Freedom of association

CSO participants explained to the EESC delegation how, in practice, civic space has been shrinking in recent years. CSOs now have significantly fewer possibilities to carry out their advocacy activities. Several participants mentioned how CSO freedoms had been systematically dismantled and an ‘atmosphere of uncertainty’ had been created. Some remarked that limitations on freedoms also affected both the media and the academic world.

The 2017 law relating to the ‘Transparency of Organisations Supported from Abroad’ and the 2018 so-called “Stop Soros” legal package have had a negative impact on CSOs and were, according to them, accompanied by a campaign aimed at tarnishing their public image. Legislation requiring relevant organisations to register as “foreign agents” and to pay 25% tax on foreign funds have created uncertainty. To date, about 130 organisations have registered as “foreign agents”; however, some organisations indicated that they had decided to boycott registration and had not as yet encountered any negative consequences. Although the general legal framework for freedom of association is in line with international standards, they believe that the legislation has had a chilling effect on their activities.

CSOs in Hungary do not constitute a homogeneous group and, according to participants, the government favours CSOs that for instance offer healthcare services while, at the same time, stigmatising CSOs that carry out advocacy and watchdog activities or that grant funding. Some CSOs have been called “Soros knights” in the media, which subjects them to constant stigmatisation. This situation has had a negative effect on their daily functioning. Citizens have grown suspicious of them, resulting, on the one hand, in an increasingly negative public perception of the activities of all NGOs, and, on the other hand, preventing them from getting funding from municipalities. However, micro-CSOs or CSOs that are close to the government have been granted increased funding. According to participants, the government has created “fake CSOs”. They described how, with no previous track record of civic work, these new actors had begun to spring up, implementing their activities in accordance with the government’s agenda. Very often, this means that they exclude topics such as women’s rights and LGBTI rights. Additionally, concerns were expressed about the campaign against immigrants, which has also been targeted at CSOs that work with migrants.

CSOs explained that they had experienced difficulties in accessing EU money, because of the requirement for applicants to prove that they work with State institutions, local authorities, or the church. This is particularly concerning as EU funding is the only source of funding still available to CSOs that are not directly aligned with the government. Some CSOs explained how they had never received any State funding, despite having regularly applied each year. Others pointed out that funding could be accessed, although only through cumbersome and bureaucratic procedures. Some pointed out that certain State funding previously available to CSOs had since been redirected to churches.

Most agreed that the political environment in Hungary was deeply polarised and that there was a need for better dialogue. Several participants highlighted efforts made by CSOs to establish a dialogue with the government, however they expressed regret at the absence of a formal consultation platform and the lack of genuine willingness on the part of the authorities to engage with them. They also mentioned the pressure put on those who speak out, notably by restricting the ability of civil servants to gain public promotion, give lectures and receive training.

According to the authorities, they valued the importance of CSOs (of which there are more than 6000) and held regular consultations with them. The majority of these are active in the fields of culture, sports, leisure and education. Only 0.9% are active in the area of human rights. The government explained that it had increased funding to CSOs.