BRATISLAVA, January 11, (WEBNOVINY) — Hungarian Ambassador to Slovakia Antal Heizer gave a news conference on Tuesday in Bratislava on the program Hungarian EU presidency for the first six months of this year. He said Hungary is now in a much simpler situation than a week ago, in connection with the disputed Hungarian media law. He said Budapest hopes that this ‘so-called conflict’ will not influence the good relations of Hungary with the media. Heizer also confirmed the previous statements of Hungarian Foreign Affairs Minister Janos Martonyi that in case of clear positions and reservations from the European Commission, his country is willing and prepared to modify the law. According to him, this issue will not influence the Hungarian EU presidency; both sides have already discussed the issue very intensely.
“The disputed Hungarian media law was also the subject of discussions of the highest EU and Hungarian representatives,” confirmed the head of the European Commission’s delegation in Slovakia Andrea Elschekova-Matisova. “The European Commission reacted already on December 21, after the law was adopted,” said Elschekova-Matisova, adding that the Commission watches closely whether the law is in accordance also with the EU audiovisual legislation.
The controversial Hungarian media law came into force on January 1. It established the National Media and Telecommunication Authority, staffed mostly by the members of Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s Fidesz party, controlling all print, electronic and Internet media. The authority may punish “unbalanced news coverage”, which the law does not define, by a fine up to 200 million forints (727,000 euros), which might lead to liquidation of some media. The authority can also force reporters to disclose sources of their information in cases concerning national security. Domestic, as well as foreign media have protested against the law.