Viktor Orbán

International spokesman for the office of Hungarian prime minister, Zoltán Kovács responds to a Euronews opinion piece penned by contributors Sohini Chatterjee and Péter Krekó.

State-sponsored disinformation campaigns were once the preserve of authoritarian regimes. Without noticing, the same tactics have crept into public discourse in Western democracies.

Index is among a handful of independent outlets whose finances and freedom to operate have been curtailed by Prime Minister Viktor Orban's efforts to control more of Hungary's media.

As Hungary's coronavirus-hit economy shrinks and unemployment soars, thousands of Hungarians are seeking to join the army, attracted by job stability and a government scheme that fast-tracks recruits toward a military career.

Brussels quick to condemn the treatment of George Floyd - why is Europe so slow to speak out on anti-Roma violence?

The fallout from the Treaty of Trianon - signed 100 years ago today - has echoes in current tensions between Hungary and its neighbours, where some two million ethnic Hungarians still live.

For us, who trust institutions rather than “good emperors,” Orbán’s Enabling Act remains unconstitutional, even if it was ultimately revoked. And so, instead of applauding his greatness, we remember the words of the Trojans: “Beware of Greeks bearing gifts!”

The state of emergency gave the government the power to rule by decree and was heavily criticised because it had no clear end date.

The Hungarian government’s decision to comply with the Luxembourg court’s judgement makes perfect sense in the illiberal calculus of strategically resetting the terms of EU membership.

The virus is still with us, of course, and the fight goes on. But as we look back over the last several difficult weeks, we recall how critics claimed that this law hailed the end of democracy in our country. In fact, more Hungarians are alive today because of it.

As a global problem encompassing oceans and continents, the idea that a pandemic is considered to be a country-specific problem is one of the most short-sighted considerations that world leaders have drawn.

If experiences of a decade of dialogue on the rule of law are any indication, Orbán is unlikely to be halted by diplomatic reminders about good practice during a pandemic.

The request comes after Hungary voted through sweeping new powers for Viktor Orban to rule by decree amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The Orbán government's response to the coronavirus outbreak is not surprising given its track record over the last decade. But now is the time for Hungarians to seize the moment and take matters into their own hands.

If the EU wants to survive as a meaningful organisation delivering for all of its citizens, it will have to step up its response to the ongoing rule of law crisis.

There have been no coronavirus cases in Hungary yet and all tests have come back negative.