Key facts
- Hungary's governing Tisza party submitted a bill to abolish the Sovereignty Protection Office (SPO).
- The SPO was created in 2023 by Viktor Orban's government to monitor risks of 'undue political interference' by foreign entities.
Hungary's governing Tisza party has submitted a bill to parliament to abolish the Sovereignty Protection Office (SPO), an organization established by Viktor Orban's government. Critics argued the SPO was a tool to suppress dissent and stigmatize opposition figures and journalists for serving 'foreign interests.'
The proposed abolition of the Sovereignty Protection Office signals a potential shift in Hungary's approach to civil liberties and international relations, moving away from a tool criticized for suppressing dissent and stigmatizing opponents.
Hungary's governing Tisza party has submitted a bill to parliament to abolish the Sovereignty Protection Office (SPO), an organization established by former Prime Minister Viktor Orban's government. The SPO was created in 2023 to monitor risks of 'undue political interference' by foreign entities, but critics argued it was a tool to suppress dissent and stigmatize opposition figures and journalists for serving 'foreign interests.' The European Commission had launched an infringement procedure targeting the law behind the agency's creation. The bill stated the SPO performed no actual public duty and served purely political intent. The SPO's primary activities included publishing studies accusing opposition figures, journalists, NGOs, and academics of serving 'foreign interests.' These studies ceased after April 10, shortly before Orban's Fidesz party lost power to the Tisza party. A previous proposal by the Orban government to empower the SPO with powers to restrict operations of organizations receiving foreign funding was withdrawn after facing criticism.
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