This Wednesday 26 April, the College of Commissioners will take another look at the controversial reforms of the Hungarian Prime Minister, Viktor Orbán.
It may decide to open infringement proceedings against Hungary over its law on foreign universities (which are obliged to have a campus in their country of origin), which jeopardises the survival of the Central European University founded by billionaire George Soros, rumoured to be a bête noire of Orbán (EUROPE 11767).
The Vice Chancellor of this University, Michael Ignatieff, has stepped up his contacts with Brussels since the beginning of the week.
On Monday 24 April, he discussed recent developments in Hungary with the First Vice-President of the Commission, Frans Timmermans. Commissioner Moedas, with responsibility for Research, Science and Innovation, has expressed concerns for the scientific community.
Ignatieff's message is a simple one: the CEU has several income streams and does not take instructions from Soros. “We are not a political organisation, we are not an NGO, we have never challenged the government”, he said on Tuesday at a public meeting with several MEPs, including the leader of the ALDE group, Belgium's Guy Verhofstadt, Gabi Zimmer of Germany (chair of the GUE/NGL group) and Belgium's Philippe Lamberts (co-chair of the Greens/EFA group).
The last of these pointed out that Orbán's law owes nothing to the EU, but looks more like the kind of initiative the Russian government might take.
The Hungarian Ambassador to Brussels, Zoltan Nagy, explained on Monday, during a debate at the Free University of Brussels, that the new law followed a study of some 20 foreign universities based in Hungary that had flagged up irregularities. Ignatieff said that this was incorrect, but if it were true, the government should have taken legal action rather than change the law. He said on Tuesday that he had found out on 28 March that the law had been tabled without prior discussion or notice. There is no existential threat to his university, he went on to explain on Tuesday. The financial support will not allow it to fail. Incidentally, other capitals have offered to host it, Vilnius in particular, but it would rather stay in Budapest. He stressed that academic liberty had not been put to the test in Europe since the 1950s. Lastly, he voiced his hopes that 'Brussels' would hear his calls.
On Wednesday, therefore, the Commission may decide to bring infringement procedures against Hungary. On 12 April, Timmermans said that on first sight, the law on universities could breach the principle of the free movement of services and right of establishment.
Another reform planned by the Hungarian government concerns the transparency of the foreign financing of NGOs. This reform has not been voted on and so the Commission's action will aim mainly to change its direction before it is.
Lastly, a detailed response from the Commission to the 'Stop Brussels' questionnaire sent out to all Hungarian households is anticipated. A Commission source declined to confirm whether this response would be ready on Wednesday.
In any event, Orbán will address the MEPs, who are looking forward to the opportunity, on Wednesday afternoon. He will probably have to reiterate his explanations to his EPP colleagues on Saturday morning, with several voices calling for the party to suspend or exclude Fidesz. (Original version in French by Élodie Lamer)