NGOs

Hungary ‘cannot be obliged’ to drop migration policy, says Orbán in radio interview

Orbán

“Nobody can oblige Hungary” to give up its position on migration, the prime minister told public Kossuth Radio on Friday.

“Hungarians have made it clear that they don’t want to see illegal immigrants,” Viktor Orbán said in connection with the European Union’s recent infringement procedure against the country. He added that “you can corner a government or deliver a gut punch to it” but it cannot be done to a whole nation.

Orbán insisted that “record high” participation in the government’s latest nationwide public survey means that “a whole nation is looking for ways to support its position of denying entry to people of a different culture or civilisation”.

Concerning critical remarks from Germany, Orbán asked German politicians to “leave us alone and not involve us in their election campaign”. Hungary has always respected Germans and “we expect them to respect us, too,” he said.

“What we want is a Hungarian Hungary and a European Europe … we won’t participate in experiments aimed at changing Hungary or Europe, in which Europe’s cultural traditions would be swept aside to be replaced by a mixture of other cultures, religions and worldviews, allowing masses to enter without control”, Orbán said. Germany, France, or Italy cannot be denied the right of subjecting themselves to such experiments “but we are asking them not to make us follow suit”, he added.

Concerning US criticism of Hungary’s recent civil organisations law, the prime minister said that the United States’ taking up a position on the matter was an “interesting venture” in the light of that country’s “brutally stringent” rules on organisations receiving support from abroad. He insisted that the new Hungarian legislation was “polite and delicate” compared to US regulations. “It is inconceivable why one would be reluctant to declare a donation once they were not shy to accept it,” he added.

Referring to groups planning a boycott of the civil organisations law, Orbán said that the law applies to all civil groups. He added that Hungary’s laws do not allow for civil disobedience.

On the subject of next year’s budget, which parliament passed on Thursday, Orbán noted wage hikes planned for 2018, and said that it would create better conditions for all social groups. “We will be in a better position than we are in this year,” Orbán said, and pointed to rising employment and the increasing number of taxpayers, as well as measures to promote childbirth.

Orbán’s cabinet: Civil disobedience not recognised by law

Daily News Hungary

The constitution guarantees legal means for citizens or organisations to express dissatisfaction with legal regulations but the law does not recognise civil disobedience, Justice Minister László Trócsányi said late on Wednesday.

The minister reacted to announcements by rights organisations Hungarian Civil Liberties Union (TASZ) and the Hungarian Helsinki Committee that they would refuse to fulfil the law on the transparency of organisations financed from abroad and they would not register as stipulated by the new law.

Under the act approved by parliament on Tuesday, NGOs will be required to register as foreign-backed groups once their foreign donations reach 7.2 million forints (EUR 23,400) a year. European Union funds will not count towards the threshold.

Trócsányi told public news channel M1 that everyone has the right to express their opinion or dissatisfaction in a rightful manner, for instance by submitting a constitutional complaint or turning to other forums. However, it is a fundamental expectation that the law must be respected by everyone.

Civil disobedience as a legal category is not recognised by law, he said.

In response to a question about a European Parliament position published on May 17 about Syrian citizen Ahmed H who has been sentenced by a Hungarian court to ten years in prison because of a terrorist act and illegal border crossing, Trócsányi said he was shocked because putting pressure on a court in an ongoing case is unacceptable. He added that in his capacity as justice minister, he never “dared” to comment on a non-final verdict.

Hungary’s foreign minister defends civil organisation transparency law

germany hungary flag

Access to information on foreign funding to non-governmental organisations is a legitimate need of the Hungarian public, the foreign minister said on Wednesday.

Péter Szijjártó reacted to comments by German foreign ministry spokesman Martin Schaefer that the German government is “very concerned” about a law passed by parliament on Tuesday that requires civil groups in Hungary receiving foreign donations above a certain threshold to register as organisations funded from abroad.

Schaefer said that by passing the law without consulting those it concerns, Hungary “joins the ranks” of countries like Russia, China and Israel which he said consider the funding of NGOs by foreign donors “a hostile or at least an unfriendly act”.

Speaking at a press conference on another subject, Szijjártó said: “You would expect a Social Democrat-led German foreign ministry to only express criticism against other countries based on precise information and not biased, baseless accusations.”

“What is the German government afraid could come to light regarding the funding of civil groups?” Szijjártó asked.

The minister said the impression that NGOs represent the people against a government was “false”, arguing that civil groups were never elected.

Civil groups are important and it is important that they express their views on certain issues “but since they aim to shape public opinion by doing so”, they must disclose any funding they receive from abroad, Szijjarto said.

He said it was “strange” that the German government was criticising a law that was passed to create transparency.

“We, of course, will continue to refrain from criticising legislative measures of other EU member states,” Szijjártó said.

US government also expresses concern over Hungary’s foreign-founded NGO transparency law.

US government expresses concern over Hungary’s foreign-funded NGO transparency law

The government of the United States expressed concern over Hungary’s new legislation on foreign-funded NGOs in a statement on Wednesday.

As we wrote, passed by parliament on Tuesday, the law requires civil groups receiving foreign donations above a certain threshold to register with a court as organisations funded from abroad.

In a statement, the US embassy said that the United States “is troubled” by the adoption of the legislation “that unfairly burdens a targeted group of Hungarian civil society organizations, many of which focus on fighting corruption and protecting human rights and civil liberties.”

“This new law, particularly in the context of government rhetoric portraying civil society organizations receiving foreign funding as acting against the interests of society, stigmatizes local organizations and will have a chilling effect on the ability of Hungarians to organize themselves and address their concerns to the government in a democratic manner,” it said.

The statement said that, if signed into law, the legislation will constitute a step backward from the principles of freedom of association and expression embodied in NATO, the EU, and the OSCE.

It called statements on the legislation being based on the US’s Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) false.

Hungarian parliament passes foreign-funded NGO transparency law – UPDATE

Prime minister Orbán

Lawmakers on Tuesday passed a law requiring civil groups receiving foreign donations above a certain threshold to register as organisations funded from abroad.

The government-sponsored bill was passed with 130 votes in favour, 44 against and 24 abstentions.

Under the law, civil groups will be required to register as foreign-backed groups once their foreign donations reach 7.2 million forints (EUR 23,400). European Union funds will not count towards the threshold.

The NGOs’ details will be made public and they will be required to declare that they are considered organisations funded from abroad by law on their websites and in all of their press materials.

Civil groups that fail to disclose the source of funding they receive from abroad will be sent a notice by a public prosecutor calling on them to comply with their obligations. NGOs that fail to fulfil their obligations after a second notice will be fined.

Under the original bill, if an NGO would still have failed to fulfil their obligations after the imposition of a fine, a public prosecutor would have taken legal action for the dissolution of the NGO in question, but this provision was removed at the recommendation of the Venice Commission.

NGOs are eligible for deregistration as a foreign-backed group if their foreign donations do not reach the 7.2 million forint threshold for two consecutive fiscal years.

In line with the Venice Commission‘s recommendation, NGOs will not be required to submit detailed personal data of foreign donors if their individual annual donations do not amount to 500,000 forints.

The law does not apply to sports or religious organisations, associations or foundations that do not qualify as NGOs or national minority organisations.

Socialist deputy group leader László Szakács said his party opposed the proposal seen as one curbing the freedoms of civil organisations.

The opposition Democratic Coalition in a statement voiced support for civil society, which they said was “as important a pillar of democracy as a free and independent media. “Hungary needs Europe rather than Russia and prisons should not be filled with civil activists or opposition politicians – as in Russia – but with corrupt politicians and criminals,” they added.

Green LMP said they would request the Constitutional Court’s scrutiny of the new law.

Zsuzsanna Szelényi of the Együtt (Together) party called the law “immoral, discriminative and unnecessary”.

According to the Liberal Party, the government’s aim was to stigmatise civil organisations and restrict their room for manoeuvre rather than to increase transparency through the “Russian-style” law.

The Civil Liberties Union (TASZ) and the Hungarian Helsinki Committee indicated that they would boycott the law and not register.

Amnesty International said the law was aimed against organisations helping “the poor, sick children, refugees, migrants and other vulnerable groups” providing services for them which “the state should but would not”.

Ruling Fidesz said in a statement that TASZ and the Helsinki Committee have “openly turned against the will of the Hungarian people” through their boycotting the law, which Fidesz sees as necessary “to screen the network of (George) Soros”. “Soros has declared war on Hungary; he wants to dismantle the (border) fence and bring in migrants, using his agencies”, Fidesz added in its statement.

Photo: MTI

Hungarian parliament to vote on 2018 budget, law on NGOs

Hungary parliament

Lawmakers will vote on a proposal about the transparency of NGOs supported from abroad and the 2018 budget during four sittings next week which will mark the end of parliament’s spring session.

On Monday parliament will debate and vote about proposed amendments to this year’s amended budget and to next year’s budget.

The schedule for Tuesday includes votes on a proposal about the transparency of NGOs supported from abroad, a proposal on the regulation of new criminal procedures and lawyers’ activities, on Hungary’s continued participation in the international efforts against the Islamic State terrorist organisation, the foundations for next year’s budget, tax laws and a proposal that enables the establishment of pensioner cooperatives.

On Wednesday, lawmakers will get to decide, among others, about a proposal to prevent covert party financing and several international agreements. They are scheduled to debate a law on public servants and amendments necessary for the national pension insurance directorate to merge with the state treasury.

Thursday’s sitting is planned to take only one hour in the afternoon and its schedule includes a vote on the 2018 budget and the amendment of this year’s budget.

Parliament will then take a recess, which is expected to end in mid-September.

Photo: MTI

Orbán’s cabinet accepts most Venice Commission legal concerns over civil organisations law

Daily News Hungary

The government accepts the Venice Commission’s concerns over the government-initiated bill on the transparency of civil organisations financed from abroad, and will amend the bill accordingly, the government office chief said on Thursday.

Speaking at a regular weekly press briefing, János Lázár said the cabinet had heard Justice Minister László Trócsányi on the matter on Wednesday and had taken his advice to accept the commission’s recommendations regarding the legal aspects of the bill. The government, however, rejected recommendations concerning the bill’s political aspects, Lázár added.

The government office chief emphasised that the Venice Commission does not doubt the legitimacy of the bill and had acknowledged that creating a transparent state of affairs concerning NGOs funded from abroad was a legitimate objective for parliament.

Lázár said the amended bill will only take into account financial support received from abroad in one fiscal year instead of three when determining if an NGO is eligible for deregistration as a foreign-backed group.

Answering a question on another subject, Lázár said the government is prepared to hold talks with the New York state government on the situation of Budapest’s Central European University at the end of June. The Hungarian government will be represented in the talks by prime ministerial commissioner Kristóf Altusz.

Fidesz accepts most Venice Commission recommendations concerning civil organisations law

Daily News Hungary

Lawmakers of ruling Fidesz will support “the majority” of the recommendations the Venice Commission has made concerning the government-initiated bill on the transparency of civil organisations financed from abroad, the party’s deputy group leader told a press conference on Wednesday.

Referring to the commission’s evaluation of the bill, Gergely Gulyás said that “the body has acknowledged that ensuring access to information on foreign funding to non-governmental organisations is a legitimate objective”.

Gulyás noted that positions by the Venice Commission have no binding effect. He added, however, that Fidesz “has so far considered and will again consider the majority of the body’s recommendations”.

Referring to US billionaire George Soros, Gulyás insisted that the new law was necessary to ensure the transparency of Hungary’s “Soros-organisations” and to clarify allegations of some organisations being financed “from the east”.

Fidesz: Venice Commission recommendations on NGOs bill worth weighing

The Venice Commission has made recommendations concerning the government’s bill on transparency of foreign-funded civil groups that are worth considering, the head of ruling Fidesz’s parliamentary group said on Saturday.

“We’ll study the commission’s recommendation because we want to draft good legislation that really does ensure transparency for all civil organisations, even in the case of ones that are receiving funding from abroad,” Lajos Kósa told a press conference in Debrecen, in eastern Hungary.

Kósa noted that the Venice Commission had said in a preliminary opinion published on Friday that the aim of the proposed legislation is legitimate.

“We’ve still got one week to build the recommendations into the law,” Kósa said, adding that lawmakers could vote on the bill in the week starting June 12.

The Venice Commission said in its preliminary opinion that the bill pursues legitimate aims but imposes excessive obligations on NGOs and flags disproportionate sanctions.

Photo: MTI

Venice Commission: Hungary’s NGO transparency bill has legitimate aims but is excessive

Hungary parliament

The Hungarian government’s bill on the transparency of foreign-funded civil groups pursues legitimate aims but imposes excessive obligations on NGOs and flags disproportionate sanctions, the Venice Commission said in a preliminary opinion on the bill published on Friday.

In its opinion, the commission acknowledged that the bill before parliament could be useful in the fight against money laundering and the financing of terrorism.

The commission said the bill “wisely” refrains from labelling foreign-funded NGOs as “foreign agents”. It added, however, that the mounting of a “virulent campaign by some state authorities” against foreign-funded NGOs may raise concern that certain provisions in the bill may leave the door open for discrimination.

In the document, the Venice Commission advises Hungarian authorities to consult civil groups about the contents of the bill before it is passed into law.

The commission, however, welcomed that under the bill, sanctions on NGOs that fail to disclose the source of funding they receive from abroad would be imposed in a gradual process. The opinion added, at the same time, that any sanctions imposed must be in line with the principle of proportionality and should only be imposed in the cases of the most serious breaches of obligations.

The Venice Commission established that the three-year period NGOs are required to go without foreign funding in order to qualify for deregistration as foreign-backed groups was too long and “appears to be arbitrary”. It recommended that the duration should be reduced to one year. Under the bill, the requirement to register as a foreign-backed group would apply to NGOs receiving more than 7.2 million forints (EUR 23,400) a year from foreign donors.

The commission also considers the obligation by NGOs to declare that they receive funding from abroad on all their press products and publications excessive.

It also noted that the bill does not apply to sports or religious organisations or groups that do not qualify as NGOs, such as political parties.

Earlier this week, the ruling Fidesz party’s parliamentary leader said parliament would vote on the bill on June 12.

Photo: MTI

Vote on NGO bill expected in current parliament session

Daily News Hungary

Budapest, May 23 (MTI) – The final vote on the ruling Fidesz party’s bill on the transparency of NGOs financed from abroad is expected to take place in the current Spring session of parliament, the head of Fidesz’s parliamentary group said on Tuesday.

Lajos Kósa said it is expected that both the partial results of the national consultation and the Venice Commission’s preliminary opinion concerning the matter would be ready by early June.

“The question is whether there might be a proposal for amendment that can be incorporated into the bill,” he added at a news conference.

On the topic of the Central European University, he said the government awaited a letter in which the United States officially clarified whether or not it has an interest in the case, and if so, what that may be.

Jobbik files complaint over MVM donation to pro-government NGO

Budapest, May 19 (MTI) – The opposition Jobbik party has filed a complaint at the chief public prosecutor’s office over a 508 million forint (EUR 1.6m) donation received by the pro-government Civil Unity Forum (CÖF) from state-owned energy company MVM last year, a party lawmaker said on Friday.

Over the past 7-8 years it was impossible to know how CÖF could afford to finance its activities organised in support of the government, István Szávay told a press conference.

It has now been revealed that MVM was supporting the organisation which raises the suspicion that CÖF posters showing Jobbik leader Gábor Vona and opposition DK leader Ferenc Gyurcsány in the company of a clown were financed from public monies, he said, referring to a billboard campaign mounted by the NGO last year.

Szávay said this could imply the misuse of public funds and said he had filed a complaint over it to the chief public prosecutor’s office.

He said he is expecting information from all the ministries on whether any of the institutions belonging to them have supported CÖF.

UN rapporteurs urge Hungarian government to withdraw foreign funded NGO transparency bill

Vienna, May 16 (MTI) – Two human rights experts of the United Nations have called on the Hungarian government to withdraw its proposed bill on the transparency of civil groups funded by foreign donors, the UN’s information service UNIS said on Tuesday.

The bill, if passed by parliament into law, would severely curtail the rights to freedom of expression and to peaceful assembly and association in Hungary, special rapporteurs Michel Forst and David Kaye said in their joint statement, a copy of which was sent to MTI.

They said that financial transparency of NGOs is already ensured under current legislation in Hungary, insisting that the bill would only discriminate against, delegitimise and stigmatise civil organisations that receive part or all of their funding from abroad.

The rapporteurs further said that the bill, if adopted, “would have a chilling effect not only on expressions of peaceful dissent but also on the legitimate work of NGOs and individual human rights defenders scrutinizing government and exposing human rights violations”.

They said that the Hungarian prime minister and members of his government have made several derogatory remarks about NGOs receiving foreign funding particularly targeting those funded by US financier George Soros.

“Certain public remarks by Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and other high ranking government officials on the activities of civil society raise serious concerns about the government’s commitment to basic freedoms in a democratic society,” they said.

Forst and Kaye urged the government to withdraw the bill and provide “a safe and enabling” environment for civil organisations in line with its international human rights obligations.

Under the proposal submitted in April NGOs receiving over 7.2 million forints (EUR 23,400) of funding from abroad should register each year at a court.

Photo: MTI

Socialists accuse government of ‘Russian’ measures targeting NGOs

Daily News Hungary

Budapest, May 16 (MTI) – The Fidesz government plans “Russian” measures to “attack” civil organisations, a lawmaker of the opposition Socialists said on Tuesday.

The ruling party has concealed the “nefarious and sly” provisions in the 2018 budget bill, Gergely Bárándy, the deputy head of parliament’s legislative committee, told a press conference.

Bárándy argued that the “civil information forums” outlined in the bill are designed to keep pro-government agencies informed. “This mechanism of informers evokes the 1950s,” he said.

Bárándy accused the government of speeding up the creation of “sham” civil organisations such as “volunteer homes for family support” before deciding which “civil organisations” should operate them.

“This is a perfect Russian model under which civil organisations have been set up by the government to spread central propaganda,” he said.

Bárándy said Hungarians would have the opportunity in 2018 to decide in the general election whether they wanted to live in a country modelled on Russia or in one that is part of the European Union.

Dutch Embassy launches Corporate Social Responsibility programme in Debrecen

Debrecen (MTI) – The Dutch Embassy launched its Corporate Social Responsibility programme with a roadshow in Debrecen, in eastern Hungary, on Thursday.

The scheme aims at promoting cooperation and building partnerships between the municipal, corporate and civil sectors, as well as boosting support for NGOs.

Elzo Molenberg, the deputy chief of mission, said Dutch civil organisations play an important role in resolving problems in society.

Diána Széles, the deputy mayor of Debrecen, noted that there are 1,600 NGOs in the city, 400 of which are rather active.

Attila Fülöp, deputy state secretary for civil relations at the human resources ministry, noted that 64,000 civil organisations operate in Hungary, 98 percent of which specialise in culture, education, social affairs, health care and urban development, while 1.1 percent deal with rights protection.

Civil groups received a total of 144 billion forints (EUR 464m) of government subsidies in 2010 and this rose to 202 billion by 2015, he said.

Orbán’s cabinet: Statehood, sovereignty at stake in migrant quota lawsuit in Luxembourg court

The government office chief, János Lázár, said on Thursday that what is at stake in the current lawsuit concerning migrant quotas before the European Court of Justice is the right to determine who lives in the country and who stays.

If this is taken away from parliament, the government and the people then the very basis of Hungarian statehood and sovereignty would be endangered, he said.

Speaking at a weekly government news conference, Lázár said the Hungarian standpoint is that the quota system is wrongheaded and that it has proved a failure. The problem’s solution is not to introduce quotas. “We will not accept any kind of quota,” he said. Hungary does not want to spend taxpayer money on supporting migrants. Instead it wants to support Hungarian families and its youth, he added.

Hungary disputes the process whereby the European Commission overrides the decision of the European Council, namely that acceptance of migrants can only be undertaken on a voluntary basis, he said. In other words, if a member state does not want migrants, it should not be forced into accepting them. Lázár said at the same time that the dispute was of the nature of “David versus Goliath” and Hungary could only rely on the backing on the Visegrad Group of countries and countries in central Europe.

Lázár called completion of the second fence along 155kms of Hungary’s southern border, costing 4.8 billion forints (EUR 15.5m), an important development. “This has perfected border protection,” he said. The “legal seal” combined with the fence fully protects Hungary and guarantees that migrants cannot move around freely in Hungary. Moreover, nobody can enter the country illegally, he added.

At the same time, Lázár said Hungary could maintain systematic EU border controls because the result was waiting times of several hours.

The number of illegal border crossings amounted to 185 by May 9 this year and the number of asylum applications has been 1,578 so far. Human smugglers and migrants now avoid Hungary, which means “we are Europe’s safest country”, he said.

At the same time, the government believes it necessary to be prepared for a migration crisis. There is a strong consensus in Hungarian society that Hungary should not accept or invite migrants but instead support Hungarian youth, Lázár said.

He also said that critics of the government’s “national consultation” failed to understand the essence of democracy; the public survey is about fully effectuating democracy. It is right for the government to ask people their opinion regarding various important issues, and this applies to the period between elections, too, Lázár said. The number of responses to the survey now stands at 1.276 million, a record high, he added.

The government cannot stop Brussels alone, he said. It will only do so if voters continue to help out, he added.

He noted the European Commission had insisted the survey was misleading. But the real question is whether the commission or the Hungarian government is misleading people. Lázár said it would be unrealistic to argue that the Hungarian government could mislead 1.3 million people.

The Brussels body is trying to “fool Hungarian voters” by stating that energy price liberalisation would be beneficial to Hungary. The experience of Hungarian consumers shows the opposite: over twenty years, in a liberalised market, prices always went up. It is right for the Hungarian government to fight for its right to influence gas and electricity prices.

Commenting on the question of migrant quotas in the national consultation survey, he said the mandatory quota is an invitation to migrants. Lázár said that in the next year, this is likely to be the greatest dispute between the Hungarian government and the commission, and also the hardest to resolve.

Lázár said that the text of an EU development document on the current agenda contained a proclamation tying the future success of the EU to the number of migrants arriving in the bloc, but Hungary’s standpoint is that “the fewer migrants are needed the better”, and it will therefore veto the document. Whenever the EU tries to legitimise immigration in various documents Hungary will oppose it, he added.

NATO

Lázár noted that the United States had asked European NATO member states to spend more on defence and implement developments. Hungary can best fulfil its NATO obligations by increasing its defence spending and starting developments, he said, adding that Hungary’s priority was to procure transport planes.

NGOs in Hungary

Asked about the Norway fund, he said all NGOs should have access to support, and the model for this should be the Swiss agreement, he said in reference to the coming funding cycle. There have been no negotiations since November last year. The Norwegian negotiating partner will arrive in Budapest in two weeks’ time, he said, adding the question was not whether Norway would provide money but rather how it would do so.

He said Hungary was ready for a compromise on the sum of money but lawmakers would not change their bill on NGO financing at the request of the Norwegian government. It is a matter of principle in the EU that issues covered by the right of association should fall within the competence of member states, he added.

Lázár underlined the government’s position that organisations funded from abroad should operate transparently, and he also said it should be the Hungarian parliament that decides on tax and support for job creation in Hungary.

Photo: MTI

Orbán’s cabinet seeks to have say in choosing fund manager of EEA/Norway Grants

Budapest, May 11 (MTI) – The Hungarian government insists to have an influence on the tender for the EEA/Norway Grants fund manager to ensure that all NGOs benefit with an equal chance, the deputy state secretary for international affairs of the prime minister’s office told daily Magyar Idők on Thursday.

Most of the third round of talks between the EEA/Norway Grants, supporting 15 member states of the European Union, and Hungary’s government, scheduled for mid-May, is expected to go smoothly, Zsigmond Perényi said. The only point of contention is the tender to appoint the fund manager, a process the Hungarian government insists to have a say in. The fund manager is to decide on the distribution of funds later in the process, he said.

The government seeks to reach an agreement on the 2014-2021 financial period, Perényi said, but does not feel compelled to take any offer. If the talks are successful, Hungary is to receive 214.6 million euros in the period, with 107.5 million euros coming from Norway Grants and 108.9 million euros from the EEA, a fund managed by non-EU members Norway, Liechtenstein and Iceland, Perényi said.

Suspending the grants “would be difficult” for the countries concerned as they pay them in exchange for serious economic benefits within the EU, he said.

Reacting to recent remarks of the Norwegian prime minister on Hungarian and Polish steps, Perényi said that the prime minister was likely to have been misinformed: the Hungarian government has no intention to influence the distribution of the funds themselves, but regards them as public funds and so insists on cooperation in appointing their manager.

House speaker: Hungary ready for constructive dialogue with Council of Europe

Budapest (MTI) – Hungary has demonstrated on several occasions that it is ready to enter into constructive dialogue with the Council of Europe and will continue to do so, Parliamentary Speaker László Kövér said in a letter addressed to the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, forwarded to MTI by the parliament’s press office on Monday.

Kövér responded to a letter by Nils Muiznieks, in which the Commissioner had expressed concern in connection with the draft law on the transparency of NGOs supported from abroad and called on MPs to reject the law.

Kövér noted in his response that the CoE under Secretary General Thorbjorn Jagland has shown an open and constructive spirit towards its member states and this has greatly contributed to the settlement of sensitive issues raised within the framework of the organisation.

“Only through negotiation and cooperation can we find long lasting solutions that reconcile the norms and principles of the organisation with legitimate national interests. I hope you share this approach,” he said.

Kövér said it is important to underline that Hungary recognises the significant contribution of non-governmental organisations to the promotion of common values and goals. These organizations also play an important role in the democratic control of the government and shaping public opinion, he added.

The right to freedom of association, as well as other connected fundamental rights, such as the freedom of assembly and the freedom of expression, are guaranteed by the fundamental law of Hungary in line with the norms of the CoE, he said.

The draft law submitted by four MPs is aimed at enhancing the transparency of funding of non-governmental organizations, Kövér said. It neither affects the basic rights associated with freedom of association, nor blocks the access of the affected organisations to resources on the grounds of nationality or country of origin, he added.

As noted in the joint OSCE/ODIHR and Venice Commission Guidelines on Freedom of Association, as well as the expert opinion of the Venice Commission on the issue, the freedom to seek, receive and use resources can be subject to requirements related to the prevention of money laundering or terrorism, he said. These documents also underline that resources received by civil organisations may legitimately be subject to reporting and transparency requirements, he added.

Kövér expressed his belief that after careful examination of the document Muiznieks will acknowledge that the overall aim of the draft law is in line with the relevant international guidelines, including those elaborated under the auspices of the CoE.

“I wish to note that the issue of the Draft Act on the transparency of organisations receiving support from abroad was discussed in the meeting on 24 April between Secretary General Jagland and Minister of Justice Trocsanyi, and the two have agreed to continue expert discussions on the legislation”, he said.

“As you are also aware the Parliamentary Assembly of the c has requested the opinion of the Venice Commission on the draft law. Hungary stands ready to continue the dialogue within the framework of Council of Europe based on shared values and principles and, last but not least, mutual respect,” he added.

 

Photo: MTi