Brussels, 11/03/2011 (Agence Europe) - On Thursday 10 March, the Hungarian government played down the resolution voted for by the European Parliament on the media law (EUROPE 10333). They described criticism from MEPs as a form of “witch hunt”, according to reports by AFP. The minister for communication, Zoltan Kovacs, said that this was “an unfortunate development. The witch hunt continues. MEPs have clearly failed to take into account the amendments adopted on Monday” by the Hungarian parliament.
Kovacs accused the Socialist Group at the EP of having pushed forward this resolution which was adopted without the voice of the EPP (the political party to which the group of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, the Fidesz, belongs) and which considered that the changes made at the request of the Commission were sufficient.
On Thursday, MEPs called on Hungary to re-examine this law urgently even though it has been amended, due to the serious doubts expressed by the OSCE (Organisation for Security and Co-Operation in Europe) with regard to media supervisory bodies, and the doubts expressed by the Council of Europe which is also dissatisfied with the amendments introduced by Budapest. On 16 February, the European commissioner responsible for this dossier, Neelie Kroes, said that she was, however, “very satisfied” with the amendments proposed by Hungary. Kovacs therefore considers that “those who have signed the resolution should debate it with the European Commission”. (S.P./transl.fl)