Hungarian PM rounds on France, Germany

Hungary's prime minister lashed out Thursday against French and German criticism of a new media law.

Viktor Orban insisted Budapest would change the text only if there were agreement among the EU as a whole, and would not be dictated to by two of the bloc's powerhouses.

"It's not up to the French or the Germans to say whether the Hungarian law complies with EU regulations. The EU should decide," Orban told foreign journalists ahead of a ceremony to mark the start of Hungary's six-month EU presidency.

"I consider the way the French and German governments have reacted in this debate too hasty and unnecessary," Orban said.

Hungary has come in for widespread criticism over the media law, which came into effect Saturday, just as the country took over the revolving presidency from Belgium.

Under the legislation, a new regulatory body, the NMHH, is able to impose fines reaching 200 million forint ($950,000) for material that it considers offensive.

Headed by a close ally of Orban, it can also inspect documents and force journalists to reveal sources on issues related to national security, prompting a wave of criticism from media watchdogs.

France called earlier this week for Hungary to amend the new law, noting it was "incompatible" with EU rules on press freedom, while Germany has also heavily criticized the text.

AFP