EU'S FREE PRESS

THE apparent conflict continues between Hungary's role in holding the current presidency of the European Union Council of Ministers and its disinclination to respect the freedom of the media in conformity with EU practice and its Charter of Fundamental Rights. A new restrictive media law introduced in Hungary last January was immediately criticised by the EU Commission in Brussels and it asked for changes to be made to it.

After initial resistance from Budapest some changes have been made to remove the law's roughest edges. But the need for “balanced information” has been retained and a regulatory panel able to impose big fines for offences against the law's various provisions remains in place. Often judgement on matters of this kind is better suspended until there is evidence of how a law is being interpreted and, for instance, the restrictions on press freedom imposed. However a speech on the subject this week by Viktor Orban, the Hungarian prime minister, was not encouraging: “The government has beaten back the attack,“ he told parliament, referring to the EU's intervention,“ We do not accept any country or countries grouping as our superior. Brussels is not Moscow.” If Mr Orban's words are to be taken at their face value they are worrying, and not only in relation to press freedom but also in respect of his attitude to Hungary's stance as a member of the European Union. His comment that “Brussels is not Moscow” is understandable given Hungary's experiences as a dependency of the Soviet Union but perhaps he should reflect on why in this matter he seems to be behaving as Moscow once did.