A round table entitled "Erosion of freedom of information in Hungary" took place on January 9 at the Chamber of Deputies in Prague with great interest from decision-makers and media. The event was co-organized by the European Values Center for Security Policy and the Deputy Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies, Olga Richterová, who introduced the program. She was joined by the Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies, Markéta Pekarová Adamová and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jan Lipavský.
While Pekarová Adamová pointed out that the media has long been used as a political tool in Hungary, Lipavský clearly acknowledged that “We have reports of continued attacks on independent media in Hungary. State control of the media space there is unprecedented in an EU member state."
Sociologist Václav Štětka then presented his research findings that the environment for independent media in Central-Eastern Europe is deteriorating. After him, both Hungarian and Slovakian media representatives Pablo Gorondi (RFE/RL), Szabolcs Panyi (Direkt 36), Karin Köváry Sólymos (Investigative Center of Ján Kuciak) and Márk Finta (Deník N - Napunk.sk) took the floor, sharing their individual experiences as journalists and about legislative changes in the functioning of the media in Hungary.
"We have a lot in common with Hungary, including historical experiences. Therefore, events related to media freedom cannot be overlooked. It is important not to pretend that nothing is happening and that we do not see anything," Richterová aptly remarked at the meeting’s commencement. Her insight grasps the spirit of the Orban Watch Briefing.
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