The European Commission has initiated legal action against the “sovereignty law” recently passed by the Hungarian parliament.
ADVERTISEMENTThe legislation, championed by Viktor Orbán’s ruling party and passed by the parliament in mid-December, enables the state to investigate individuals and organizations suspected of undermining the country’s sovereignty, carrying potential sentences of up to three years in prison. Orbán, who frequently criticizes his detractors as paid agents of Western entities, asserts that the law is essential to safeguard Hungary from unwarranted political interference. 
The law’s enforcement relies on the newly formed “Office for the Defence of Sovereignty,” which is empowered to gather information about individuals or groups receiving foreign funding and perceived to influence the country’s political discourse and electoral processes. Hungarian secret services are required to assist the authority. The law’s provisions, particularly its broad but vague mandate and absence of judicial oversight, have sparked considerable concerns from civil society and independent journalists, who fear being unfairly targeted for refusing to adhere to Orbán’s political ideology and being unable to challenge the decisions made by the “sovereignty office.” The European Commission echoed these apprehensions and stated on Wednesday that the law violates various fundamental values and legal protections, including the principles of democracy, the right to privacy, personal data protection, freedom of expression, information and association, and the right to a fair trial, among others. Hungary has two months to respond to the Commission’s objections. The formal notice letter represents the initial step in the infringement procedure, which could lead to a lawsuit and daily fines before the European Court of Justice. The United States had previously condemned the law, denouncing its “draconian tools that can be used to intimidate and punish those with views not shared by the ruling party.” The recent clash between Brussels and Budapest comes just days after a high-stakes summit where Orbán withdrew his veto on a €50-billion special fund for Ukraine, following pressure from his fellow leaders and the European Parliament. As part of the negotiations leading up to the summit, Orbán had demanded the immediate release of approximately €21 billion in recovery and cohesion funds that the European Commission has withheld due to ongoing rule-of-law deficiencies within Hungary. However, the Commission insists that no funds will be released until the country fulfills a series of “milestones” and conditions to address the situation. This story has been updated with additional information.
