Two tier freedom to religion

Four Christian MPs have introduced a new bill on religious communities last Friday. The bill, which is to be a can be found here. The main points and problems:

- Freedom of religion is conceived exclusively as freedom to religion. The MPs seem to believe that choosing not to be religious equals not using one’s right to religious freedom. Also, the law neither stipulates the right not to disclose one’s religion nor the right not to participate in any religious activity. The bill does not forbid that e.g. a Catholic pupil attending a Jewish school is forced to participate in Jewish religious activities or vice versa, as long as s/he is free to pursue Catholic activities. Also, an institution could require all their staff to attend a religious service.
The principle of state-church separation is rather interpreted to mean that the state does not interfere in church issues (besides paying and granting prerogatives, of course), than as the state’s duty to religious neutrality.

- The bill ensures special protection to religious persons (regarding legal prosecution) as well as to sacral places, activities and symbols. This may pose problems regarding the freedom of speech, as criticism, satire and artworks may be limited in order to enforce this protection. Freedom of speech may also be limited if churches are to be protected by not allowing demonstrations (as happened in Spain).

- It becomes harder to register a religious community as church. 20 years of operation and 1000 adherents have to be presented, as well as a description of the teachings and rituals. To qualify, teaching must provide an overall world view and be directed towards something supernatural. According to the law, the state may not examine the teachings of any religion (the law retains the text form the former law of 1990), but the court will set up an experts’ committee to decide whether a denomination applying for church status really is one. According to the lawmakers, this means no limitation on the freedom of religion, as religious activities can be pursued also within simple civil organisations. That’s true, but it’s harder to do so if you don’t get all the perks, such as 1% of the income tax (similar to the 8 per mille in Italy), tax exemptions, and if you get only half as much state money for your schools and have no right to push your religious education in state schools.
Though the law stipulates that all churches are equal, some are more equal: 44 denominations are listed which will be re-registered as churches by the minister, while all others (ca. 140) will have to re-apply to keep their status.

- The financial prerogatives remain (of course): not only religious and social activities, but also the sale of religious knick-knack, sports activities, publishing, and selling of any material connected with these activities is not considered for profit. Also the letting of premises qualifies as non profit, if they are at least partly used for religious activities (build a hotel, put a prayer room in it and you don’t have to pay taxes – as in Italy). Taxpayers can offer 1% of their income tax to a church (that’s the “second 1%”, the first goes to any NGO). Tax exemptions will be regulated in a separate law.

- Also in the future, church schools and social institutions of churches will be de facto 100% state financed (while schools and social institutions maintained by non religious NGOs at present receive ca. 50% of their costs from the state). This was the main reason for NGOs running schools or homes to become churches.

- Churches have the right to use special criteria for hiring their staff, in order to maintain their religious identity.

- Churches are not required to disclose information containing private data to state authorities (confession secret). This is understandable (confession), but a bit alarming as to the recent past of the Catholic church.

- The bill gives churches the right to participate in the preparation of new legislation!

- Churches may teach their religion in state schools. The costs will be borne by the state.

- The law requires churches to comply with the constitutional rules. Which probably won’t be enforced, as hardly any church carries out its activities according to constitutional rules, e.g. those stipulating equal treatment…

- There is one positive item: if a church person provides services to a non member, they have to make clear that they are a church representative.
Also, there is another small positive item in the justification attached to the proposed legislation: when referring to the international context, the text mentions Europe’s cultural, religious and humanist past.

Less schools

There’s been a wave of state schools being handed over to churches lately, meaning that many pupils (and their parents) will have to decide whether they are willing to abide by the rules of some church or look for a new school. Read the rest of this entry »

2011 in Hungary

On new year's eve, the president of Hungary, Mr Pál Schmitt has signed the new media law, which has already received much criticism also internationally.
The main points of criticism are the following:

- First of all, it is unclear what exactly defines as a transgression - or rather, about anything can be one: "Media content may not lend itself to openly or implicitly offend the feelings of persons, nations, communities, national, ethnic, linguistic and other minorities or any majority, or of churches or religious groups, or to exclude them." One can be sued not only for publishing lies but also for hurting anyone's feelings. 
 - The authority supervising all media content may sue on their own initiative, without anyone having complained of being offended.
- The penalties are so high that any online or national offline newspaper may be grounded by fining them. 
-The head of the media authority received legislative power.
The head of the media authority is by the way a Ms Annamária Szalai, who was named for a period of 9 years. In her former life, she edited a soft porn magazine - click here to view some samples.
- The state TV channels' news are all produced at one single place, the National New Agency (Magyar Távirati Iroda, MTI), with no news reporters remaining at the TV stations.
- The state media and their CEO's work are supervised by the above mentioned head of the media authority and a board consisting of 12 representatives appointed for 9 years also. The following institutions may delegate a representative: the catholic church, the reformed (Calvinist) church, the Lutheran church, the Jewish council, the academy of sciences (whose former and present president are notorious for their church subservience), the Hungarian Olympic committee (whose former president, the notoriously submissive Mr Pál Schmitt became president of the state), the rectors' conference, the chamber of commerce (whose head, Mr László Parragh is also notorious for backing Fidesz), the association of mayors (almost exclusively Fidesz), the associations of national minorities, the associations of Hungarians living in the neighboring countries, and associations representing families (I guess this will be the association of big families [Nagycsaládosok Országos Egyesülete] notorious also for their right wingness, including the notion that a woman who does not produce a kid every other year is worth less than nothing).

Parts of the new legislation has been introduced earlier this year, and Ms Szalai's office has already tried to sue the media. First of all the rather small Tilos Rádió, for airing a song by the rapper Ice-T, which is allegedly bad for kids. In their answer, Tilos Rádió pointed out that  1 or 2 kids speaking some English may have heard the song, but it is highly questionable whether their English is good enough to understand the text.

On Facebook, the Group One Million Hungarians for Press Freedom has compiled an international link list, which you find below, but visit their page anyway: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Egymillioan-a-magyar-sajtoszabadsagert/169854769717975#!/pages/Egymillioan-a-magyar-sajtoszabadsagert/169854769717975?v=info 

Last update: 2010/12/26 17:18

ENGLISH
---------------------------------

THE NEW YORK TIMES (2010/12/25)
Hungary Waves Off Criticism Over Media Law
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/26/world/europe/26hungary.html?_r=1%EF%BB%BF

THE WALL STREET JOURNAL (2010/12/24)
Hungarian Media Law Draws Fire
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703548604576037672342633358.html

FINANCIAL TIMES (2010/12/24)
EU presses Hungary on media law
http://tinyurl.com/freepress-057

THE AUSTRALIAN (2010/12/24)
Hungary censured over gag law
http://tinyurl.com/freepress-033

WORLD SOCIALIST WEB SITE (2010/12/24)
The demolition of press freedom in Hungary
http://www.wsws.org/articles/2010/dec2010/hung-d24.shtml

MACLEANS
Germany welcomes EU investigation on new Hungarian media law, urges respect of media freedom
http://www.macleans.ca/article.jsp?content=w5482865

EFJ Media release (2010/12/23)
Journalists Question Hungary’s Leadership of Europe as Media Law Provokes Outrage
http://europe.ifj.org/en/articles/journalists-question-hungarys-leadership-of-europe-as-media-law-provokes-outrage

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL (2010/12/23)
Sweeping new media law threatens freedom of expression in Hungary
http://tinyurl.com/freepress-019

UK REPRESENTATION TO THE EU (2010/12/23)
Hungary and media freedom
http://ukeu.fco.gov.uk/en/news/?view=News&id=509962682

COUNCIL OF EUROPE (2010/12/23)
Markku Laukkanen calls for limits on new media authority in Hungary
http://tinyurl.com/freepress-031

THE ECONOMIST (2010/12/23)
All eyes on Orbán
http://www.economist.com/blogs/easternapproaches/2010/12/hungarys_media_law

EURACTIVE (2010/12/23)
EU speechless over Hungary's contentious media law
http://tinyurl.com/freepress-025

DAILY MAIL (2010/12/23)
Hungary gags media and throws its EU presidency into doubt with Communist-style measure
http://tinyurl.com/freepress-024

THE TIMES (2010/12/23)
Press Ganged
http://tinyurl.com/freepress-026

RAIDIÓ TEILIFÍS ÉIREANN (2010/12/23) Ireland
Hungary criticised over new media control laws
http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/1223/hungary.html

OSCE (2010/12/22)
Hungarian media law further endangers media freedom, says OSCE media freedom representative
http://www.osce.org/item/48262.html

EUROPEAN COMMISSION (2010/12/22)
Midday press briefing - Hungary media law
http://ec.europa.eu/avservices/player/streaming.cfm?type=ebsvod&sid=172030

EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE BLOG (2010/12/22)
Hungary’s media law raises eyebrows and concerns
http://www.eesc.europa.eu/?i=portal.en.vice-president-communication-amd-blog.13823

NASDAQ (2010/12/22)
German Government Closely Watching Hungarian Media Law Changes
http://tinyurl.com/freepress-001

BLOOMBERG BUSINESSWEEK (2010/12/22)
Hungary Approves ‘Chilling’ Media Law Over Protests
http://tinyurl.com/freepress-029

THE EUROPEAN LIBERAL YOUTH (2010/12/22)
LYMEC alarmed by Hungary’s media gagging
http://lymec.org/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=804

CNBC (2010/12/21)
Hungary passes contentious new media law
http://www.cnbc.com/id/40768558

BBC NEWS (2010/12/21)
Hungary to create new media watchdog
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-12051665

DEUTCHE WELLE (2010/12/21)
Hungarian parliament passes controversial law to oversee media
http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,6362238,00.html

REUTERS (2010/12/21)
Hungary passes law boosting government control of media
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6BK6KF20101221

NATIONAL POST (2010/12/21) Canada
Hungary’s media law is a direct assault on press freedoms
http://tinyurl.com/freepress-027

THE WALL STREET JOURNAL (2010/12/21)
Hungary Approves Controversial Media Law
http://blogs.wsj.com/new-europe/2010/12/21/hungary-passes-controversial-media-law/

EUOBSERVER (2010/12/21)
Hungary leads EU attacks on press freedom, watchdog says
http://euobserver.com/9/31562

NEWS DAILY (2010/12/21)
Hungary passes law boosting government control of media
http://www.newsdaily.com/stories/tre6bk6kf-us-hungary-media/

BLOGGINGPORTAL (2010/12/21)
European Blog Action against Censorship in Hungary
http://www.bloggingportal.eu/blog/european-blog-action-against-censorship-in-hungary/

THE NEW AGE (2010/12/21) South Africa
Hungary''s parliament approves a controversial media bill
http://tinyurl.com/freepress-028

EURONEWS (2010/12/20)
Hungary’s new media law branded “heavy-handed”
http://www.euronews.net/2010/12/20/hungary-s-new-media-law-branded-heavy-handed/

FINANCIAL TIMES (2010/12/19)
Hungary protesters fight media regulations
http://tinyurl.com/freepress-030

FREEDOM HOUSE (2010/12/13)
Proposed Hungarian Media Law Would Threaten Freedom
http://www.freedomhouse.org/template.cfm?page=70&release=1292

GUARDIAN (2010/06/25)
Protests at new media law in Hungary
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/greenslade/2010/jun/25/press-freedom-hungary

DEUTCHE WELLE (2010/06/23)
Critics say proposed Hungarian media reform stifles press freedom
http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,5723651,00.html

HÜRRIET (2010/06/20) Turkey
Hungarian journalists oppose new media law
http://tinyurl.com/freepress-055

GERMAN
---------------------------------

ZEIT (2010/12/24)
Mediengesetz Orbán unbeeindruckt von europäischer Kritik
http://www.zeit.de/politik/ausland/2010-12/ungarn-orban-mediengesetz

CICERO (d.n)
Pressezensur in Ungarn. Europas kleiner Lukaschenko.
http://www.cicero.de/97.php?ress_id=1&item=5731

NACHRICHTEN.DE (2010/12/24) (+41 identische Meldungen von anderen Quellen)
György Konrad vergleicht Ungarn mit Frühphase des NS-Regimes
http://www.nachrichten.de/politik/Gyoergy-Konrad-Ungarn-Schriftsteller-Berliner-Zeitung-Pressefreiheit-cid_4841418/meldungen/

YAHOO! NACHRICHTEN (2010/12/24)
Konrad beklagt Demokratieverlust in Ungarn durch neues Mediengesetz
http://de.news.yahoo.com/17/20101224/ten-konrad-beklagt-demokratieverlust-in-e3d3a04.html

AD HOC NEWS (2010/12/24)
Konrad beklagt Demokratieverlust in Ungarn durch neues Mediengesetz
http://www.ad-hoc-news.de/konrad-beklagt-demokratieverlust-in-ungarn-durch-neues--/de/News/21801302

BERLINER MORGENPOST (2010/12/24)
György Konrad vergleicht Ungarn mit NS-Regime
http://www.morgenpost.de/politik/article1491408/Gyoergy-Konrad-vergleicht-Ungarn-mit-NS-Regime.html

WELT ONLINE (2010/12/24)
György Konrad vergleicht Ungarn mit NS-Regime
http://www.welt.de/politik/ausland/article11812423/Gyoergy-Konrad-vergleicht-Ungarn-mit-NS-Regime.html

ORF (2010/12/24)
„Ein europäisches Gesetz“
http://orf.at/stories/2032748/2032746/

SPIEGEL ONLINE (2010/12/24)
Orbán poltert gegen Merkel & Co.
http://www.spiegel.de/politik/ausland/0,1518,736506,00.html

DEUTSCHER JOURNALISTEN-VERBAND (2010/12/23)
Ein Aufschrei geht durch Europa
http://www.djv.de/Diskussion.2995+M563bd8f237a.0.html

WELT ONLINE (2010/12/23)
Der Führerstaat Ungarn gefährdet die EU
http://tinyurl.com/freepress-003

SPIEGEL ONLINE (2010/12/23)
Ungarns Knebelgesetz spaltet Europa
http://www.spiegel.de/politik/ausland/0,1518,736422,00.html

AUSWARTIGES AMT (2010/12/23)
Staatsminister Werner Hoyer im SWR-Tagesgespräch zur ungarischen Mediengesetzgebung (video)
http://tinyurl.com/freepress-034

AUSWARTIGES AMT (2010/12/23)
Ungarische Mediengesetzgebung wirft kein gutes Licht auf die kommende EU-Ratspräsidentschaft
http://tinyurl.com/freepress-035

TAGESSCHAU (2010/12/23)
Zunehmende Kritik an ungarischem Mediengesetz (video)
http://www.tageschau.de/multimedia/video/ondemand100_id-video830600.html

DER STANDARD (2010/12/22)
Schönes neues Orbán-Land
http://derstandard.at/1292462490689/Schoenes-neues-Orban-Land

TAZ.DE (2010/12/22)
Auf dem Weg zur Diktatur
http://www.taz.de/1/debatte/kommentar/artikel/1/auf-dem-weg-zur-diktatur/

ZDF (2010/12/22)
Pressefreiheit auf ungarisch
http://blog.zdf.de/zdfdasblog/2010/12/pressefreiheit-auf-ungarisch.html

DIE WELT (2010/12/22)
Berlin warnt Ungarn vor Missachtung der EU-Werte
http://tinyurl.com/freepress-005

WELT ONLINE (2010/12/22)
Führerstaat Ungarn
http://tinyurl.com/freepress-009

WELT ONLINE (2010/12/22)
EU-Parlamentarier geißeln Ungarns Medienzensur
http://tinyurl.com/freepress-015

WELT ONLINE (2010/12/22)
Ungarn – Eine Schande für die Europäische Union
http://tinyurl.com/freepress-038

WELT ONLINE (2010/12/22)
"Autoritäre Fäulnis" in Ungarns Mediengesetz
http://tinyurl.com/freepress-054

SPIEGEL ONLINE (2010/12/22)
Ungarns Medien-Maulkorb alarmiert die EU
http://www.spiegel.de/politik/ausland/0,1518,736064,00.html

TAGESSCHAU (2010/12/22)
Merkel warnt Ungarns Regierung
http://www.tagesschau.de/ausland/ungarn210.html

KLEINE ZEITUNG (2010/12/22)
Mediengesetz in Ungarn stößt in Europa auf Kritik
http://tinyurl.com/freepress-006

FOCUS (2010/12/22)
EU-Abgeordnete kritisieren neues Mediengesetz
http://tinyurl.com/freepress-008

METRONAUT (2010/12/22)
Zensur in Ungarn: China mitten in Europa
http://www.metronaut.de/media/zensur-ungarn-china/

DEUTSCHE WELLE (2010/12/22)
Vernichtende Kritik an Ungarns Pressezensur
http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,6363386,00.html

DEUTSCHE WELLE (2010/12/22)
Merkel warns Hungary to maintain EU values on press freedom
http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,14730956,00.html

STERN (2010/12/22)
Merkel prangert Ungarns Medienmaulkorb an
http://tinyurl.com/freepress-037

ZEIT ONLINE (2010/21/22)
Die Nachrichten werden gleichgeschaltet
http://www.zeit.de/politik/ausland/2010-12/ungarn-interview-inotai

JUNGE WELT (2010/12/22)
Medien unter Kontrolle
http://www.jungewelt.de/2010/12-22/062.php

ONLINE FOCUS (2010/12/22)
Ungarn: Neues Mediengesetz stößt in Europa auf Kritik
http://tinyurl.com/freepress-039

DER TAGESSPIEGEL (2010/12/22)
Brüssel kritisiert Ungarns Mediengesetz
http://tinyurl.com/freepress-052

KURIER (2010/12/22)
Der Führerstaat des Viktor Orban
http://kurier.at/kultur/2059782.php

NETZPOLITIK (2010/12/21)
Hintergründe zum ungarischen Mediengesetz
http://www.netzpolitik.org/2010/hintergrunde-zum-ungarischen-mediengesetz/

ZEIT ONLINE (2010/12/21)
Ungarn führt die Zensur ein
http://www.zeit.de/politik/ausland/2010-12/ungarn-mediengesetz-orban

ARTE (2010/12/21)
Ungarn: Pressefreiheit adieu? (video)
http://videos.arte.tv/de/videos/ungarn_pressefreiheit_adieu_-3606308.html

FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE (2010/12/21)
Scharfe Kritik an Ungarns Regierung
http://tinyurl.com/freepress-002

FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE (2010/12/21)
Ungarn führt Sanktionen für Medien ein
http://tinyurl.com/freepress-032

SPIEGEL ONLINE (2010/12/21)
Rechtskurs in Budapest: Ungarns Medien-Maulkorb alarmiert die EU
http://www.spiegel.de/politik/ausland/0,1518,736064,00.html

SPIEGEL ONLINE (2010/12/21)
Ungarischer Presse droht Maulkorb
http://www.spiegel.de/kultur/gesellschaft/0,1518,735895,00.html

TAGESSCHAU (2010/12/21)
Pressefreiheit im EU-Land Ungarn in Gefahr
http://www.tagesschau.de/ausland/ungarn200.html

DER STANDARD (2010/12/21)
Orban bringt Medien auf Kurs
http://derstandard.at/1292462312146/Orban-bringt-Medien-auf-Kurs

DER STANDARD (2010/12/21)
Ungarn: Grünes Licht für umstrittenes Mediengesetz
http://derstandard.at/1292462315332/Ungarn-Gruenes-Licht-fuer-umstrittenes-Mediengesetz

HANDELSBLATT (2010/12/21)
Ungarn setzt die Pressefreiheit außer Kraft
http://tinyurl.com/freepress-016

EVANGELISCH.DE (2010/12/21)
Heftige Proteste gegen die Mediengleichschaltung in Ungarn
http://tinyurl.com/freepress-036

SUEDOSTSCHWEITZ.CH (2010/12/21) Switzerland
Ungarn schränkt mit Gesetz Pressefreiheit ein
http://tinyurl.com/freepress-017

KURIER (2010/12/21) Austria
Ungarn: Orbáns Mediengesetz beschlossen
http://kurier.at/kultur/2059570.php

WELT ONLINE (2010/12/21)
In Ungarn entsteht ein skrupelloser Führerstaat
http://tinyurl.com/freepress-040

FRANKFURTER RUNDSCHAU (2010/12/21)
Ungarn führt Zensur ein
http://tinyurl.com/freepress-018

DER BUND (2010/12/21)
Katastrophe für Europa
http://tinyurl.com/freepress-041

ZDF (2010/12/21)
Scharfe Kritik an Ungarns Mediengesetz (video)
http://tinyurl.com/freepress-053

N-TV (2010/12/21)
Ungarn schränkt die Presse ein
http://www.n-tv.de/politik/Ungarn-schraenkt-Pressesfreiheit-ein-article2204086.html

TAGES ANZEIGER (2010/12/20)
Ungarns Regierung schafft die Demokratie ab
http://tinyurl.com/freepress-007

RUSSIAN
---------------------------------

RADIO SVOBODA (2010/12/25)
Венгрия атаковала свободу слова
http://www.svobodanews.ru/content/article/2258725.html

OPEN2000 (2010/12/24)
Венгрия ввела цензуру: ее обвиняют в фашизме и обещают «серьезные проблемы»
http://www.open2000.com/news/146/1939664430.html

BALTINFO (2010/12/22)
Оппозиция Венгрии призывает президента не принимать закон о СМИ
http://tinyurl.com/freepress-058


RFI (2010/12/14) France
Венгрия голосует за строгий Закон о прессе
http://www.russian.rfi.fr/evropa/20101214-vengriya-golosuet-za-strogii-zakon-o-presse

POLISH
---------------------------------

GAZETA WYBORCZA (2010/12/21)
Do przyjaciół Węgrów
http://wyborcza.pl/1,76842,8848799,Do_przyjaciol_Wegrow.html

POLSKIE RADIO DLA ZAGRANICY (2010/12/21)
Polish editor criticises Hungary’s new media law
http://tinyurl.com/freepress-046

VPOLITYCE (2010/12/21)
Wiktor, trudne chwile przed tobą...
http://tinyurl.com/freepress-047

SPANISH
---------------------------------

EL DIA (2010/12/24)
El Gobierno húngaro asegura que la polémica ley de medios no se modificará
http://www.eldia.es/2010-12-24/INTERNACIONAL/13-Gobierno-hungaro-asegura-polemica-ley-medios-modificara.htm

LOS TIEMPOS -- Bolivia (2010/12/22)
Aprueban ley que mata a la libertad de prensa húngara
http://www.lostiempos.com/diario/actualidad/internacional/20101222/aprueban-ley-que-mata-a-la-libertad-de-prensa_105091_205152.html

EL PAIS (2010/12/21)
Criticas internacionales al control total de los medios de prensa en Hungría
http://tinyurl.com/freepress-004

EL MUNDO (2010/12/21)
Hungría refuerza el control del Gobierno sobre todos los medios de comunicación
http://www.elmundo.es/elmundo/2010/12/21/internacional/1292926050.html

EL MUNDO (2010/12/21)
Hungría aprueba una ley que refuerza el control del Gobierno sobre los medios
http://www.elmundo.es/elmundo/2010/12/21/comunicacion/1292924946.html

DIARIO DE CUBA (2010/12/20)
Hungría aprueba una 'ley mordaza' en el propio corazón de la UE
http://www.diariodecuba.com/internacional/2295-hungria-aprueba-una-ley-mordaza-en-el-propio-corazon-de-la-ue


FRENCH
---------------------------------

FRANCE2.FR (2010/12/24)
Hongrie: vers un régime autoritaire?
http://info.france2.fr/europe/ou-va-la-hongrie--66534255.html

COULISSES DE BRUXELLES (2010/12/23)
Bienvenue à la République soviétique de Hongrie!
http://bruxelles.blogs.liberation.fr/coulisses/2010/12/bienvenue-%C3%A0-la-r%C3%A9publique-sovi%C3%A9tique-de-hongrie-.html

LE FIGARO (2010/12/21)
En Hongrie, Orban resserre le contrôle des médias
http://tinyurl.com/freepress-049

PRESSEUROPE (2010/12/21)
Le gouvernement met la presse en coupe réglée
http://tinyurl.com/freepress-014

NOUVELOBS (2010/12/21)
La Hongrie vote une loi renforçant le contrôle des médias
http://tinyurl.com/freepress-050

ARTE JOURNAL (2010/12/20)
Hongrie : quelle présidence pour l'Union ?
http://www.arte.tv/fr/Comprendre-le-monde/arte-journal/NAV/3606796.html

ITALIAN
---------------------------------

LE FIGARO (2010/12/21)
En Hongrie, Orban resserre le contrôle des médias
http://tinyurl.com/freepress-011

CORRIERE DELLA SERA (2010/12/21)
Ungheria: libertà di stampa a rischio Media sotto controllo del governo
http://tinyurl.com/freepress-013

ANSA (2010/12/20)
Ungheria: approvata 'legge bavaglio'
http://tinyurl.com/freepress-010

CZECH
---------------------------------

LIDOVKY (2010/12/23)
Schwarzenberg: Zákon o médiích v Maďarsku odporuje demokracii
http://tinyurl.com/freepress-020

CESKÉ NOVINY (2010/12/23)
Schwarzenberg kritizoval maďarský mediální zákon
http://tinyurl.com/freepress-021

REGIONY IMPULS
Maďarsko podle Orbána nechce měnit sporný mediální zákon
http://tinyurl.com/freepress-022

ZPRAVY ROZHLAS (2010/12/21)
Maďarská vláda má kontrolu nad obsahem zpravodajství
http://tinyurl.com/freepress-048

SLOVAK
---------------------------------

PRAVDA (2010/12/24)
Ani nápad, Orbán o zmene mediálneho zákona neuvažuje
http://tinyurl.com/freepress-023

PRAVDA (2010/12/21)
Orbán priškripol médiá
http://tinyurl.com/freepress-045

ROMANIAN
---------------------------------

ADEVARUL (2010/12/22)
Ungaria a pus pumnul în gura jurnaliştilor
http://tinyurl.com/freepress-042

SLOVENIAN
---------------------------------

TIMES.SI (2010/12/21)
Sporni zakon: Si skuša madžarska vladajoča stranka podrediti medije?
http://www.times.si/read/f07916c3a8/20b841eab5/index.html

TIMES.SI (2010/12/21)
Na Madžarskem sprejeli sporni medijski zakon
http://www.times.si/read/f07916c3a8/8347adecdb/index.html

BULGARIAN
---------------------------------

DVEVNIK (2010/12/22)
Унгария силно затегна държавния контрол над медиите
http://www.dnevnik.bg/sviat/2010/12/22/1015510_ungariia_silno_zategna_durjavniia_kontrol_nad_mediite/

VESTI.BG (2010/12/22)
В Унгария протестират срещу новия медиен закон
http://www.vesti.bg/index.phtml?tid=40&oid=3494271

EUROPE.BG (2010/12/21)
Унгария засили контрола върху медиите
http://www.europe.bg/htmls/page.php?id=34103&category=5

SERBIAN
---------------------------------

BLIC ONLINE (2010/12/24)
Cenzura na mađarski način
http://www.blic.rs/Vesti/Svet/225700/Cenzura-na-madjarski-nacin

RADIO-TELEVIZIJA VOJVODINE (2010/12/22)
OEBS: Ugrožena sloboda medija u Mađarskoj
http://tinyurl.com/freepress-043

B92 (2010/12/03)
Nezadovoljni mađarski mediji
http://tinyurl.com/freepress-051

CROATIAN
---------------------------------

H-ALTER.ORG (2010/12/22)
Državni udar na slobodu medija
http://www.h-alter.org/vijesti/mediji/drzavni-udar-na-slobodu-medija

VIJESTI (2010/12/21)
Mađarska postrožila nadzor nad medijima
http://www.tportal.hr/vijesti/svijet/102540/Madarska-postrozila-nadzor-nad-medijima.html

BOSNIA AND HERCEGOVINA
---------------------------------

BUKA ONLINE (2010/12/22)
Mađarski zakon o medijima - na tragu Berlusconija i Lukašenka
http://www.buka.ba/zakon-o-medijima-madjarska

SWEDEN
---------------------------------

SVT (2010/12/22)
EU-storm mot Ungern efter ny medielag
http://svt.se/2.22584/1.2278453/eu-storm_mot_ungern_efter_ny_medielag

MAGYAR
---------------------------------

AMERIKAI NÉPSZAVA (2010/12/24)
Orbánnak esze ágában sincs megváltoztatni a médiatörvényt
http://tinyurl.com/freepress-012

PARAMETER blog (2010/12/24)
Feljegyzések az utolsó padból
http://www.parameter.sk/rovat/paramagyar/2010/12/24/feljegyzesek-az-utolso-padbol

ÚJ SZÓ (2010/12/13)
Mindenható sajtóbíróság
http://ujszo.com/online/velemeny-es-hatter/2010/12/13/mindenhato-sajtobirosag


CHINESE
---------------------------------

MEDIA CHINESE (2010/12/23)
http://www.mediachinese.com/node/19069?tid=17

CHINATIMES (2010/12/23)
http://news.chinatimes.com/world/0,5246,11050404x132010122300654,00.html

CANADA VANCOUVER CHINESE NEWSPAPER (2010/12/23)
http://www.mingpaovan.com/htm/News/20101223/ttaf1.htm


UKRAINIAN
---------------------------------

RBC (2010/12/23)
Угорщина загрожує європейським цінностям,- міністр закордонних справ Люксембургу
http://www.rbc.ua/ukr/newsline/show/vengriya-ugrozhaet-evropeyskim-tsennostyam---ministr-inostrannyh-23122010072600

PROSTIR (?) (2010/12/22)
Суперечливий закон про ЗМІ може поставити під сумнів головування Угорщини в ЄС
http://eu.prostir.ua/view/244821.html

24TV (2010/12/21)
Угорщина: парламент ухвалив новий закон про ЗМІ
http://www.24tv.com.ua/news/1/2/65511


JAPANESE
---------------------------------

TOKYO SHINBUN summary (2010/12/25)
ＥＵ次期議長国ハンガリー　報道規制強化に内外から猛抗議
http://www.tokyo-np.co.jp/article/world/news/CK2010122502000029.html


TURKISH
---------------------------------

HABER7.COM (2010/12/23)
Macaristan'ın medya yasasına Avrupa'dan tepki
http://www.haber7.com/haber/20101223/Macaristanin-medya-yasasina-Avrupadan-tepki.php

NETHABER (2010/12/23)
AB Dönem Başkanlığına hazırlanan Macaristan'da MEDYA YASASI tepki çekti
http://www.nethaber.com/Dunya/171758/AB-Donem-Baskanligina-hazirlanan-Macaristanda

HÜRRIYET (2010/12/23)
Hungary's EU presidency: What should the Eastern Partnership's future posture be toward the South Caucasus?
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/n.php?n=hungary8217s-eu-presidency-what-should-the-eastern-partnership8217s-future-posture-be-towards-the-south-caucasus-2010-12-22

FINNISH
---------------------------------

AAMULEHTI (2010/12/23)
Unkari lupasi harkita medialain muuttamista ("Magyarország megígérte, hogy megfontolja a médiatörvény módosítását")
http://www.aamulehti.fi/cs/Satellite?c=AMArticle_C&childpagename=KAL_newssite%2FAMLayout&cid=1194659880059&p=1194626958999&pagename=KALWrapper

HELSINGIN SANOMAT (2010/12/22)
Etyj järkyttyi Unkarin uudesta medialaista ("Az EBESZ felháborodott Magyarország új médiatörvényén")
http://www.hs.fi/ulkomaat/artikkeli/Etyj+j%C3%A4rkyttyi+Unkarin+uudesta+medialaista/1135262573942

HELSINGIN SANOMAT (2010/12/20)
Unkari mukautuu Fideszin ylivaltaan ("Magyarország a FIDESZ túlerejéhez idomul")
http://www.hs.fi/paakirjoitus/artikkeli/Unkari+mukautuu++Fideszin+ylivaltaan/HS20101220SI1MA01frp


INDIA ---------------------------

http://www.indiainfoline.com/Markets/News/Gold-Unable-To-Hold-On-After-Latest-Bounceback/3457117587

Hungarian Lutherans

The weekly HVG has published an article on a research conducted among Hungarian Lutherans. The results were presented by Gergely Prőhle, who is not only a supervisor of the Lutheran church, but also the state secretary responsible for EU relations at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The research has been conducted among 1500 adults randomly selected from the church's registers containing a total of around 300 thousand persons (ca. 3% of the total population). According to the findings, 90% of these persons consider their religious affiliation important, and most of them do pay the "church tax", which is collected by the church itself, so it is reasonable to assume that the 300 thousand persons not just happen to be in some register because they were baptised, but who are there due to some affiliation.
Still, Mr Prőhle deplores the secularisation of church members,

The Sunday fights

As in other European countries and even at EU level, Christian churches are lobbying also in Hungary for a ban on working on Sundays. With a twist.
While banning Sunday work was put on the agenda by the Christian democrats (KDNP), the far right party Jobbik has picked up the issue and introduced yesterday a proposal to ban employers from requiring their employees to work on Sundays. With loopholes, of course.

Religious feeling triumphs

Over the freedom of speech, or course. The new law regulating the media is waiting for the approvel of the president, who will no doubt sign it without delay. Par. 17.2 goes as follows: "Media content may not lend itself to openly or implicitly offend the feelings of persons, nations, communities, national, ethnic, linguistic and other minorities or any majority, or of churches or religious groups, or to exclude them." ("A médiatartalom nem lehet alkalmas személyek, nemzetek, közösségek, nemzeti, etnikai, nyelvi és más kisebbségek vagy bármely többség, továbbá valamely egyház vagy vallási csoport nyílt vagy burkolt megsértésére, kirekesztésére." For the entire text: http://www.parlament.hu/irom39/00363/00363-0101.pdf)
I will not discuss the relationship between the freedom of speech and religious feelings -- Freedom House has done that, pointing out how these types of laws can easily be used to silence critics and get rid of anyone you want to. The freedom of religion is a segment of the freedom of conscience and of speech, and without the latter, the former is not possible.
Anyone reading the text carefully will note that the defense of religious feelings is not left to the faithful - not only persons', but also institutions' feelings are protected... (and churches do have the financial means to sue, of course)...
http://interalia.org.hu/node/87

A truly loving father

Mr László Tőkés, former bishop of the reformed church and present vice president of the European Parliament for the European People's Party, for Romania and of course for the Hungarian minority of Romania, loves his son Máté very dearly (meanwhile his wife filed for divorce among others because of his extramarital affairs). So much that when a couple of weeks ago the city administration of Oradea imposed a fine of around 700 euros for opening a bar without the neccessary permits, Mr Tőkés took his phone (either in Brussels or in Oradea) and called the local authorities.
The younger Mr Tőkés is also interested in football, being player and head of the club called Partium SC, who plays in the fifth league of Romania (there is no sixth). In their interpretetion, the referees were keeping to discriminate against them, so the father took his EP vice president's stationery and hand wrote a letter to the Romanian Football Federation, telling them that: 'As the father of one of the players of Partium SC I am shocked about the incident at the match against Rév. As vice-president of the European Parliament, being responsible among others about sports affairs I consider the behaviour of the three referees that sealed the fate of the game unacceptable. In the European spirit of fair play I ask you to accept the complaint of the president of the Partium SC ragarding the repetition of the game.'
nol.hu/kulfold/igen_kinos_-_tokes_laszlo_kulonos_kozbenjarasai
http://nol.hu/kulfold/tokes_nem_kert_elonyt_fia_szamara__csak_apakent_cselekedett

How to get an award

The Hungarian State has a tradition of distributing state awards on the occation of national holidays, March 15th and October 23rd to people who have had a big positive impact on society. Of course it comes as no surprise that the present government and the president believe proselytization is worth a decoration:
Out of four medals named after the communist (!) prime minister Imre Nagy who became the national hero of the uprisal of 1956, one was received by a member of the board of the European protestant Hungarian Free University, a private club promoting portestant values.
Out of two Grand Crosses of the Order of Merit of the Hungarian State was given to the catholic cardinal of Alba Iulia in Romania for his merits in keeping up the religious life of the Hungarian minority and the deepening of religoius life.
25 medium crosses were awarded, 10 of them to religious persons for deeds such as the promotion of Christian values, the promotion of Jewish religous life, promoting the reformed church issues among the Hungarian minority in Slovakia, for redeeming lutheran values, for the strengthening of the links between state and churches, and for the promotion of (Catholic) faith schools.

Who will remain?

Meanwhile I've checked the tax office's list on 1% offerings - taypayers can donate 1% of their personal income tax to a charity, and another 1% to a church, or alternatively, to a secular cause offered by the state (for 2009 that was eradication of ambrosia, a highly allergen plant, and a programme to support especially talented kids).
This list includes of course taxpayers only (i.e. people who have a legal income and pay at least minimal taxes), so it does not include for example retired people who have no other income than their retirement benefits. But it still gives a clue about how many adherents churches have.
At present, one needs 100 members to found a church, and though the "statues" (main teachings etc.) have to be handed at registration, the state has no right to check them in any way.
The tax office lists 185 churches for 2009, the biggest one being the catholics, with 534 thousand people offering their 1% (45% of onepercents dedicated), and on the second place, lagging far behind, the reformed church with 186 thousand (20%). The third 'big traditional' church, the Lutherans has 49 thousand taxpaying members (4%). Another 3 make it over the 10000 adherents limit that Szászfalvi has suggested should be introduced: the baptists (1.3%), the Krishnas (1.1%) and a pentecostal church called Hit Gyülekezete (the Faith Church, 1.6%).
Of course as probably not only the taxpayers would count, some more churches will meet the criterion, such as the biggest Jewish and buddhist groups, as well as Jehovah's Witnesses. Overall, there are 25 churches that got more than 1000 donations, and only 15 of them have over 2000 income tax paying members who are devoted enough to fill out two lines on a form. Of these 25, 13 are Christian, 5 Buddhist, and 2 Jewish. Among the remaining, there are the Scientologists, the Jains (who are basically supporting an animal shelter called Noah's Ark), the Krishnas, an esoteric church and another with the aim to reestablish giving birth as spiritual act (supposedly related to the fact that anyone who would like to give birth at home is considered crazy by the medical establishment). Of course some more churches can count on retaining their status as 'established', nemaly those who have been present 'traditionally'. I can only guess about them, but I suppose Jewish and Christian orthodox groups (e.g. the Greek and Serb churches) will be among them, and the muslims will prbably argue that they are traditionally present in Hungary (after all, we had 150 years of Turkish rule, hadn't we...).
The list also contains the total amount of 1%-s donated to the curches, so one can count the avarage personal income (or rather, about the income tax) of the members of one particlar church. Among the over 1000 sized churches, the biggest taxpayers are (reinforcing stereotypes) the Jews (the avarage 1% of the income tax is 5900 forint per taxpayer, while Jews' 1% was 12509 forint for the biggest Jewish group and 10321 forint for the 'Status quo ante' group - the two groups separated in the 19th century over an argument on the relationship with the state).
The by faaar richest church members are Christians, however: the 84 members of the Korean Christians' 1% amounted to 58385 forint per person, which is ten times the avarage income (no typo, the amount was similar last year).
Before I forget: 25% of taxpayers donating their 1% gave it to the secular causes. Their avarage income avarages the general avarage.
But: most taxpayers just don't care. There are about 3.6 million taxpayers, of whom 24.8% are close enough to their church to donate it ca. 2 minutes to fill out the form (for the big denominations: 14.8% catholics, 5% protestant, 1.4% Lutherans, with the rest under 1%), and another 8.3% are dedicated enough to a quite impersonal secular cause (getting no media coverage) to offer their 1%. (Data corrected on 23/10/2010 23:32, after I've found the exact number of persons paying actually more than 0 forint taxes.)

The list: http://www.apeh.hu/szja1_1/kimutat/2010_rend_egyh_kiem.html

Not more churches

Mr László Szászfalvi, state secretary of the Ministry for Public Adminsitration and Justice has outlined last weeks some plans to tighten the rules for establishing religious communities. Currently we have about 185 of them, and among others they have the right to compete with each other for 1% of the personal income tax.
It is rather easy to establish a church in Hungary at present: you need 100 members and you have to submit your statutes and main teachings - there is no testing if the community is a religious one, though it has happened that some requests for registration have been denied.
Mr Szászfalvi said in an interview that they plan to increase the number of members needed to 10.000. Meeting this criterion will pose some problems also for well established communities (such as ca. 150 followers of the byzantine rites present in Hungary since 1800 years or so), so they want to give an exemption for churches present in Hungary for a longer time, i.e. so-called "historical churches". Some big foreign communities such as the mormons may also have to fight for their status.
Of course we do have 'business churches' (bizniszegyházak), i.e. pseudo-religious communities eatablished solely for financial reasons. But surely the most efficient way to stop them would be to just do away with their financial privileges and treating them as any other non profit assosiacion? - Anyway, the state secretary's plans at least prove that churches do indeed enjoy privileges.
But then, as one of the critics mentioned, Christianity also started with only a dozen disciples.

index.hu/belfold/2010/09/29/leszamolnak_a_bizniszegyhazakkal/
http://www.nepszava.hu/articles/article.php?id=352785

Hunting season

A whole lot of institutions has submitted their claims regarding the new constitutions to the committee preparing the text. Many of them seek to impose their particular views on all citizens, and to narrow down rights. Of course especially regarding people’s private lives.

The Lutheran church wants the constitution to protect monogamous marriage and family life. They do not accept same-sex marriage and believe that the present regulation (same-sex couples may enter registered partnerships) is enough to protect against discrimination.
The catholic church agrees with the need to provide special constitutional protection for the institution of marriage and family, especially those with many children.

The Christian Democrat Party (the one which gives the deputy prime minister while making it into the parliament only as an ally of the governing party Fidesz) has also asked the National Organisation of Big Families for their opinion. They wish the constitution to declare that marriage is a lasting bond between one man and one woman, with the aim to produce and raise children. They also want the state to take over the financial burden of raising children and suggest that the right to accommodation should be declared in the constitution. They also want to give the vote to children – it would be of course the parents who would vote on behalf of their children.

The catholic church also wants to forbid working on Sundays. According to their view this is needed for the protection of the family and religious freedom.

Several organisations want the holy crown mentioned in the constitution, the Lutherans suggest the following preamble: “The Hungarian people, thankful for the 1000 year history of Hungary symbolised by the pristine crown of the Hungarian kings...” [No mention of the word “saint” here, of course.] The right-wing Organisation of Hungarians Abroad and the Professors’ Batthyány Circle also suggest the constitution to refer to the crown. They also want to give more power to the president: if he believes a legislation to be contrary to the constitution, he cannot be forced to sign it.

The National Elderly Citizens Association, asked for their opinion by Fidesz, believes that the constitution has to refer to the crown in order to secure the continuity of the state. The new constitution should declare the freedom of the state and the freedom of the members of the Holy Crown. The latter are the members of the state-founder Hungarian nation where ever they live and national minorities as long as they live within the territory of Hungary. Anyone else can live only as a guest in Hungary.

As I’ve already mentioned, the State Audit Office also believes the constitution should refer to the crown.

As to the status of religious communities, the catholic church considers it important that the constitution guarantees that churches can operate independently, free from state intervention. Many aspects of their teachings could be present in the constitution, such as the respect for human dignity, solidarity and subsidiarity, the rights of parents, the right to religious education and the freedom to establish schools.

The Lutherans wrote that they expect the new constitution to strengthen freedom of religion and conscience including the religious freedom of individuals and the autonomy of churches. They would be glad if the constitution also listed crucial values of Christian origin such as the protection of life and methods to ensure empathy towards each other and cooperation, as well as to organise community life. If these are present, it is not necessary to openly refer to Christianism and God.

The reformed churches (Calvinists) want more rigorous criteria for the state registration of religious communities. They also want to include a guarantee that state and church institutions get the same funding for public services. The Jewish community agrees with that.

The Jewish community wishes to include the ten commandments in the preamble, as well as the Judaeo-Christian roots of the Hungarian culture. They also want to include collective rights, such as the right to human dignity of groups.

Actually the only suggestion for the broadening of rights came from the left umbrella organisation of trade unions (as the suggestion to give parents the right to vote in the name of their children violates the basic democratic value that each person’s vote has the same weight). Besides maintaining legislation protecting workers, they would like to introduce the right to opposition and include data protection into the constitution. They also suggest that any kind of private militia should be banned, and that no titles of nobility or similar prerogatives may be given or used.

Religious freedom (both positive and negative) is guaranteed also in the present constitution. The article on religious freedom (no. 60) of the present constitution goes as follows:
(1) In the Republic of Hungary everyone has the right to the freedom of thought, conscience and religion.
(2) This right includes the free choice or acceptance of religion or any other conviction according to one's conscience, and the liberty to express, or refuse to express, to exercise or teach one's religion and conviction through the performance of religious acts and rites, either individually or together with others, either publicly or in a closed circle.
(3) In the Republic of Hungary the Church functions in separation from the State.


http://index.hu/belfold/2010/10/07/egyre_tobb_szervezet_szolna_a_szent_koronarol_az_alkotmanyban/

The present Hungarian constitution in English: http://www.lectlaw.com/files/int05.htm
For data about founding and funding, and religious attendance, check here and here.

Financial audit and the constitution

Have you ever thought about the wide range of fields a state audit office has to be familiar with? In Hungary, this also includes comment on the bases of our constitituion, which the government and the president appointed by the ruling party want to change (allegedly because the present one is the 'communist' constitution of 1949 - while actually, as the saying goes, the only part of it that hasn't been changed after the fall of communism is the date of issuing).
Anyway, the Hungarian Court of Auditors (Állami Számvevőszék), which got some notoriety for deciding financial disputes between the state and the (catholic) church in favour of the church, has been asked to give its point of view on the constituton. Here's is what they issued:

"Proposals of the Court of Auditors
Consttitutional rules on state finances
Requirements [...]
- The Constitution of Hungary has to open a new chapter in our history. It has to close down the post-communist legislational and social progress.
- The Hungarian people needs a loveable and repectable basic law that serves social renewal and integrates experiences made.
- The new constitution has to express both in its structure and content that based on our historical heritage of 1100 years we  wish to establish a set of norms applicable in the 21st century. Therefore among others the following have to be referred to in the preamble:

• the Holy Crown as a preeminent relic of history,
• the impact of Christianity on the development and strenghtening of the moral firmness of the nation 

[...]
Cited at: http://galamus.hu/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=31745:az-asz-javaslata-az-uj-alkotmanyhoz&catid=79:kiemelt-hirek&Itemid=115

Kissing the ring

While the pope, XVI. Benedict is busy touring Britain this week, the week before he received the Hungarian president, Pál Schmitt, whom elderly non-Hungarians may know from his carreer in fencing a couple of dacades ago. Later, at the beginning of the 1980s, he made a career in sports diplomacy (being the head of the Hungarian Olympic Committee (MOB) also at the time when the committee decided to boycott the Olympic Games in 1984), and in hotellerie: he was the managing director of the Hotel Astoria in Budapest. About 10 years ago, he became a face of Fidesz, and they -- having won 2/3s of the seats in parliament by receving 53% of the votes --  made him president (which is more or less a representative function, and even Schmitt's critics agree that he is a handsome clothes hanger).
Anyway, he's visited the pope on September 10th, and the two of them had a look at various European countries' constitutions, found out that in 8 of them the church is explicitly included, and Schmitt 'proudly announced ' (these were his words) that 'if everything goes well, Hungary will become the ninth'. They also agreed on the importance of Hungarian minorities having priests speaking Hungarian, and according to Schmitt, the pope said he is well aware of this problem. Other topics were the financing of Hungarian church schools, and the EU presidency of Hungary starting next January. According to Schmitt, the pope even mentioned how much he appreciated that the Remonstrances of Saint Stephen, king of Hungary to his son, Imre (who was later canonised, as his father was) are availabe on the president's homepage.
The Vatican's Osservatore Romano also mentioned the visit, but in much less detail.

As good catholic, the president of course kissed the pope's ring:
http://index.hu/belfold/2010/09/10/scmitt_pal_jelentett_a_papanak/
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:XN_d61Bp0EsJ:www.vatican.va/news_services/or/or_quo/text.html%3Ft%3D1284134603187+pal+schmitt+site:vatican.va&cd=1&hl=hu&ct=clnk&gl=hu

Anomymous experts

The highest official for education, secretary of state Rózsa Hoffmann (who became famous for starting her job with cancelling the newly intorduced prescription that kindergarden should not reinforce stereotypes, including gender stereotypes), intends to make a new law on education and higher education. To this aim, she organised a secret experts meeting in August, and the group of experts has already prepared a blueprint for the main issues - a 43-pager for primary and secondary education, while the tertiary sector got 9 pages. FigyelőNet got a copy of it.
While there are positive suggestions such as improving teacher training, increasing the time children have to psent at school, and having more sports lessons, there are some disputable ideas, such as the one saying preference should be given to other languages than English - instead of English, not along with it (let's be realistic: nowadays, if you have a BA, you won't get a job with at least some English).
While according to the blueprints, the direct state subventions for schools maintained by the local governments are to be increased to 90% of the total cost, these subsidies will amount to 100% in the case of faith schools.
The members of the experts' group are held secret (accodring to the ministry, the membes do not receive any money, and some of them don't want to have their names disclosed) by the ministry, but according to FigyelőNet 'compared to the fact that faiths schools tot up to about seven percent of the sector, faiths schools are -- to put it mildy - overrepresented in the shaping of the strategy dealing with the hole system.' The somwhat piqant part is that though the minister is a member of both Fidesz and KDNP, Fidesz's experts are not involved in the preparation. Or in other words: a party that would get around 1% of the votes if they had to run independently of Fidesz is shaping edcuation accodring to their private agenda.
http://www.fn.hu/belfold/20100906/nemzeti_egyuttmukodes_fidesz_nelkul/

Verstehen Sie Deutsch?

Eine ziemlich detaillierte Zusammenfassung der ersten 100 Tage im Amt von Viktor Orbán:
A detailed account on Viktor Orbán's first 100 days as prime minister - in German:
http://www.jungewelt.de/2010/09-06/004.php

Morals at the protestant university

Hungary has about 80 universities and colleges. Many of them are of course minor province institutions, including a lot of theological schools caring to the needs of one particular denomination for pastors  (needless to say that they receive their funds from the Hungarian state, too). Not so Károli Gáspár University of the Reformed Church (KRE), which, together with Pázmány Péter Catholic University is an institution with scientific ambitions, and has not only a theologial faculty, but also one for humanities and one for law. Until now, it also had three PhD schools. One of them, the law school, has now been closed down by the Accreditation Committee for continuos non-compliance with basic academic standards. One of these says that in order to run a PhD school, an institution needs to have a certain number of specialists in the field who already have students awarded a PhD degree, and not only the now closed down PhD school, but also the PhD school in literary history is unable to meet this criterion.
However, according to the weekly HVG, the latter seems to have also committed fraud.

A truly ecumenic prime minister

Though the prime minister of Hungary, Mr Viktor Orbán is a calvinist, catholic spectacles seem to meet his taste much more than protestant puritanism (true, in his youth, around the fall of communism in 1989, he had adpoted a more Voltraian approach to the churches, but he, together with his party, switched to their present worldview in the mid 90s). He participates in the yearly procession of the catholic church  on National Day (20th of August) in Budapest carrying around a piece of a dead body, the alleged right hand of king Stephen I., the christianiser of Hungary and founder of the State.
Now, he's spent a couple of days in Castelgandolfo, the summer residence of the pope, and participated in the foundation of a network of christian legislators with the aim to provide a platform for members of palriaments and clerics to discuss moral values.
http://www.hirextra.hu/2010/08/25/orban-romaba-ment/

The expert

Mrs Rózsa Hoffmann, state secretary (i.e. the highest official specialising in education--her boss, the minister is a specialist in medicine and also responsible for health, sports, social, education and culture issues) for education with a strong catholic background, has already several times emphasised that she intends to improve the situation of faith schools (as well as introduce religious education).
Schools maintained by the local governments receive most of their funds directly from the state budget, but as this is not enough, the local governments have to top these up. For faith schools (and other social services such as homes for the elderly) the situation is a bit different: they not only receive the same state subsidies local government schools, but also the amount the local governments have spent on their schools (in exchange, they have to teach according to hte national curriculum). Of course it's difficult to figure out exactly how much money has been spent by the local governments on their schools, so there is ample room for disagreement and church complaints. This system is enshrined in the Vatican treaty (Concordat) but applied to all faith schools (but not to private schools maintained by others than churches).
Hoffmann now wants to improve the financial situation of faith schools by increasing the ratio of funds provided by the state, saying this should amount to 90% of the costs, and the difference--to be paid by the local governments in the case of local schools--will be taken over by the state in the case of faith schools. From her statement it seems, that though having become a state secretary a few months ago and having been the head of the Pedagogy Department at Pázmány Peter Catholic University (after decades at the ministry of education and as a headmistress of a secondary school), she is not quite familiar with how schools are being financed in the last 12 years. Therefore, contrary to her intentions and somewhat ironically, if this plan is carried out, local governments's secular school will fare better financially compared to the present situation :-).

By the grace of god

We not only have a new government, we'll also get a new president soon. Though the Hungarian president's function is mostly representational, one of his duties is to ensure that all new laws respect the constitution, i.e. he's supposed to act as one element of the checks and balances. He (there has never been a she yet) is elected for a period of five years by the parliament (while the parliament's period is four years), and the term of the present one, Mr László Sólyom expires in August.
The ruling party, Fidesz, decided to propose Mr Pál Schmitt as president, who used to be a world class fencer. He also was head of the Hungarian Olympic Committe, when the committe decided (against the wish of the athletes) to boycott the 1984 games in Los Angeles, and he acted as director of the posh Astoria Hotel and -- also during the communist era -- as a state secretary. However, this career path did not pose an obstacle to a party career in the otherwise very vocally anti communist Fidesz. The crucial factor for the continuity of his career obviously is his widely known lack of any spine whatsoever.
Still, he does not credit Fidesz for his new vocation: "And if God has entrusted me with presidency, I will do it and will be up to it, together with my wife, the first lady." ("S ha már a jóisten rám testálja az elnökséget, csinálni, bírni fogom, a feleségemmel, a first ladyvel együtt.")

http://nol.hu/belfold/20100625-_az_emberek_embere_akarok_lenni_

How to hand over state schools to churches easily

The Hungarian Teachers' Union wrote a letter to the constitutional court protesting against a new bill (No. LI of 2010) modifíng the law on public education. According to the bill, local authorities may hand over their schools to a church institution on the spot, without delay. According to the union, this step violates teachers' and pupils' religious freedom, as this would mean that anyone may suddenly find themselves in a religious institution, and in some places, there may not be any secular alternative.
Though schools are mainly state financed, they are maintained by the local government, and as the state subsidies are not enough, the schools budget is usually supplemented from the (also rather tight) local budget. Church schools, on the contrary, receive an avarage of the supplements provided by the local government in addition to the regular state subsidies. Therefore handing over a local school to a church is financially rewarding for local goverments,