Open letter: the EU must not sit idly by while a Member State’s democracy is in jeopardy
15.4.2020
The recent actions of Viktor Orbán’s government in Hungary are a flagrant attack on the cornerstones of the rule of law and the values of the Union. Last week, the government overrode the objections of the opposition and civil society, granting the Prime Minister indefinite powers to rule by decree. This law has also mandated draconian prison sentences for spreading ‘misinformation’ which could be used to stifle independent journalism.
We urge the European Commission and the European Council to:
- unequivocally condemn the Hungarian government’s misuse of the coronavirus crisis to erode democratic values.
- more strictly control the spending of EU funds, and
- enhance current measures that prevent the creation of an illiberal system within our Union.
Read the whole letter from here >
Respectfully,
Transparency International EU
Transparency International Hungary Access Info Africa Solidarity Centre Ireland Alliance4Europe AMARC Europe: World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters ARTICLE 19 Association of European Journalists Campaign for Freedom of Information Scotland Citizens Network Watchdog Poland Civil Society Europe Corporate Europe Observatory Danes je nov dan / Today is a new day The Daphne Caruana Galizia Foundation Defend Democracy Democracy International EU DisinfoLab European Centre for Press and Media Freedom European Federation of Journalists European Humanist Federation EuropeanMay European Movement International European Youth Forum Staffan Dahllöf (Freelance reporter) Antonis Ventouris (Freelance) Freemuse Free Press Unlimited Fundacja Miasto Obywatelskie Lubartów Funky Citizens Global Forum for Media Development Gong The Good Lobby Human Rights Watch Hungarian Civil Liberties Union Hungarian Europe Society Hungarian Helsinki Committee International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association, Europe International Press Institute JEF Europe (Young European Federalists) Lawyers for Human Rights Vigjilenca Abazi (of Maastricht University) Mertek Media Monitor Netherlands Helsinki Committee Open Society European Policy Institute Osservatorio Balcani e Caucaso Transeuropa The Oslo Center Professor Laurent Pech (of Middlesex University) Poets, Essayists and Novelists International Reporters Without Borders Solidar and Solidar Foundation Unhack Democracy Vouliwatch WeMove Europe
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Daniel Freund MEP, Co-Chair, Anti-Corruption Intergroup
Petri Sarvamaa MEP, Bureau Member, Anti-Corruption Intergroup Lara Wolters MEP, Bureau Member, Anti-Corruption Intergroup Ramona Strugariu MEP, Bureau Member, Anti-Corruption Intergroup Stelios Kouloglou MEP, Bureau Member, Anti-Corruption Intergroup Abir Al-Sahlani MEP Anna Donath MEP Benoît Biteau MEP Brando Benifei MEP Caroline Roose MEP Claude Gruffat MEP Damien Carême MEP David Cormand MEP Dimitrios Papadimoulis MEP François Alfonsi MEP Gwendoline Delbos-Corfield MEP Karen Melchior MEP Karima Delli MEP Marie Toussaint MEP Michèle Rivasi MEP Mounir Satouri MEP Pascal Durand MEP Reinhard Bütikofer MEP Rosa D’Amato MEP Sabrina Pignedoli MEP Salima Yenbou MEP Sándor Rónai MEP Saskia Bricmont MEP Tineke Strik MEP Yannick Jadot MEP |