flatreader

Hungary considering law to monitor and ban groups seen as threat to national sovereignty

Opposition has warned legislation would allow government to shut down all independent media and NGOs

Hungary’s parliament is considering legislation that would give authorities broad powers to monitor, penalise and potentially ban organisations it describes as a threat to national sovereignty, in a move that opposition politicians warned would allow Viktor Orbán’s government to potentially shut down all independent media and NGOs engaged in public affairs.

The bill, submitted late Tuesday by a lawmaker in Orbán’s rightwing populist Fidesz party, seeks to expand the authority of the country’s controversial sovereignty protection office.