Hungary defends Media Act amid ‘loss of freedom’ criticism

03/01/11 18:14 CET

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Hungary has defended its new media law, and welcomed an EU review of it, which will seek to sort out if the legislation is compatible with European Union rules. The centre-right government in Budapest has insisted that it is compatible, and rejected criticism, notably that of other EU governments and Western media.

This came as two leading left-wing Hungarian daily newspapers said the law meant an end to press freedom, one of them printing it in the 23 official EU languages.

The law took effect on Saturday, meaning the row also coincides with Budapest taking up the European Union’s rotating presidency on January 1, for the next six months.

A spokesman for the European Commission said: “Commission Vice President Neelie Kroes has raised doubts with the Hungarian authorities about the new legislation and the way it transposes European obligations.”

Under the law, a new media authority, with members largely installed by the ruling Fidesz party, will oversee all public news production. The body can also levy big fines on private media. They are told they have to be “balanced”.

One Hungarian paper quoted the deputy prime minister as saying that if there are problems putting the legislation into practice, the government will adjust it. Prime Minister Viktor Orban said last month that Hungary had no intention of changing the law.