February 19th local time, Hungarian Minister of Justice Volgo Judit said that Hungary was ready to repeal the “controversial clause” in the NGO law and had submitted the legal text on the amendment clause to the European Commission.
On February 18, the European Commission launched a tort procedure, requiring Hungary to amend the above-mentioned law within two months, otherwise it will seek financial sanctions from the European Court of Justice.
On the 19th, Volgo Judit said on his social media that Hungary had not only indicated its readiness to repeal the disputed clause, but also submitted the legal text on the amendment clause to the European Commission.
She said that once the European Commission notified the Hungarian text of the acceptability, the Hungarian government would immediately submit the draft to the National Assembly for discussion during the spring session.
Yudit said that Hungary has made non-governmental organization funds transparent to identify which non-governmental organizations are trying to exert political pressure on Hungarian public life with foreign support.
At the same time, it also eased the pressure on Hungary’s immigration.
She added that despite the correct and transparent actions taken by the Hungarian government in all aspects, the European Commission has once again initiated politically motivated proceedings under the pressure of the ruling of the European Court of Justice against Hungary last June.
The Hungarian government has repeatedly assured EU institutions that Hungary will abide by this ruling and will take the necessary measures to implement it, as Hungary has done in all previous rulings without exception.
Judit stressed that Hungary has had an ongoing dialogue with the European Commission on the implementation of the ruling in a spirit of effective cooperation.
On June 13, 2017, the Hungarian Parliament passed a law on improving the transparency of foreign-funded NGOs, requiring NGOs to report to the court that they have become foreign-funded organizations and disclose the funder information when they reach a certain threshold for foreign funding within a year.
On 18 June 2020, the European Court of Justice ruled that the relevant Hungarian law violated the provisions of the EU law on the free movement of capital and the fundamental right to protect and freedom of association for personal data.
