Thousands of people demonstrate in Hungary against « Transparency Act » – Diepresse.com
The adoption of the « Transparency Act » is planned for mid -June. On the other hand, thousands of people took to the streets on Sunday.
In Hungary, several thousand people took the streets on Sunday against a planned law of the right -wing government to regulate « independent media funded by abroad » and non -governmental organizations. In a demonstration in the capital Budapest, the protesters carried transparent with inscriptions such as « Today a donation, tomorrow evidence for a crime? »
In addition, they were booing when the names of 115 parliamentarians were read out who brought in the draft of the so -called « Transparency Act ». The law would authorize the Hungarian government to put organizations on a black list, provided they « endanger the sovereignty of Hungary by influencing public life with foreign funds ». According to the bill, organizations on this black list would need approval to receive money from abroad. This also includes donations from private individuals with foreign citizenship. In addition, they would be excluded from the possibility of being considered by Hungarian taxpayers with a grant of one percent of income tax. These payments are an important source of income for non -profit organizations in Hungary.
Farewell planned for mid -June
The Hungarian opposition accuses the government of wanting to use the law based on the role model of Russia’s opponents of the government. The EU Commissionwhich has been in conflict with the right -wing national government in Budapest for years, called for them to withdraw the bill – and otherwise threatened with the « necessary steps ».
The parliamentary vote on the law is due in mid -June. Given the vast majority of the Fidesz-Puardy of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán is only a matter of form. (APA/AFP)
