Top court approves referendum bid on NGO law

Hungary’s Supreme Court, the Kúria, approved a referendum bid regarding the law on the transparency of non-governmental organisations in a binding ruling on Tuesday.

The proposal was submitted to the National Election Committee by Barnabás Kádár, a board member of the opposition Momentum Movement, as a private individual. The question submitted for approval reads: “Do you agree that the National Assembly should annul Act LXXVI on the Transparency of Organisations Receiving Foreign Funds?”

The Kúria’s ruling overrides the National Election Committee’s July decision to reject the bid.

An MP of the co-ruling Christian Democrats said in reaction that Momentum’s initiative was “an action plan to defend George Soros and his network”. István Hollik told a press conference that Momentum had “taken sides with pro-migration organisations” and is now working to “prevent transparency” of those organisations.

Hungary’s voters “are entitled to know which organisations receive significant funding from abroad, and it is all the more so when those organisations launch politically motivated attacks against a democratically elected government and its measures,” Hollik insisted.

Source: MTI