -chief, Visegrad Insight (Poland)
- Zoltán Sipos, editor -in -chief, atlászó Erdély (Romania)
- Zoltán Szalay, Editor -in -chief, Výpunk (Slovakia)
