Hungarians protest new media law

Hungarian protesters tape their mouths in protest against the new media law

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/160222.html


Thousands of people in Hungary have taken to the streets to voice their opposition to the country's controversial new media law.

Hungarians are actively protesting in the second series of demonstrations in recent weeks against Prime Minister Viktor Orban's new media law.

According to the legislation, a new authority has the right to impose major fines on media outlets.

The legislation also has the right to require journalists to reveal their sources on national security issues.

The protests have been especially vehement among media and rights groups in Budapest.

Other European governments have criticized the legislation as well, claiming that it limits freedom of press.

After Orban's center-right Fidesz Party swept to victory in the April parliamentary elections, winning two-thirds of the vote, his government became powerful enough to easily change laws and even the Constitution.

As part of the reforms, the government set up a new watchdog to regulate media content and impose fines when rules are violated.

Hungary takes over EU presidency

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/158241.html


Hungary has taken over the rotating presidency of the European Union amid criticisms against Budapest over adoption of a new law, which is said to restrict freedom of press.

"A transformation of incredible speed and depth is happening throughout the world; Europe must be able to stand in a much stronger global competition than ever before," Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said on Saturday.

Most important of all, Hungary will oversee talks about EU budget for 2014-2020 amid the blocs' worsening debt crisis, AFP reported.

Meanwhile, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, European Parliament and countries such as Germany have criticized Budapest for enforcing a law, which they say, threatens the freedom of press in the country.

After Orban's center-right Fidesz Party swept victory in the parliamentary elections in April and won two-third of the votes, his government became powerful enough to easily change laws and even the Constitution.

As part of the reforms, the government set up a new watchdog to regulate media content and impose fines when rules are violated.

The body will have the right to inspect media equipment and documents and to force journalists to reveal sources on matters concerning national security.

Hungarian economy in 'grave situation'

Source: PressTV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=129117§ionid=351020606



A senior Hungarian government official has accused the country's previous administration of manipulating budget figures to misrepresent the economy as strong.

The comments made by Peter Szijjarto, a spokesman for new Prime Minister Viktor Orban, raised fears about the state of Hungary's economy.

Some Hungarian officials say the European country is moving towards a 'Greek-style' economic crisis.

They have warned that the country's budget deficit may reach 7.5 percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) this year from 4 percent in 2009. Greece's deficit is forecast at 9.3 percent of the GDP this year.

Szijjarto further warned that the Hungarian economy is in a "very grave situation."

"The size of the problems in the Hungarian economy render patching up and austerity measures ineffectual. We now have an excellent opportunity to reorganize the Hungarian economy," he said.

The global financial crisis hit the country in 2008 to force it to approach the International Monetary Fund for $25 billion in an emergency loan.

"Fundamentally, Hungary's economy is nowhere near the debt level of Greece, and it has more than enough money to service its debt, while I don't think there is a data integrity problem," Peter Rona, a leading economist, told The New York Times.

The premier also appointed an economic fact-finding commission to launch a probe into the health of the economy.

The government says it will publish the results of the commission's investigation this weekend.