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Today, UNI MEI issued a statement expressing its strong concern over the adoption of the new media law adopted by the Hungarian Parliament yesterday. The law in its current form is a threat to the freedom of press, audiovisual media and thus to freedom of expression. Several provisions aim at controlling public and private media and gives large power to authorities over media content.

UNI MEI is opposed to the new law and in particular the creation of the government controlled Media Presidium and its powers. The aim of the setting up of the Media Presidium is to control public media, since it will have the power to oblige public media to supply the information deemed by the Presidium as "necessary for society". According to the provision of the law, the head of the Media Presidium will be appointed directly by the prime minister for a nine-year term. Its executive council will in turn be responsible for nominating the directors of Hungary's public service media. These provisions constitute a direct control mechanism over Hungary’s public media and are contrary to the principles of freedom of expression and the protection of media pluralism as enshrined in the EU Charta of Fundamental Rights.

UNI MEI points out that the new law could be used to oblige public media to convey certain information in the interest of the political party in power. The new law needs to be assessed in the framework of the government’s policy of “re-nationalisation” stipulated in the “Manifesto of National Cooperation”. The Government ordered that the manifesto be displayed in all public spaces including the Parliament building early this year. The new media law could be used to misuse the media to display such political declarations across the whole media landscape and outlaw any criticism or opposition.

In its statement, UNI MEI calls on the European Union to investigate the new media law and to take necessary measures to ensure that the provisions and implementation of the law do not restrict freedom of expression and media pluralism.

The statement can be downloaded by clicking above on "related files"