WORLD NEWS FOR MONTENEGRO DIASPORA
Choose language:
AUTHOR:M.J. GDNUS
The European Commission has threatened measures against Hungary if Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's government adopts a controversial law restricting the work of NGOs.
The introduction of a law on "transparency in public life" would impose strict regulations on foreign-funded NGOs that are considered a risk to Hungary's sovereignty, DPA reports.
The draft law, submitted to the Hungarian parliament by Orbán's conservative nationalist party Fidesz, constitutes a serious breach of EU law, according to the Commission.
The Commission has called for the draft to be withdrawn from the legislative process.
If the law is adopted as expected, the Commission, led by President Ursula von der Leyen, has announced that it will not hesitate to take the necessary measures.
The Commission can launch special procedures for such violations, resulting in high fines for member states that do not comply with EU law, DPA recalls.
Similar to current legislation in Russia, the draft law allows for the blacklisting of foreign-funded NGOs that can influence public opinion.
These organizations can then only receive material support from abroad with the approval of the tax authorities of the country in which they operate.
If an NGO is financed in other ways, it must pay the state 25 times the amount as a fine, otherwise it will be dissolved and banned, DPA reports.
NGOs are organizations that fight independently of governments for human rights, the environment or health and other aspects of public life.
Orban, who has clashed with the EU several times during his 15 years at the helm of Hungary, is under increasing pressure at home ahead of parliamentary elections in April next year.
Peter Magyar, a political novice and defector from the prime minister's ruling party, has emerged as a conservative challenger whose new Tisza party has dominated opinion polls ahead of Orban's Fidesz for months, DPA reports.
