Hungary violates the basic principles of academic freedom / Article / LSM.lv

Court of Justice: Hungary violates fundamental principles of academic freedomArtyom Konohov00:00 / 02:32

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As the dialogue with Victor Orban’s government was unsuccessful, the European Commission took the matter to the European Court of Justice. And it concluded that not only the principles of freedom to provide services but also academic freedom, as enshrined in the European Charter of Fundamental Rights, had been violated.

The court also concluded that the Hungarian law on higher education violates the rules of the World Trade Organization.

However, for about three years during the proceedings in Luxembourg, the Central European University was forced to move from Budapest to Vienna. There is now only a small part of university activities left in Hungary.

The judgment in the Central European University case was handed down at a time when MEPs are debating a mechanism for fines against countries that do not respect the fundamental principles of democracy and the rule of law.

Many of them believe that only effective fines can deter governments from turning to NGOs, freedom of the media, and the independence of the judiciary and universities.

It is therefore suggested that such countries could be denied access to European Union funds.

However, the compromise recently proposed for discussion by the Member States provides for the suspension of fund spending only in cases of corruption and if there is a suspicion that European funds are being misused.

Daniel Freind, a German MEP, has said that judges alone cannot fight the actions of the Orbán government. Therefore, an effective fine mechanism is needed.

By contrast, Richard Legutko, a Polish Conservative MEP, has said in the past that this creates a dangerous tool in Europe for governments to punish for their political ideology.

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