Journalists sacked for criticising government

HUNGARY’S STATE broadcaster has sacked two journalists who are on hunger strike to protest against alleged government meddling…

HUNGARY’S STATE broadcaster has sacked two journalists who are on hunger strike to protest against alleged government meddling in the media, amid growing domestic and international criticism of prime minister Viktor Orbán’s radical reforms.

The holding company for Hungary’s state media said Balazs Nagy Navarro and Aranka Szavuly were fired for taking on “political roles” by conducting an “illegal” strike that constituted a “provocation” against the public broadcaster.

Since December 10th they have been ingesting only liquids at a makeshift camp outside the broadcaster’s headquarters in Budapest.

Mr Nagy Navarro called the sackings illegal, and vowed to continue his hunger strike with several colleagues until action was taken to stop government loyalists manipulating news reports.

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“I feel sorry for what is happening here in the public media, and for the people who work here who are being manipulated and used to build a brutal dictatorship with the help of the management of public media,” he said.

US secretary of state Hillary Clinton wrote to Mr Orbán in recent days to express concern over the possible erosion of democratic freedoms in Hungary since he took power in May 2010.

Since then, his government has placed allies at the helm of almost all major national institutions, reduced the power of the constitutional court, revamped the judiciary and introduced a tough new media law that critics say will muzzle the country’s press.

Earlier this month, European Commission chief José Manuel Barroso wrote to Mr Orbán, urging him to reconsider changes that could reduce the independence of Hungary’s central bank and thereby contravene EU law.

Officials from the International Monetary Fund also called for an early end to talks in Budapest over the same issue, casting doubt on Hungary’s request for a financial “safety net” from lenders.

Mr Orbán and his conservative, populist Fidesz party have dismissed most of the criticism, insisting that the reforms adhere to EU law and are needed to modernise Hungary and rid it of structures and institutions that they claim are corrupt leftovers of the pre-1989 communist era.

The constitutional court last week demanded changes to the laws on media and the judiciary, and blocked government plans to slash the number of religions that are allowed to operate in Hungary.

State officials faced more flak, however, for refusing to extend the frequency permit of a popular talk-radio station that often criticises the government.

Mrs Clinton visited Budapest in June to hold talks with Mr Orbán and told a news conference she was concerned about democratic freedoms in Hungary, where she said essential checks and balances must be strengthened.