MFRR Podcast: Navigating Hungary’s new Sovereignty Protection Act

Latest episode of MFRR In Focus interviews Hungarian journalist
Szabolcs Panyi about the potential impact of new law


The situation for Hungary’s embattled independent media is about
to become even more challenging. On 12 December, the Hungarian
parliament voted to pass the Protection of Sovereignty Act. It
was debated for less than two weeks and passed without any
serious public consultation.7 Its stated motivation is the
protection of Hungarian sovereignty from malign external threats,
and the criminalisation of foreign funding to political parties
during election campaigns.


A new body will now be established to map and report on perceived
threats to national sovereignty and identify bodies or
individuals suspected of serving foreign interests or receiving
foreign funds. In a country where government politicians have
previously smeared some media as serving foreign interests, media
have criticized the vague language of the law, and decried the
bill as being part of the government’s decade-long attempt to
dial up the pressure on critical voices.


Ahead of elections in 2024, and amidst ongoing negotiations with
the European Commission over the release of frozen EU funds, the
new law looks set to be another divisive issue pitting Budapest
against Brussels – and create further uncertainty for media and
NGOs.


In this episode of the MFRR In Focus, we spoke to renowned
Hungarian journalist Szabolcs Panyi about the details of the law,
what its real motivations are, and what impact it will have on
the already destabilised independent media community.


Guests: Szabolcs Panyi, investigative editor at VSQUARE and
investigative journalist at Direkt36


Producer and Host: Jamie Wiseman, Europe Advocacy Officer at
International Press Institute (IPI)


Editor: Javier Luque, head of digital communications at IPI


Other episodes in this series:


Under illegal surveillance – the Greek ‘Predatorgate’


Related links:


Draft Sovereignty Protection Act poses fresh threat to
independent media


IPI joins condemnation of passing of Sovereignty Protection Act