Monday, February 7, 2011

Hungra submitted to Brussels to reform the 'gag rule'

The clash between the European Commission and the Hungarian Government concerning the gag the press looks into ways of solution after the Hungarian side the EU executive announced on Thursday submitted an alternative text that responds to their objections. Budapest argues that the solution can not be imposed from Brussels, and insists that the future agreement should satisfy both sides.

The Commission ensures that only give its approval to the reform if they are fully compliant with EU law. Representatives of the Hungarian Government and the Commission have spent hours meeting in Brussels to find a solution to the crisis that has overshadowed the start of the Hungarian presidency of the Union.

"It was a constructive meeting and on Thursday sent a first draft" of the revised law, says Jonathan Todd, spokesman for the Commission. The new text will be scrutinized in Brussels. Even without knowing details of its contents, the spokesman adventure that the solution to the dispute "is a matter of weeks, not months." Neelie Kroes, Commissioner for Digital Agenda, raised officially in mid-January the government of Viktor Orban three main objections to the law: the requirement that the media coverage is balanced, the principle of origin, subjects such legislation even in the medium based in other countries, and the obligation to officially register the existence of a medium, small as it is out (for example a simple video blog).

A Kroes also expressed concern about the new Media Authority, controlled by the Government and responsible for ensuring, first, by law enforcement. Following the intention expressed in tumultuous session of the European Parliament by Orban, the Hungarian Foreign Minister Janos Martonyi, said recently that "if they will lack the necessary changes" in the law, which means that "we will discuss it together, government and European Commission to find a solution satisfactory to all.

" The spokesman Todd explained that the Commission "will endorse only if it is satisfied that the amended law respecting Community law." In a symbolic gesture of resistance, Hungarian sources note that the conflicting law is not the result of a government bill but was born from the initiative of a Member and that Parliament is sovereign to accept or reject the amendments agreed by the Government Brussels.

It's a pure academic disquisition: Orban's party occupies two thirds of the seats in the House.

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