Journalists have had a difficult time in Hungary for years and have been vilified as agents of foreign powers. A new law is now even more frightening for the last independent journalists.
The text of the new law begins with a kind of conspiracy narrative: Hungary’s sovereignty is under attack. Foreign organizations would want to assert their own interests in Hungary.
Some media are also controlled from abroad, as Prime Minister Viktor Orban said in an interview a few days ago. “It is not fair to use foreign money to influence people’s political decisions, obviously in the interests of the clients,” said Orban. “We hope this law will end it.”
“Base for smear campaigns”
This new law is called the “Sovereignty Defense Act,” and it could have consequences for independent media. According to the law, a new authority should be able to check people and organizations that influence public debate in the country.
So do journalists, says Budapest media scientist Agnes Urban: “It’s important to know that this authority can also use intelligence information to defend sovereignty. So it will write reports about people and organizations.”
But it is not clear whether these would have legal consequences, says Urban. “So I think these reports will serve as a basis for smear campaigns. The targets will be labeled as fraudsters, foreign agents, dollar leftists, dollar media – which propaganda media have done in the past.”
“Independent media 20 percent of the market”
By propaganda media, the media scientist means the majority of media in Hungary. Many belong to government-affiliated entrepreneurs. The programs are partly financed through advertising campaigns by state authorities, i.e. indirectly through tax money. Independent media, Urban estimates, makes up about 20 percent of the market.
Andras Stumpf works for one such independent medium, the online portal Valos Online. He also believes that the new office is primarily intended to provide alleged evidence for the allegations that are already circulating in the public sphere: that independent journalists are acting on behalf of foreign powers.
“It always seems to be very good when you have an official paper, a piece of paper with a stamp on it and it officially says that someone is working for governments or powers in Hungary,” said Stumpf. “And this authority will have such stamps. And it will look very official.”
Ensure there is a lot of leeway for authorities
Together with a group of independent journalists, Stumpf signed a public letter. In it they call for the legal changes to be reversed before the new authority is created in February.
What worries him most is that the law is worded so unclearly, which would give the new authority a lot of leeway. It is unclear exactly what consequences an investigation by the new authority could have: “When we read this law, we don’t know what that means. We can’t decide that. The authority can decide that.”
“More difficult to find informants”
For media scientist Urban, Prime Minister Orban has already achieved one goal: critical journalists are unsettled. If the law were to stand, their work could become even more difficult – because the law would leave open the possibility that they would have to submit research to the new authority.
“It will be more difficult to find informants, especially about allegations of corruption against the government, or to conduct background discussions. Because people will be afraid of coming into contact with journalists,” warns Urban.
She also fears that smear campaigns against journalists could ultimately lead to physical attacks.
Fabian Mader, ARD Vienna, tagesschau, December 19, 2023 9:21 p.m