Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has also reacted to the fact that almost all of the journalists on the Hungarian news website, Index, have resigned following the arbitrary dismissal of their editor, Szabolcs Dull (see EUROPE 12539/8).
In a statement published on Tuesday 28 July, the organisation called for EU funds to be made conditional on respect for the Rule of law and highlighted Hungary's “discriminatory policy” regarding State Aid for the media.
RSF pointed out that in 2017, Index only received 4.5% of online advertising from public authorities, compared with 44.5% for Origo, a pro-government media outlet with a comparable number of readers. They also noted that this policy places independent media in hugely difficult situations and makes any attempt to launch a new media much more difficult.
“Under its exclusive competence with regard to competition, the European Commission should urgently examine the unfair and non-transparent distribution of state advertising “, said Pavol Szalai, head of the EU/Balkans office of RSF.
The organisation also criticised the European Commission for turning a blind eye to a complaint filed in January 2019 by the NGO radio station Mérték Media Monitor and a Hungarian MP on the subject of State Aid that was deemed illegal.
At the beginning of the week, the European institution – when questioned about its lack of response to a complaint lodged in 2016 regarding State Aid granted to the main Hungarian audiovisual media outlet – had already kicked the can down the road, giving assurances that it would “do everything possible to reach a solution”. (Original version in French by Agathe Cherki)