Monthly Event Reports
December 2023 | Parliament passes ‘sovereignty law’
On 12 December, the parliament passed a law to protect “national sovereignty,” targeting what the ruling Fidesz party views as unwarranted foreign political interference, particularly through funding to political parties during the electoral campaigns. The legislation, passed with 141 votes in favour and 50 against, establishes the Sovereignty Protection Office, equipped with extensive investigative powers. This office can scrutinize NGOs and individuals engaged in public discourse, initiating investigations into those suspected of serving foreign interests. The Penal Code now states that those who are found to have accepted foreign funding while running for office may face up to three years in prison. The Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights urged Fidesz to abandon the proposal, expressing concerns about potential misuse of sensitive data. Four major political groups voiced deep concerns about threats to the rule of law in a letter to EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. Critics, including rights groups, warned the law resembles Russia's foreign agent legislation, posing risks to freedom of expression and independent journalism.
July 2023 | Parliament passes controversial education law
Despite protests by teachers, students and parents, the parliament has voted in favour of a controversial education law, which enters into force on 1 January 2024. The law abolishes teachers’ status as public servants, limiting their rights and restricting their autonomy. Further, the maintainer of their educational institution, which in most cases is the state, will determine their salaries based on their performance. Critics fear that loyalty to the state will count towards better performance evaluations. By 29 September, teachers can either accept these conditions or resign. More than 5,000 have already pledged to resign in a March petition. They consider the bill a government retaliation against their 1.5 years of striking for better pay and working conditions. Trade unions have criticized the law for overloading teachers and masking staff shortages, whereas the president, Katalin Novák, insists that it “ensures the [...] functioning of the public education system”.
June 2023 | EU Court rules Hungary’s migration regulation breached EU law
The European Court of Justice has ruled that Hungary broke EU law when it introduced a new law during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 making procedures more difficult for asylum seekers. The judgment found that the law deprived “third-country nationals or stateless persons concerned of the effective enjoyment of their right to seek asylum from Hungary”. The rules forced asylum seekers, including those already in Hungary, to submit a pre-asylum application at Hungarian embassies in Serbia or Ukraine before applying for international protection in Hungary. Authorities said that certain asylum seekers, such as Ukrainians, were exempt from the rules. The case was brought forth by the European Commission, which will now have to decide between demanding that Hungary repeal the regulation and levying fines.
April 2023 | President vetoes anti-LGBTQIA+ law
President Katalin Novák, who is considered a loyalist of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, has unexpectedly vetoed a bill on the protection of whistleblowers. However, the law includes a paragraph that enables people to report those who challenge the “Hungarian way of life”. Hungary’s constitution defines marriage as an institution between “one man and one woman”. This was considered another attack on LGBTQIA+ rights and same-sex parents. The president argued that the “protecting the Hungarian way of life” paragraph does not belong to the EU Whistleblower Act and that this weakens constitutional rights and fundamental values. Although the president has returned the legislation to the parliament, lawmakers can still decide to adopt it. Hungary’s crackdown on LGBTQIA+ rights has faced strong opposition, including the European Commission’s lawsuit over the country’s 2021 Child Protection Law, which was considered an attack on the LGBTQIA+ community. 15 EU-member states have joined the legal proceedings before its deadline on 6 April.
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