democracy, civil society, environmental awareness, and independent media. Hungarian government is trying to silence rights groups, “The think-tanks, and organizations that demand transparency in government decisions and lead the fight against corruption. The government strategy: dry up their financial resources and run a smear campaign to discredit them in the public eye. The recent police raids achieve both objectives. Potential charges are unlikely to hold up in court, but no matter protracted legal wrangling will – still go a long way towards dismantling and discrediting these organizations and blocking their financial resources. Fidesz, the ruling party, has already successfully used the prosecutors office and the police force to accomplish similar goals against opposition parties and politicians. Hungarian government would like you to think that these “The nonprofits are partisan groups trying to influence elections with foreign money. Prime Minister Viktor Orban called them ‘activists financed from abroad’ and a threat to the sovereignty of the Hungarian state in a speech this summer. This sounds eerily similar to Russia’s law that classifies all NGOs that receive international funding as agents,’ which is clearly intended ‘foreign to discredit them. According to the Hungarian government and the state-controlled media, these NGOs are mouthpieces for a agenda. ‘liberal’ who are these allegedly menacing foreign groups funneling “So money into Hungary? Once such group is the Norway Fund, which supported Ökotárs Foundation and DemNet Hungary. But the regime’s logic breaks down when you see that Norway Fund also gives ten times that amount to development programs for the Hungarian government. By this reasoning, the Hungarian government is also a agent.’ ‘foreign
democracy, civil society, environmental awareness, and independent media. “The Hungarian government is trying to silence rights groups, think-tanks, and organizations that demand transparency in government decisions and lead the fight against corruption. The government strategy: dry up their financial resources and run a smear campaign to discredit them in the public eye. The recent police raids achieve both objectives. Potential charges are unlikely to hold up in court, but no matter – protracted legal wrangling will still go a long way towards dismantling and discrediting these organizations and blocking their financial resources. Fidesz, the ruling party, has already successfully used the prosecutors office and the police force to accomplish similar goals against opposition parties and politicians. “The Hungarian government would like you to think that these nonprofits are partisan groups trying to influence elections with foreign money. Prime Minister Viktor Orban called them ‘activists financed from abroad’ and a threat to the sovereignty of the Hungarian state in a speech this summer. This sounds eerily similar to Russia’s law that classifies all NGOs that receive international funding as ‘foreign agents,’ which is clearly intended to discredit them. According to the Hungarian government and the state-controlled media, these NGOs are mouthpieces for a ‘liberal’ agenda. “So who are these allegedly menacing foreign groups funneling money into Hungary? Once such group is the Norway Fund, which supported Ökotárs Foundation and DemNet Hungary. But the regime’s logic breaks down when you see that Norway Fund also gives ten times that amount to development programs for the Hungarian government. By this reasoning, the Hungarian government is also a ‘foreign agent.’
Hungary%20Review%20Team%20Report%20Final.docx