Orbán cabinet fails to meet Council of Europe guidelines in media freedom

Press release – The January session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) discussed the Hungarian media situation and Fidesz’ propaganda media as well. As a member of the Hungarian delegation, Jobbik MP Koloman Brenner made a speech in Wednesday’s debate on the two reports titled “Media freedom as a condition for democratic elections”, and “Public service media in the context of disinformation and propaganda”.

Addressing the plenary session in Strasbourg, Jobbik’s deputy parliamentary faction leader talked about the smear campaigns that the public service media and the “commercial media outlets” owned by pro-Fidesz oligarchs had been conducting against the leading politicians of the opposition party. Mr Brenner explained that these actions affected the outcome of the election as well since the opposition politicians were blocked from getting their ideas and political opinions through to the voters.

Jobbik’s MP also said that even though his party won nearly 200 libel suits against the government’s fake news media, the damage was already done and there was no way to minimize it after the election.

Noting that the 2019 elections were going to be crucial, he warned that the largest Hungarian opposition party would have to face the same conditions in the upcoming EP elections and then the autumn municipal contest in terms of communicating its in-depth concepts on Europe’s and Hungary’s future. He added that the Fidesz government apparently had not at all been affected by the member state guidelines and recommendations laid out in the reports that the plenary meeting discussed in Strasbourg.

Jobbik’s deputy faction leader said he wanted to know how long the politicians of the EPP faction were going to keep tolerating the ignoble activities conducted by their fellow party members in Hungary.

According to Mr Brenner, the EPP family was not going to deal with the issue until the May elections in hope of maximizing their political gains. Jobbik’s MP expressed his opinion that those who had an insight into Viktor Orbán’s way of thinking (like Jobbik’s politicians, for example), knew very well that he would talk and act completely differently after May 27, and without missing a beat, too, if his interest so requires.

MP Brenner said, the CoE can regularly warn member states if they do not meet the recommendations on media freedom. However, the Council of Europe cannot impose sanctions and that’s why it was very important for the Hungarian voters to demonstrate in the EP elections in May that they do not support the idea of Orbán’s authoritarian regime being worked up even further.

The reports discussed by the PACE noted that media freedom was a fundamental condition for democratic elections and/or the struggle against misinformation and propaganda.