European Parliament: There is a systemic problem in Hungary

The European Parliament’s special committee on the use of spyware adopted its report and recommendations. According to the report, there is a “systemic problem” in Hungary.

The European Parliament’s special committee on the use of spyware adopted its report and recommendations on 8 May. Both the report and the recommendations were adopted by a large majority. According to mfor.hu, their main findings are as follows:

• Spyware was used to monitor, discredit and humiliate the opposition, journalists and civil society;
• The use of spyware should be subject to strict conditions;
• A uniform definition of what constitutes national security is needed;
• The setting up of an EU tech lab could help with research, investigations and forensic analysis.

In relation to Hungary – and Poland – involved in the Pegasus case, the report found that “there is a systemic problem” in the two countries. Their recommendations include restoring the independence of the supervisory bodies and the judiciary, the need for an independent and specific judicial mandate prior to the use of spyware, judicial analysis following its use, and ensuring citizens’ access to remedies.

In the cases of Greece and Spain, on the other hand, the use of spyware was said to be ad hoc, for economic and political gain.

As we may recall, Judit Varga, the Minister of Justice, refused to meet with the committee’s delegation to Budapest.