The European Commission is concerned about the rule of law in Hungary

The European Union Commissioner for Democracy Michael McGrath has expressed serious concern about the state of the rule of law in Hungary. The official made the statement before a meeting with EU foreign ministers in Brussels, according to Reuters.

McGrath mentioned the Hungarian draft law on transparency, which would limit foreign funding of NGOs and media. He believes that this is a violation of EU law.

"And we asked the Hungarian government to withdraw this draft law. And if this does not happen, and if they continue their legislative activity and introduce this law, we are ready to use the tools at our disposal," he emphasized.

Euronews writes that critics fear that the bill titled "Transparency of Public Life," which was presented in the Hungarian parliament on May 13, will give the government broad powers to crack down on the press and civil society opponents.

The law would allow the authorities to register foreign-funded NGOs and media outlets on a list if the government sees them as a threat to national sovereignty, and to freeze their funding. The draft law provides for severe fines if funds continue to come from foreign sources.

• On May 14, 2025, it was reported that Orban's party is proposing a bill that would cut off internal funding for independent NGOs to stop the growth of the opposition less than a year before the election.
• On May 21, it was reported that the European Parliament's anti-corruption working group had petitioned the European Commission to freeze all EU aid to Hungary for systematic violations of rights and freedoms.