Controversy over press freedom: EU parliament grilling Hungary's Prime Minister Orbán

"I feel at home." Viktor Orbán wanted to spread on his first appearance as the new EU presidency in the European Parliament a good atmosphere and forget the controversy over his media law making. But the visit came the embarrassing performance. It's 10:36 clock this Wednesday morning, when the Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor attaches Orbán in his speech to the European Parliament in Strasbourg.

But once he has welcomed the vote, since he was suspended from Parliament Jerzy Buzek again. A few members of the Greens have sealed their mouths with plasters and hold "Censored" high posters to protest against the Hungarian Media Act. Orbán it takes irony. "I am pleased that the meetings of the European Parliament in its form does not lag behind those of the Hungarian Parliament," he says.

"I feel like at home!" Orbán knew what he would expect his performance in Strasbourg. Even before the first January, the regular EU presidency, assumed the deputies had opened fire on Budapest. Liberal MEP Alexander Graf Lambsdorff warned against "authoritarian rot. The head of the Socialists in the European Parliament, Martin Sch called Hungary the EU presidency "not worthy".

And the Green group leader Daniel Cohn-Bendit said that Eastern European country was back on the path towards a "surveillance communist dictatorship." The past weeks have shown a two-thirds majority is at home does not guarantee a smooth EU presidency. On the contrary, the previous Belgian Presidency was, although in their own country well de-selected and praised only a caretaker in office from all sides for their negotiating skills.

"We know that Europe is facing a serious six months," Orban said on Wednesday in his speech to the European Parliament. But he did not mean about the controversial media law, but the high indebtedness of many member countries. Orbán spoke twenty minutes before he was finally in thin sets to those objections.

The media law was an "internal affair" of Hungary, he said. "You should not confuse this with the Hungarian presidency." And then threatened Orbán: "If they do that yet, I'm ready to fight." European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso was the first to seized Orbán after the word. The press freedom is for the European Union a "sacred principle," said the Portuguese.

The Commission is examining whether the law violates the European agreements. Barroso announced later this week to send a letter to the Hungarian government, complained in the Brussels certain passages. Orban has to withdraw the Media Act that was much too timid members. "A one-sided ordered controlled Media in Hungary, if the reporting is balanced," the chief says Social Democrat Sch.

"I can not." Orbán should not wait for the review of the EU Commission but to withdraw the Media Act. Even harder is said the President of the Greens, Daniel Cohn-Bendit. The press can not be balanced, "it is their job to interfere with our politicians." He had admired Orbán in the past for his fight against communism very, "said the old 68s.

"But today you have to be on the way to a European Chavez!" And the Liberal Lambsdorff Orbán reminded them that they had met last year at the funeral of his uncle Otto Graf Lambsdorff. Orban had called the former FDP Minister few days ago in the "Bild"-Zeitung as his role model. "Keep his memory high," Lambsdorff called, "You shall suspend the application of media law!" Orbán only received support from Members of the European People's Party, whose members also Orbán's Fidesz movement.

"Your party is founded on the values of freedom and democracy," praised the EPP Group Chairman Joseph Daul. "You are a great Europeans!" So far prevented the EPP, a resolution against Hungary. It has the most votes in the EU Parliament. But behind closed doors are so many conservative deputies that he in full solidarity with the Hungarians is not quite well.

The EPP has long been a bastion very strange parties, blasphemes one of its most prominent representatives. In fact, only once in the EPP, the moderate Christian Democrats of old Europe were gathered. But then dissolved in many countries, particularly in France and Italy, the C-parties.

To obtain the EPP as a factor, she was ready to take some urchins: Berlusconi's forces, for example, or the religious zealots of the Spanish Partido Popular. And also Orbán's right-wing Fidesz party. "And now," complained the veteran Christian Democrat, "we must defend these people."

• Campaign against narrowing of EU Access to Documents Rules (19/01/2011)
• EU 'seeking powers' to vet British budget (18/01/2011)
• EU president seeks 'more economic convergence' (13/01/2011)
• "Hungarian media law and EU Council presidency: Evolving European opinion" and related posts (09/01/2011)
• Hungary's media laws: please think again, Mr Orban (06/01/2011)

European Union (wikipedia)