The European Commission will file two lawsuits against Hungary over its anti-LGBT law and its refusal to renew the license of broadcaster Klubradio, which is critical of the government.
This is reported by Reuters.
"The European Commission today decided to refer Hungary to the Court of Justice of the EU over a Hungarian law which discriminates against people on the basis of their sexual orientation and gender identity," Brussels said.
The second lawsuit is related to Hungaryʼs refusal to renew the Klubradio broadcasterʼs license. The media, which often criticizes government policies, was forced to stop broadcasting more than a year ago. Now Klubradio works only online.
"We address attacks to independent media via all the tools that we have," said European Commissioner for Values and Transparency Vera Yourova.
Hungarian Justice Minister Judit Varga believes that the Klubradio case does not threaten media freedom and that the European Commissionʼs lawsuit regarding the LGBT law is "baseless."
"EU membership does not affect Hungaryʼs right in any way to make decisions of its own about child protection and in accordance with its national identity," she said.
- On June 15, 2021, the Hungarian parliament passed a law that limits the right of young people to receive information about homosexuality and transsexuality. The law prohibits children and young people from reading books, films and other media that depict any type of sexuality other than heterosexuality. All types of advertising featuring homosexual or transgender people are also prohibited. The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, warned Hungary that she should repeal this law and called it a "disgrace"
- LGBT activists in Hungary and international organizations sharply criticized the bill and compared it to a 2013 Russian law banning so-called gay propaganda.
- On August 7, 2021, the Hungarian government restricted the sale of childrenʼs books that talk about LGBT people. There should be at least 200 meters from the point of sale to schools and churches.
- On November 30, 2021, the Hungarian Parliament approved the convening of a national referendum on LGBT issues in 2022.