Hungary’s controversial new media law will undermine pluralism of the country’s press, the transatlantic security group OSCE warned yesterday.
“What is particularly problematic is that the (new) ‘Media Council’ is led by members exclusively from the governing parties, which can undermine media pluralism,” said the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe’s representative on freedom of the media, Dunja Mijatovic.
“Nobody is questioning the legitimate right to create laws governing media. But such laws should protect and not supress and restrict media freedom,” she said.
Ms Mijatovic, who has been an outspoken critic of the new law in the past, was speaking after meeting with Hungary’s state secretary for communication, Zoltan Kovacs, in the Hungarian capital.
She has criticised the long terms of appointment for the new media watchdog’s members, whose contracts are renewable after an initial period of nine years.
In the wake of the huge international outcry over the legislation, which has also cast a shadow over Hungary’s assumption of the rotating EU presidency at the start of the year, Prime Minister Viktor Orban had said Budapest might amend the law if Europe de-manded it.
Mr Kovacs reiterated that position again yesterday.
“Hungary is open to start negotiations on the law if the EU finds that elements are in conflict with common values,” he said.
But he added: “At the moment we view such negotiations as unnecessary as the law, in all aspects, stands the test of universal values.”
Under the legislation, which came into effect at the beginning of the year, a new media authority, or Media Council, has the right to regulate media content and impose fines when rules are not respected.
The Council, to be headed by members from Mr Orban’s Fidesz party, will prescribe restrictions on media content and impose fines not only for content considered offensive, but also for material that “is not politically balanced”.
It will also have the right to inspect media equipment and documents and to force journalists to reveal sources in issues related to national security.
In an interview with the mass-circulation German daily Bild on Monday, Mr Orban said he was ready to fight for the legislation.
“I accept the battle, even as my opponents in Hungary and Europe are plotting their campaign,” he said.
“I am used to headwinds... from the period of opposition under the communist regime,” he added in comments published in German.