Fidesz: Venice Commission recommendations on NGOs bill worth weighing

The Venice Commission has made recommendations concerning the government’s bill on transparency of foreign-funded civil groups that are worth considering, the head of ruling Fidesz’s parliamentary group said on Saturday.

“We’ll study the commission’s recommendation because we want to draft good legislation that really does ensure transparency for all civil organisations, even in the case of ones that are receiving funding from abroad,” Lajos Kósa told a press conference in Debrecen, in eastern Hungary.

Kósa noted that the Venice Commission had said in a preliminary opinion published on Friday that the aim of the proposed legislation is legitimate.

“We’ve still got one week to build the recommendations into the law,” Kósa said, adding that lawmakers could vote on the bill in the week starting June 12.

The Venice Commission said in its preliminary opinion that the bill pursues legitimate aims but imposes excessive obligations on NGOs and flags disproportionate sanctions.

Photo: MTI

Source: MTI