Brussels, 26/01/2012 (Agence Europe) - It would be “reasonable” for the Hungarian government to “reconsider the laws and regulations adopted” in the media. It is in these terms that the president of the high-level group on media pluralism, former president Vaire Vika-Freiberga, spoke on 25 January. The group was set up by the European Commission in October. It highlighted developments regarding the Hungarian law on the media, as well as radio licenses granted and the situation involving the Hungarian opposition radio station, Klubradio, which has seen its radio frequency disappear in Budapest.
The group brings together around 10 different experts. It has confirmed the fears already expressed on 17 January by Commissioner for the Digital Agenda Neelie Kroes in a letter to Hungary. They noted the extraordinary “concentration of competencies and responsibilities within the Hungarian Media Council” and highlighted “potential sources of pressure on the media”, as well as “restrictions to the freedom of expression”. It also questioned the compliance of these provisions with the Charter of Fundamental Rights.
The group is independent of the Commission and is expected to submit its conclusions by the end of the year. Will the Dutch commissioner be waiting so long? Her spokesperson, Ryan Heath, said that the first satisfactory point was the fact that the group “totally shared our concerns” but that for the time being “there is no reason to take action or make any decisions” with regard to opening an infringement procedure against Hungary. A series of complaints by citizens have been submitted to the Hungarian Constitutional Court and Klubradio has also submitted an appeal. The spokesman added that an end to these approaches was in sight and that the Commission would take action in light of these results, even if these legal appeals took months or even years.
Heath said that the Commission was also scrupulously examining a report by the Central European University, which had noted a series of problems with regard to European law and the Hungarian law's lack of coherence with regard to standards and practices applied in other member states. The spokesman further explained that if they discovered further problems affecting European law, they would not hesitate to take action. With regard to Klubradio, another motive for Commission action would also depend on how Klubradio's request is treated and whether there is a “fair” trial. The Commission therefore does not plan on taking any immediate action.
The high-level group meeting on Wednesday did not in any case entirely focused on criticism of Hungary. The former Latvian president considered that France had not been setting a good example in Europe, with a law that enabled the President of the Republic to appoint a head of France Télévision, for example. She explained that “this is all so clearly an example of concentration of power is in a single pair of hands”, even though this power is subject to mitigation through other mechanisms. The group also discussed Italy, which under Berlusconi, had also experienced an “extreme concentration of private channels and radio in a single pair of hands”, added Vika-Freiberga. (SP/transl.fl)