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Hungary Introduces Bill Expanding Crackdown on Foreign-Funded NGOs and Media

Prime Minister Orbán's Fidesz party submits legislation empowering the Sovereignty Protection Office to blacklist and penalize organizations deemed threats to national sovereignty.

Overview

  • The Transparency of Public Life bill was formally introduced to Hungary’s parliament on May 14, 2025, and is expected to pass under Fidesz’s supermajority.
  • The legislation grants the Sovereignty Protection Office authority to blacklist organizations receiving foreign funding, including from EU grants, if they are deemed threats to national sovereignty.
  • Blacklisted groups face severe penalties, including loss of tax-donation access, intrusive inspections, and fines up to 25 times the amount of foreign funding received, payable within 15 days.
  • The bill defines threats broadly, encompassing activities like influencing public opinion, promoting democratic debate, or challenging Christian culture and traditional family roles.
  • Critics warn the bill mirrors Russia’s foreign agent law, signaling further democratic backsliding in Hungary and targeting dissenting media and NGOs reliant on foreign funding.