At the first plenary session of the European Parliament (EP) after the summer break, they will again vote on a resolution condemning Hungary. In mid-July, the LIBE committee of the EP adopted the draft report, which claims that there is a danger that Hungary "seriously and systematically violates the European values that form the basis of the European Union".
The offensive-sounding document accuses Hungary of serious violations of the rule of law, and therefore demands that Hungarian cohesion programs that may contribute to the misuse of EU funds or violations of the rule of law be excluded from funding.
As early as this week, the European Commission may discuss the bill that would impose transparency requirements on member states regarding media ownership and would allow it to initiate proceedings against certain member states if they do not comply with the rules.
One of the initiators of the idea is the Czech Vera Jourová, vice-president of the commission, who has repeatedly expressed her dissatisfaction with the fact that the commission has no room for maneuver in the regulation of the media sectors.
The draft also talks about setting up a new European media council, which would bring together the representatives of the regulatory authorities of the individual member states in one institution. This organization would intervene in all cases where media market changes occur that do not comply with EU rules. European newspaper publishers oppose the initiative: according to the European Magazine Media Association and the European Newspaper Publishers Association, the draft may also violate the freedom of investment and entrepreneurship, and harmonization of media regulation at the European level is not justified.
Source: Hungarian Nation
Featured image: Tomáš Halász
