The preliminary plan of the new report on Hungary, rapporteurs George Papandreou and ERYK Kross, was presented today by the Council of Europe’s obligations committee in Strasbourg.
The report reflects the alarming image of democratic regression in Hungary, with serious violations of the rule of law, human rights and fundamental principles of transparency and accountability.
Former Prime Minister and one of its rapporteurs, George Papandreou, underlined as critical issues:
Electoral laws and regulations that favor the government’s lineup: laws and regulations that reshape the regions, the electoral system and the vote of the dispersion for the benefit of the House of Representatives, favoring the government’s lineup, undermining the election.
Absolute control of constitutional reforms, where 2/3 of MPs (allowing them to make constitutional changes) have voted 15 amendments and over 80 fundamental laws in recent years, without the involvement of the opposition or the necessary consultation.
Politicalization of Justice: Through the increased majority, senior judicial authorities were appointed by political and party criteria.
Abuse of Power: They made legislation to establish a constant “emergency state” to bypass the democratic processes of their parliament. Within this context, laws relating to education, the right to strike, and even the rights of LGBTKI+were decided, turning the parliament into a simple “validation stamp”.
Civil society suppression: Targeting any NGOs that can give the opposite view and criminalization of disagreement through the so -called “Bureau of Protection of Sovereignty”.
SME control: Government sovereignty in the vast majority of the media and the use of spy software against journalists.
Prohibition of Pride and Breach of Fundamental Rights: Systematic Breach of the ECtHR (European Court of Human Rights)
Endemic corruption and opacity: Hungary is recently ranked in the EU in terms of corruption, while significant Community funds are lost (or even bound by the EU) or ending in customer power networks.
Public cultural organizations (such as public museums) and universities are transferred to government -controlled institutions (with the BoD designated by the government) without transparency or accountability.
Mr Papandreou said that “the Hungarian case raises a deeper question: How durable are European institutions when a Member State consciously chooses to undermine democratic authorities? The defense of democracy is not an internal affair, it is a collective responsibility of all of us. Not only for Hungary, but for the future of Europe itself. “
The report will be discussed and adopted at a subsequent meeting of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.