Athletics World Championship hangs in the (political) balance

A right-wing pundit accuses the Mayor of Budapest of high treason for his suggestion to withdraw Budapest’s offer to host the 2023 Athletic World Championship. A leftist commentator sees the Mayor’s move as reversible, depending on the destiny of the ‘Student City’ project, competing for the same area with a ...

The Prime Minister’s video on media freedom

A left-wing site dismisses the Prime Minister’s argument that the abundance of outlets harshly critical of his government is vivid proof of a free press in Hungary. A pro-government outlet takes the attempted murder of a Dutch journalist as an indication that The Netherlands has problems with media freedom.

Socialists expel former leaders

As the Socialist Party expels its former chairman and vice chairman, a left-wing weekly expects a series of defections in protest.

Government tables anti-pedophile bill

Commentators disagree on amendments to the penal code proposing stricter punishments for pedophiles. Child abusers will be registered in a searchable database and consumers of online child pornography will face prison sentences.

Feud between ATV and Klubrádió

Since Spirit FM, the online radio station twinned with ATV, has been provisionally authorised to broadcast on Klubrádió’s orphaned frequency, the two opposition media companies have traded insults in the press.

Népszava criticises government handling of pandemic

In an unusual flurry of comments condemning the government’s pandemic management, the left-wing nationwide daily carries five separate opinion columns on this subject on Thursday.

Coronavirus and vaccination as political battlefields

As the third wave of the pandemic sweeps through Hungary, commentators from across the political divide discuss the government’s strategy and speculate on the possible date of the end of the emergency.

Klub Radio off air, but on the internet – for now

As the left-liberal radio station lost its court case against the National Media Authority on Tuesday, a liberal author accuses the government side of acting in violation of the principle of press freedom.

Weeklies on the end of Index

Opposition-leaning weeklies predict that Index will never be the same again, following the resignation of over 80 journalists and staff, who quit last week citing their fears of government interference. A pro-government weekly sees an opposition plot behind the conflict.

Hungarian progress in tackling coronavirus

A liberal commentator acknowledges that the government’s coronavirus measures have been effective, but adds that in order to avoid a second wave of infections, Hungarians need to maintain their self discipline.