EU to investigate media, academic freedom in Hungary

A delegation of the European Parliament’s Committee on Culture and Education (CULT) will start a three-day visit on Wednesday in Budapest, focusing on “culture and media policy, artistic and academic freedom” in the country, the EP has said.

The delegation led by Sabine Verheyen, an MEP sitting in the European People’s Party, is scheduled to meet Culture and Innovation Minister János Csák, Regional Development Minister Tibor Navracsics, and Budapest deputy mayor Anett Bősz.

The committee’s members will also talk to representatives of the national media authority NMHH, the Liszt Academy of Music, the Central European University, and visit media outlets and NGOs, “including NGOs dealing with refugees — to discuss in particular the situation of school-age children and young people,” the statement said.

“We want to discuss with all sides the recent developments in education, cultural and media policies in Hungary — in the light of some concerns brought to the attention of our members by Hungary’s academic and artistic community and civil society,” Verheyen said.

Source: MTI