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Hungarian media outlets protest against Russian-style 'sovereignty' bill
In an unusual move, five independent Hungarian media organisations, including 444.hu, have spoken out against a new legislative proposal backed by the ruling Fidesz party, warning it poses a serious threat to press freedom and civil society.
The draft law, titled “On Transparency in Public Life”, would allow the government’s Sovereignty Protection Office (SPO) to place any organisation receiving foreign funding on a list if it is deemed a "threat to national sovereignty". Critics say the bill echoes Russia's “foreign agent” laws used to silence dissenting voices and intimidate government critics.
“The aim is clearly to intimidate and silence,” said one editor at a media outlet that joined the statement of protest. “This is not about transparency. It’s about labelling dissenters as enemies of the state.”
The legislation would create a hostile environment for independent journalism and activism in Hungary, where Orbán’s government has accused critics and NGOs of serving foreign interests.
The law is expected to be passed by the parliament in the coming weeks.
Fidesz MP shares racist, anti-Semitic post about opposition politician
Fidesz MP from Keszthely, Klára Nemes, shared a post on her Facebook page, aimed at Klára Dobrev, that contains anti-Semitic language. The post which is based on a Nazi theory was shared from a post in the group called Thank the Fidesz-KDNP government in 2025.
When 444. hu reached out to Nemes, she said she was confused about which post we asked her about. Later, we asked her if she recognised the text, to which she replied yes. When we asked whether she agreed with it, she said yes.
The post focuses on the alleged Jewish ancestry of Antal Apró, communist politician, former deputy prime minister and president of the parliament, and discusses the classic Nazi racist thesis that Jews are "genetically coded to be anti-Hungarian and murderous". The post states that Klara Dobrev's grandfather was allegedly Jewish, but this alone, according to the text, is enough to make the politician a "Judeo-Bolshevik, genetically predisposed anti-Hungarian, racist mass murderer."
Szijjártó to protect EU from Ukrainian food 'dangerous to health'
Hungary will vote against the extension by the European Union of the unlimited, full exemption from customs duties for agricultural products from Ukraine," said Hungary's Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó, and added that easing them would "seriously harm the member states."
According to the Foreign Minister, Ukraine is flooding the agricultural markets of EU countries, including Hungary, with poor-quality, GMO-containing foodstuffs, "foods that are dangerous to health", causing "unimaginable damage to European farmers, including Hungarian farmers". Szijjártó is in Turkey for the Antalya Diplomatic Forum.
The extension of the tariff waiver will be voted on in the European Council on 5 June, 444 reports.
Orbán accuses Ukraine and Tisza party of meddling in Hungary’s EU vote
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán claims that Ukraine is working to undermine a public consultation in Hungary on Kyiv’s bid to join the European Union – and that it is doing so with the help of the opposition party, Tisza.
In a video released after an emergency meeting of Hungary’s Defence Council on Tuesday, Orbán claimed that Ukrainian intelligence services had “revived their contacts in Hungary” and launched an “attack against the Hungarian Armed Forces” in cooperation with the recently established Tisza Party.
“This coordinated smear campaign against Hungary was launched by Ukraine to disrupt our initiative for Hungarians,” the Prime Minister said.
Orbán alleged that the developments are the result of a Ukrainian secret service operation assisted by a Hungarian political force.