The European Union announced on Thursday that it is referring Hungary to the European Court of Justice in response to laws enacted by the Hungarian government aimed at limiting foreign influence, which critics argue are intended to suppress dissent.
The European Commission stated that the legislation introduced by Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s nationalist administration in the previous year infringes on fundamental rights and violates EU regulations.
In its statement, the European Commission emphasized that it believes Hungary’s national law concerning the “Defence of Sovereignty” breaches EU law.
Among the contentious provisions are those that criminalize foreign funding for election campaigns and establish a new Sovereignty Protection Office, which is granted extensive investigative powers.
The Commission expressed concern that the authority given to this new office disproportionately impacts civil society organizations, media outlets, and journalists.
This referral to the court follows two previous communications from the Commission to the Hungarian government, in which it outlined its concerns and sought to have the issues addressed, but received no response.
The court has the authority to mandate compliance with EU laws and can impose penalties on non-compliant countries.
This action is expected to escalate tensions between the European Union and Prime Minister Orban, who has a history of conflicts with Brussels.
Budapest frequently asserts that the EU and other nations, particularly the United States, financially support domestic opposition groups to sway voters in Hungary.
