Leading parties draft law to prevent Hungarian parties from receiving funding from abroad

The rules on campaign financing are being currently reviewed with the aim to prevent influencing the Hungarian elections from abroad, István Simicskó, group leader of the co-ruling Christian Democrats, said in an interview published in daily Magyar Nemzet on Monday.

Current law defines “any interference in Hungary’s internal affairs” as an unlawful act, Simicskó told the paper, adding that “we are going to prepare an amendment that will contain much tighter rules”.

Parliament’s national security committee has tasked the National Information Centre “to conduct a thorough investigation of the scandalous affair of “rolling dollars” which involves exploring the ways of foreign funding channelled illegally to the opposition left for their campaign in last year’s general election,” he noted.

As regards further legislation plans for parliament’s autumn season, Simicskó said the child protection law would also be tightened, calling it an important duty “to protect our children”.

Further bills will also be submitted with the aim to tighten public safety and clamp down on money laundering, he said, adding that bills on transport, agriculture, labour protection and asset management would also be tabled.

As we wrote earlier, Hungary’s state auditor has had to delay its report on the campaign financing of parliamentary parties owing to doubts over the legality of receipts and other documentation connected with the opposition formation Everybody’s Hungary Movement (MMM), details HERE.