The Hungarian who will shape Europe in 2019

According to the American political journal Politico, Márta Pardavi, the biggest “enemy” of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, will “shape, shake and stir Europe” in 2019. She is Disruptor #7 on their list of the 28 most influential people in the European political scene.

Every year, Politico compiles a list of 28 people who will shape, shake and stir Europe the following year. This year’s list, the Politico 28 Class of 2019, features one influential Hungarian: Márta Pardavi.

This year, they also ranked the people in three different categories: doers, dreamers and disruptors. The 28 people were chosen from 28 countries. On the list, we can find politicians, activists, artists and businessmen and businesswomen alike.

The only Hungarian on the 2019 list is Márta Pardavi, who was chosen as Disruptor #7 on the list.

Márta Pardavi is the co-chair of the Hungarian Helsinki Committee, which provides legal assistance to asylum seekers and Hungarian citizens in prison or pre-trial detention, who claim to have lost their jobs due to their critical views of the Orbán government.

Pardavi said that their organisation was the only one that “spoke up for refugee protection” in Hungary.

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She leads the organisation’s work in the field of refugee protection. She also serves on the board of PILnet Hungary Foundation and Verzio International Human Rights Documentary Film Festival. She was also a member of the board, and later vice-chair, of the European Council on Refugees and Exiles in 2003-2011.

Politico calls Pardavi “one of the Hungarian government’s most prominent critics — and one of its primary targets.”

Which is not an exaggeration at all. Pardavi said that their organisation receives many hateful phone calls, and staff members’ names have appeared on an “enemies list” in a government-controlled magazine.

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It is not the first time that a Hungarian name is featured on Politico’s list of the most influential people in European politics.

Viktor Orbán (in 2016), Lajos Simicska (in 2018) and György Soros (in 2017) have all been featured on the list in different years.

The No. 1 on this year’s list is the Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Affairs; Matteo Salvini.

You can check out the complete list with all 28 people who will shape, shake and stir Europe next year here.

Featured image: www.helsinki.hu

Source: www.politico.eu