Media authority: Freedom of speech is protected in Hungary

Freedom of speech in Hungary is widely protected by the country’s legal system, the head of the National Media and Communications Authority (NMHH) said on Thursday.

All speech relating to public life – including that which may infringe on the rights of others – is fundamentally protected, András Koltay told a conference on press freedom. The protection of freedom of speech is an achievement of “the Hungarian democracy that was reborn in 1990” whose importance should not be undermined, Koltay said.

Hungarian public life is diverse, making those who want to be well informed “work for it”, he said, underscoring the importance of having speech be based on facts. Koltay said the media in Hungary went beyond just reporting the news and also played a significant role in shaping social life. This, he added, meant that it needed to be regulated, highlighting the crucial role of child protection.

Meanwhile, Koltay warned of the spread of fake news which he said was difficult to manage through legal means.

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Orbán: Hungarian jobs are “primarily for Hungarians”

The Hungarian economy is to provide jobs for Hungarians first of all, “and everyone else can only come after”, PM Viktor Orbán told a conference in Budapest on Thursday.

Hungary will need some 500,000 new employees in the coming years, Orbán said in his address at the year-opening event of the Hungarian Chamber of Commerce (MKIK). The priority is to “mobilise internal resources in that regard”, he said.

Hungary still has “domestic reserves”, which is why large industry development projects are focusing on eastern Hungary, he said. “The European Union’s current political atmosphere, which prioritises regional cooperation and helps relations with Hungarian communities across the border,” also gives Hungary an opportunity to mobilise workforce there, he said.

“We can’t give an advantage to foreigners over Hungarians, we can only talk about guest workers once we have exhausted these reserves,” he said.

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Source: MTI