Document #1021534
Freedom House (Author)
2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
National Democratic Governance | 2.25 | 2.25 | 2.50 | 2.50 | 3.00 | 3.50 | 3.50 | 3.75 | 3.75 | 4.00 |
Electoral Process | 1.75 | 1.75 | 1.75 | 1.75 | 1.75 | 2.25 | 2.25 | 2.25 | 2.75 | 2.75 |
Civil Society | 1.50 | 1.50 | 1.75 | 1.75 | 2.00 | 2.00 | 2.25 | 2.25 | 2.50 | 2.50 |
Independent Media | 2.50 | 2.50 | 2.50 | 2.75 | 3.25 | 3.50 | 3.50 | 3.50 | 3.75 | 3.75 |
Local Democratic Governance | 2.25 | 2.25 | 2.50 | 2.50 | 2.50 | 2.50 | 2.75 | 2.75 | 3.00 | 3.00 |
Judicial Framework and Independence | 1.75 | 1.75 | 1.75 | 2.00 | 2.25 | 2.75 | 2.50 | 2.50 | 2.75 | 3.00 |
Corruption | 3.00 | 3.00 | 3.25 | 3.50 | 3.50 | 3.50 | 3.50 | 3.75 | 3.75 | 4.00 |
Democracy Score | 2.14 | 2.14 | 2.29 | 2.39 | 2.61 | 2.86 | 2.89 | 2.96 | 3.18 | 3.29 |
NOTE: The ratings reflect the consensus of Freedom House, its academic advisers, and the author(s) of this report. If consensus cannot be reached, Freedom House is responsible for the final ratings. The ratings are based on a scale of 1 to 7, with 1 representing the highest level of democratic progress and 7 the lowest. The Democracy Score is an average of ratings for the categories tracked in a given year. The opinions expressed in this report are those of the author(s).
In a year dominated by the refugee crisis, both on the European and domestic level, democratic governance further deteriorated in Hungary. The ruling coalition of Fidesz–Hungarian Civic Alliance and its minor partner, the Christian Democratic People’s Party (KDNP), ran a ferocious anti-immigrant campaign and regained its popularity after a significant slip in late 2014 and the loss of its supermajority in early 2015.
Following three successful elections in 2014, corruption scandals and policymaking bottlenecks led to two defeats in early 2015. The results of the February and April by-elections showed that protest voters had learned to articulate their views under the new electoral system. Unlike in 2014, when opposition votes were divided between several parties, voters in 2015 supported whomever they saw as capable of challenging Fidesz. An independent candidate won in February, while in April the victory of a Jobbik candidate suggested that the Fidesz government is not a stable guarantee against the electoral success of the right-wing radical party. It remains to be seen whether these patterns will emerge outside the national by-elections where they occurred. Problematic legal provisions from the 2014 elections, such as those discriminating against Hungarian expatriates and in favor of the Hungarian minority living in neighboring countries, remain unresolved.
The formal loss of power to amend the constitution barely constrained the coalition’s legislative and governance capabilities. The previous years’ constitutional engineering process resulted in a self-sustaining system, where the Constitutional Court and Commissioner for Fundamental Rights no longer serve as independent checks in politically sensitive cases. In one particular case, the lack of a supermajority led to the adoption of potentially unconstitutional legislation. In August, the parliament created a new category of state of emergency in reaction to the refugee crisis. Lacking the required two-thirds majority, and refusing Jobbik’s support for political reasons, the government decided to pass a legal amendment, which created constitutional concerns. Additionally, in June, the legislature further narrowed the right to access public information by extending the grounds on which the authorities may refuse to comply with requests.
To counter their loss of popularity, the governing parties tried to reestablish dominance over the political agenda. Their first initiative early in the year on the re-introduction of capital punishment failed due to instant and strong opposition from European institutions. By late summer, however, Fidesz-KDNP had regained its popularity and neutralized its biggest contender, Jobbik, through the politically expedient exploitation of the refugee crisis and latent xenophobia. The price paid for this political success was the loss of virtually any difference between the public messages of Fidesz and Jobbik on the refugee crisis, and Fidesz seems to be advancing with great steps toward the right-wing end of the political spectrum.
Last year’s aggressive government rhetoric against nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) carried on but softened in 2015, and administrative measures against NGOs were mostly discontinued. Despite hostile government statements, the refugee crisis led to a remarkable flourishing of Hungarian civil society. Thousands of activists were involved in helping refugees, migrants, and asylum seekers, and Hungary’s first large-scale crowdfunded civil campaign produced numerous billboards across the country that countered the government narrative.
Attempts to introduce a punishingly high advertisement tax in late 2014 and early 2015 caused a major rift between Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and his most important supporter, the oligarch Lajos Simicska. While the initial expectations that Simicska—who had handled Fidesz’s finances in the 1990s and was a close personal friend of Orbán—would try to bring down his former party did not materialize, the falling out significantly altered existing corruption patterns as well as the media landscape. The plethora of media outlets owned by Simicska changed their government-friendly tones, and Fidesz-KDNP struggled to replace them. The restructuring of public television was unsuccessful in filling the gap but played a crucial role in political agenda-setting and proliferated a negative view of refugees, migrants, and asylum seekers. Businessmen close to Fidesz acquired several smaller outlets, including the financial daily Napi Gazdaság, which was transformed into a strongly progovernment newspaper under the new name Magyar Idők, and the online news site 888.hu. At the end of 2015, the Hollywood producer and government commissioner for film, Andrew Vajna, purchased one of the two biggest private television channels, TV2. The acquisition was facilitated by a loan from the state-owned Eximbank.
Following a radical change in corruption patterns after 2010, the year 2015 showed a quantitative rather than qualitative increase. Several scandals unveiled both nontransparent and politically biased behavior of public bodies, as well as an increase in corruption linked to Russia. In the so-called brokerage scandal, public companies and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade invested public funds in a loss-making private investment firm with links to governing party circles. The firm went bankrupt in March. In July, the Russian company Metrovagonmash won a subway car tender after its only competitor, an Estonian company, was excluded despite offering a lower price. And in November, the European Commission declared the lack of public procurement in the Paks nuclear deal incompatible with European Union (EU) regulations. The investment, which will be financed from a Russian loan, amounts to more than 10 percent of annual GDP.
Hungary’s foreign policy in 2015 was dominated by the refugee crisis, which led to mounting tensions with Germany and neighboring Austria, Croatia, Serbia, and Slovenia. The government’s decision to build a fence on the Serbian and Croatian border isolated Hungary but revitalized the Visegrád cooperation. As a growing number of countries began to adopt Hungary’s restrictive approach, and with international attention shifting to Poland after radical reforms by a newly elected party in October, the country’s international isolation eased in the second half of the year.
Score Changes:
As a result, Hungary’s Democracy Score declined from 3.18 to 3.29.
Outlook for 2016: The governing coalition Fidesz-KDNP will undoubtedly remain firmly in power in 2016. Despite successfully consolidating its position and temporarily neutralizing its right-wing contender, Jobbik, Fidesz will likely continue to move further to the right. Both the party’s success and the regime’s stability are now strongly linked to taking Euroskeptic and anti-immigrant positions in the refugee crisis. Since the crisis looks set to dominate both European and domestic politics in 2016, it is unlikely that the governing parties will tone down their anti-immigrant rhetoric, especially with their approach gaining ground in other European countries. Should any significant shift take place in the political agenda, Fidesz-KDNP will likely see a decrease in electoral support due to the coalition’s low policy performance and stalled reforms in areas like education and healthcare.
2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2.25 | 2.25 | 2.50 | 2.50 | 3.00 | 3.50 | 3.50 | 3.75 | 3.75 | 4.00 |
2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1.75 | 1.75 | 1.75 | 1.75 | 1.75 | 2.25 | 2.25 | 2.25 | 2.75 | 2.75 |
2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1.50 | 1.50 | 1.75 | 1.75 | 2.00 | 2.00 | 2.25 | 2.25 | 2.50 | 2.50 |
2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2.50 | 2.50 | 2.50 | 2.75 | 3.25 | 3.50 | 3.50 | 3.50 | 3.75 | 3.75 |
2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2.25 | 2.25 | 2.50 | 2.50 | 2.50 | 2.50 | 2.75 | 2.75 | 3.00 | 3.00 |
2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1.75 | 1.75 | 1.75 | 2.00 | 2.25 | 2.75 | 2.50 | 2.50 | 2.75 | 3.00 |
2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
3.00 | 3.00 | 3.25 | 3.50 | 3.50 | 3.50 | 3.50 | 3.75 | 3.75 | 4.00 |
Author: Dániel Hegedüs
Dániel Hegedüs is a research fellow at the German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP) and visiting lecturer at the Institute for East European Studies, Free University Berlin.
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[2] “Hungary PM calls for death penalty debate with the EU,” British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), 30 April 2015, http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-32523384
[3] “A halálbüntetés társadalmi támogatottsága 2015 júniusában” [Public support of the death penalty in June 2015], Iránytű Intézet, 29 June 2015, http://iranytuintezet.hu/halalbuntetes_tarsadalmi_tamogatottsaga_2015_juniusaban
[4] Ian Traynor, “EU chief warns Hungary over return of death penalty comments,” The Guardian, 30 April 2015, http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/apr/30/eu-jean-claude-juncker-viktor-orban-hungary-death-penalty-return
[5] Daniel Nolan, “Hungary government condemned over anti-immigration drive,” The Guardian, 2 July 2015, http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jul/02/hungary-government-condemned-over-anti-immigration-drive; Nick Thorpe, “Hungary’s poster war on immigration,” BBC, 14 June 2015, http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-33091597
[6] Andrew Byrne, “MEPs criticise Viktor Orban over immigration questionnaire,” Financial Times, 29 April 2015, http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/5109b6f6-ee8c-11e4-88e3-00144feab7de.html#axzz41sPb97Qf
[7] Until October 17, when the Hungarian government closed the border to Croatia, 389.779 irregular migrants and asylum seekers entered Hungarian territory.
[8] “Erősödik a Fidesz, mélyponton az MSZP” [Growing support for Fidesz, Socialists in historical decline], Tárki, 28 October 2015, http://www.tarki.hu/hu/news/2015/kitekint/20151028_valasztas.html?utm_source=mandiner&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=mandiner_201510; James Traub, “The Fearmonger of Budapest,” Foreign Policy, 27 October 2015, http://foreignpolicy.com/2015/10/27/the-fearmonger-of-budapest-orban-hungary-refugees-migrants-europe/?wp_login_redirect=0
[9] “Nézőpont: harmadával esett a Jobbik népszerűsége, simán nyerne a Fidesz,” vg.hu, 25 November 2015, http://www.vg.hu/kozelet/politika/nezopont-harmadaval-esett-a-jobbik-nepszerusege-siman-nyerne-a-fidesz-461493
[10] Matt Moffett and Margit Feher, “Migrants stream into Hungary, as Fence rises on the Serbian border,” The Wall Street Journal, 13 September 2015, http://www.wsj.com/articles/migrants-stream-into-hungary-as-fence-rises-on-serbian-border-1442107194
[11] Holly Yan, Ben Wedeman, Milena Veselinovic, and Tim Hume, “Refugee crisis: Hungary uses tear gas, water cannons on migrants at border,” CNN, 16 September 2015, http://edition.cnn.com/2015/09/16/world/europe-migrant-crisis/; “Ki kell vizsgálni a röszkei tömegoszlatást” [The police deployment at Röszke must be investigated], Hungarian Helsinki Committee, 18 September 2015, http://helsinki.hu/en/no-country-for-refugees-information-note
[12] Roy Greenslade, “Hungarian border police beat us, say seven journalists,” The Guardian, 18 September 2015, http://www.theguardian.com/media/greenslade/2015/sep/18/hungarian-border-police-beat-us-say-seven-journalists; William Turvill, “Journalists ‘pushed away’ from ‘distressing scenes’ involving migrants on Hungarian train station,” Press Gazette, 3 September 2015, http://www.pressgazette.co.uk/journalists-pushed-away-distressing-scenes-involving-migrants-hungarian-train-station
[13] Matthew Holehouse, “EU quota plan forced through against eastern European states’ wishes,” The Telegraph, 23 September 2015, http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/11883024/Europe-ministers-agree-relocation-of-120000-refugees-by-large-majority.html
[14] Baron Bodissey, “PEGIDA on Orbán: Protect the Borders of Europe,” Gates of Vienna, 23 September 2015, http://gatesofvienna.net/2015/09/pegida-on-orban-protect-the-borders-of-europe/
[15] For details, see last year’s report: https://freedomhouse.org/report/nations-transit/2015/hungary
[16] Venice Commission, “Act CCIII of 2011 On the Elections of Members of Parliament,” Council of Europe, 23 September 2014, http://www.venice.coe.int/webforms/documents/default.aspx?pdffile=CDL-REF(2014)037-e
[17] “Csak a Jobbik tudott profitálni a kormánypárt népszerűségvesztéséből” [Only Jobbik could profit from the loss of Fidesz support], Political Capital, 10 February 2015, http://www.valasztasirendszer.hu/?p=1943019
[18] “Hungary’s internet tax cancelled after mass protests,” BBC News, 31 October 2014, http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-29846285
[19] “Feketében tiltakoznak az ápolónők” [Nurses demonstrate in black], SzeretlekMagyarország.hu, 18 April 2015, http://www.szeretlekmagyarorszag.hu/feketeben-tiltakoznak-az-apolonok/
[20] Toth-Szensesi Attila, “Nagy verést mért az MSZP a Fideszre Újpesten” [Hungarian Socialist seriously beat Fidesz in Újpest], Index.hu, 23 November 2014, http://index.hu/belfold/2014/11/23/erdektelensegbe_fulladt_az_ujpesti_valasztas/?token=545516856cdff753484302081ec7b89c
[21] “Fidesz’ defeat in Veszprém – causes and consequences,” Political Capital, 24 February 2015, http://www.valasztasirendszer.hu/?p=1943064
[22] Jobbik won its first individual constituency – reasons and consequences, Political Capital, April 14, 2015, http://www.valasztasirendszer.hu/?p=1943150
[23] “Folytatódik a norvégos háború? Négy civil szervezet kapott vizsgálatot” [Does the war against Norwegian Fund supported NGOs continue? Four NGOs under investigation], Index.hu, 19 January 2015, http://index.hu/belfold/2015/01/19/folytatodik_a_norvegos_haboru_negy_civil_szervezet_kapott_vizsgalatot/
[24] “Megszüntették a nyomozást az Ökotárs ellen” [Investigation against Ökotárs ceased], Atv.hu, 20 October 2015, http://www.atv.hu/belfold/20151020-megszuntettek-a-nyomozast-az-okotars-ellen
[25] “A KEHI nem száll le az Ökotársról” [Government Control Office does not leave Ökotárs alone], Népszava Online, 26 October 2015, http://nepszava.hu/cikk/1074232-a-kehi-nem-szall-le-az-okotarsrol
[26] Botos Tamás, “A Fidesz szerint a Migration Aid mögött is Soros György áll” [George Soros is behind Migration Aid, states Fidesz], 444.hu, 21 September 2015, http://444.hu/2015/09/21/fidesz-a-migration-aid-tuntetesekkel-kapcsolatos-kiadasait-soros-gyorgy-nagylelku-tamogatasa-fedezi/
[27] Mikecz Dániel, “A civil társadalom és a menekültválság” [Civil Society and the refugee crisis], Magyar Narancs, 9 September 2015, http://magyarnarancs.hu/republikon/a-civil-tarsadalom-es-a-menekultvalsag-96389
[28] “Óriásplakátra gyűjtünk!” [We collect money for Billboards!], MKKP, accessed 7 April 2016, http://mkkp.hu/wordpress/?page_id=1551
[29] Pablo Gorondi, “Satirical billboards tackle Hungary’s anti-immigrant drive,” Associated Press, 8 July 2015, http://bigstory.ap.org/article/e2a5fb6775834dc3b1a6f6afe8cf5c49/satirical-billboards-tackle-hungarys-anti-immigrant-drive; also see Vastgabor blog at http://vastagbor.atlatszo.hu/
[30] Barbara Thüringer, “Teleszórják az országot a Kétfarkú Kutya Párt ellenplakátjaival” [The Two-Tailed Dog Party spreads its counter-billboards nationwide], Index.hu, 30 June 2015, http://index.hu/belfold/2015/06/30/teleszorjak_az_orszagot_a_ketfarku_kutya_part_ellenplakatjaival/
[31] “ELŐTERJESZTÉS a Kormány részére a lelkiismereti és vallásszabadság jogáról, valamint az egyházak,vallásfelekezetek és vallási közösségek jogállásáról szóló 2011. Évi CCVI. törvény módosításáról” [Legislative draft for the Government amending the law Nr. CCVI/2011 on churches and religious communities], Kormany.hu, September 2015, http://www.kormany.hu/download/d/69/70000/Ehtv_m%C3%B3dos%C3%ADt%C3%A1s_el%C5%91terjeszt%C3%A9s_150928_honlapra.pdf
[32] “Case of Magyar Kereszteny Mennonita Egyhaz and Others v. Hungary,” European Court of Human Rights, 8 April 2014, http://hudoc.echr.coe.int/eng?i=001-142196
[33] “Constitutional Court Resolution 3144/2015 (VII. 24.),” Constitutional Court of Hungary, 27 February 2013, http://public.mkab.hu/dev/dontesek.nsf/0/A4DBC7826F85A134C1257B34002128EB?OpenDocument
[34] For the Hungarian text of the legislative proposal (T/7409) and the status of the legislative procedure see: http://www.parlament.hu/irom40/07409/07409.pdf and http://bit.ly/1pyZcCY
[35] József Spirk, “Simicska Lajos: kirúgok minden Orbánistát” [Lajos Simicska: I fire all Orbán-followers], Index.hu, 6 February 2015, http://index.hu/belfold/2015/02/06/simicska_lajos_orban_egy_geci/
[36] “Páros lábbal szállt bele a kormányzati stratégába a Magyar Nemzet” [Magyar Nemzet attacks the government’s political mastermind], ATV.hu, 23 February 2015, http://www.atv.hu/belfold/20150223-paros-labbal-szallt-bele-a-kormanyzati-strategaba-a-magyar-nemzet; Peter Bándy, “Ez már nem az a HírTv” [This is already a different HírTv], Demokrata 12/2015, http://www.demokrata.hu/cikk/ez-mar-nem-az-hirtv
[37] “Szeptemberben indulhat a Magyar Idők” [Magyar Idők launches in September], Origo.hu, 29 July 2015, http://www.origo.hu/itthon/20150729-szeptemberben-indulhat-a-magyar-idok.html; „A Magyar Idők című napilap megrázó vallomása: Szeretünk, Viktor!” [The shocking confession of daily news Magyar Idők: We Love You, Viktor!], magyarnarancs.hu, 7 September 2015, http://magyarnarancs.hu/feketelyuk/ime-a-legdurvabb-nyalas-kormanyparti-ujsagkent-hatarozza-meg-magat-a-magyar-idok-96381
[38] “Heti Válasz: Andy Vajna 6,75 milliárdos hitelt kap az államtól a TV2-re” [Andy Vajna getting a 6.75 billion state loan to buy-off TV2], 444.hu, 15 December 2015, http://444.hu/2015/12/15/heti-valasz-andy-vajna-672-milliardos-hitelt-kap-az-allamtol-a-tv2-re
[39] “Indul a királyi tévé – csak a bakik izgalmasak” [The “royal” television starts its broadcast – only the faux pas are interesting], Kettős Mérce.hu, 15 March 2015, http://kettosmerce.blog.hu/2015/03/15/indul_a_kiralyi_hirteve_percrol_percre_leplezzuk_le_a_manipulaciot
[40] “Megvan az új M1 és az új Duna TV nézettsége – mutatjuk” [Audience figures of the new M1 and Duna TV channels], Origo.hu, 16 March 2015, http://www.origo.hu/teve/20150316-az-m1-gyengebben-a-duna-tv-jobban-szerepelt.html; “Kínos bukta a köztévés híradó, de a Fidesz másra figyel” [An awkward defeat, but Fidesz does not take care about: the news programs of the public television stations], HVG.hu, 27 June 2015, http://hvg.hu/itthon/20150627_kozteve_nezettseg_bukta
[41] “Elüldözte a propaganda a köztévé nézőit” [Governmental propaganda ousts the audience of public television stations], Népszabadság, 14 May 2015, http://nol.hu/belfold/maguknak-adjak-a-hireket-1533899; “Közszolgálat: az MTI folytatja a kormányzati propaganda nyomatását” [Public service: the Hungarian News Agency MTI continuous spreading governmental propaganda], 444.hu, 20 February 2015, http://444.hu/2015/02/20/kozszolgalat-az-mti-folytatja-a-kormanyzati-propaganda-nyomatasat/
[42] “Még több pénzt kap a közmédia” [Budget growth at the public media], Napi.hu, 24 October 2014, http://www.napi.hu/magyar_vallalatok/meg_tobb_penzt_kap_a_kozmedia.588091.html
[43] “Távozik Dirk Gerkens az RTL Klub éléről,” [Dirk Gerkens leaves RTL Klub], Népszabadság, 10 March 2015, http://nol.hu/belfold/tavozik-dirk-gerkens-az-rtl-klub-elerol-1521199
[44] “A reklámadó miatt eszkalálódott a Simicska-Orbán háború” [Escalating Simicska-Orbán war due to the media tax], Origo.hu, 7 February 2015, http://www.origo.hu/gazdasag/20150206-ez-volt-a-gazdasagban-a-6-heten-reklamado-simicska-orban.html
[45] “Relatíve független médiát vett a Klubrádió új tulajdonosa” [The new owner of Klubrádió bought a “relatively independent media outlet”], Origo.hu, 29 July 2015, http://www.origo.hu/itthon/20150729-megszolal-a-klubradio-titokzatos-befektetoje.html
[46] “Kivásárolták az MSZP-t a Népszabadságból, megvan az új vezér” [Buying out the Hungarian Socialist Party from Népszabadság, new director appointed ], Origo.hu, 2 June 2015, http://www.origo.hu/itthon/20150602-kivasarolt-mszp-nepszabadsag-pecina-vezerigazgato-ronai.html
[47] “Pártatlanul – Mi lesz a Népszabadsággal?” [Impartially – Where are you heading, Népszabadság?], Magyar Narancs 2015/26, 25 June 2015, http://magyarnarancs.hu/belpol/partatlanul-95473
[48] “Elindult a habonyi portál: 888.hu” [The Habony-ian portal launched], Index.hu, 18 September 2015, http://index.hu/kultur/2015/09/18/elindult_a_habonyi_portal_888.hu/
[49] “A kisiskolásoknál átverés az új tankönyvrendszer” [The rip-off of the new schoolbook-system in the primary schools], Index.hu, 17 April 2015, http://index.hu/belfold/2015/04/17/a_kisiskolasoknal_atveres_az_uj_tankonyv-rendszer/
[50] “A májusi fizetésem még sehol, a júniusi talán még a nyáron megérkezik” [My May salary is still nowhere and I hope that I can get my June Salary during the summer], Népszabadság.hu, 2 July 2015, http://nol.hu/belfold/12-milliard-forinttal-tartozik-a-klik-1549109
[51] “Itt vannak a számok – elképesztő közműtartozást halmozott fel a KLIK” [Facts and figures – the incredible utility debts of KLIK], VS.hu, 10 August 2015, http://vs.hu/kozelet/osszes/itt-vannak-a-szamok-elkepeszto-kozmutartozast-halmozott-fel-a-klik-0810
[52] “Ki tartsa fenn az iskolákat?” [Who shall maintain the schools?], Edupress.hu, 25 October 2015, http://www.edupress.hu/hirek/index.php?pid=egycikk&HirID=33562
[53] “Visszavette az iskolákat a Kliktől Siklós” [Siklós took back its schools from Klik], Eduline.hu, 25 August 2015, http://eduline.hu/kozoktatas/2015/8/28/Visszavette_az_iskolakat_a_Kliktol_Siklos_TDUY2M; “Visszavette az államtól iskolái működtetését Esztergom” [Esztergom took back the maintenance of its schools from the state], HVG.hu, 31 July 2015, http://hvg.hu/itthon/20150731_Visszavette_az_allamtol_iskolai_mukodtete
[54] “Judgement of the Curia Pfv.IV.20.241/2015/4 on April 22, 2015,” birosag.hu, 22 April 2015, http://ukp.birosag.hu/portal-frontend/stream/birosagKod/0001/hatarozatAzonosito/Pfv.20241_2015_4//; “Kúria: Nincs szegregáció a nyíregyházi Huszár-telepen” [Curia: No segregation in the Huszár-telep school in Nyíregyháza], HVG.hu, 22 April 2015, http://hvg.hu/itthon/20150422_Kuria_Nincs_szegregacio_a_nyiregyhazi_Hus
[55] “Balog szerint a “spontán” szegregáció ellen ostobaság küzdeni, a szakértők az iskolabuszra esküsznek” [It is stupid to fight against “spontaneous” segregation, according to Human Resource Minister Balog; experts support school buses], Kettős Mérce.hu, 9 May 2015, http://kettosmerce.blog.hu/2015/05/09/szaktudas_butasag_vagy_ideologia_iranyitja_az_emberminiszteriumot; “Balog szerint nem szegregáció a külön felzárkóztatás” [Separated social development programs are not to see as segregation, Human Resource Minister Balog said], abcug.hu, 5 May 2015, http://abcug.hu/balog-szerint-nem-szegregacio-a-kulon-felzarkoztatas/
[56] “A KLIK szándéka ellenére beindult a szegregált iskola” [In contrary to KLIK’s recommendation segregated school is launched by government office], HVG.hu, 2 September 2015, http://hvg.hu/itthon/20150902_A_KLIK_szandeka_ellenere_beindult_a_szegr
[57] “Egypárti alkotmánybírák a kétharmad szolgálatában” [Constitutional Court Judges with one-party nomination serving the Government’s two-third majority], Magyar Helsinki Bizottság – Társaság a Szabadságjogokért – Eötvös Károly Intézet, 2015, http://www.ekint.org/ekint/ekint.news.page?nodeid=794
[58] Constitutional Court Resolution 28/2015 (IX. 24.), Constitutional Court of Hungary, 27 August 2015, http://public.mkab.hu/dev/dontesek.nsf/0/9DCFF70D6D9D6B67C1257EB300585871?OpenDocument; “Elkaszálta az AB a nyugdíjas népszavazást” [Constitutional Court ceased plebiscite on early retirement], Index.hu, 15 September 2015, http://index.hu/gazdasag/2015/09/15/elkaszalta_az_ab_a_nyugdijas_nepszavazast/; “Összekuszálta a pártpolitikát a férfiak 40 éves nyugdíjazása” [Party politics messed-up by the demand for equal early retirement rules for men and women], Index.hu, 9 September 2015, http://index.hu/belfold/2015/09/09/osszekuszalta_a_partpolitikat_a_ferfiak_40_eves_nyugdijazasa/
[59] Constitutional Court, “Overview of foreign currency loan related cases,” Constitutional Court of Hungary, 4 December 2015, http://www.mkab.hu/devizahiteles-ugyek-attekintes
[60] “Constitutional Court Resolution 16/2015 (VI. 5.),” Constitutional Court of Hungary, 5 August 2015, http://public.mkab.hu/dev/dontesek.nsf/0/48BC0B225BEF52F2C1257E3F004D26F1?OpenDocument
[61] “Döntött a Parlament: az NFAhatáskörébe kerülnek a természetvédelmi területek” [Parliament’s decision: National Agricultural Soil management Fund controls nature protection areas], Mandiner.hu, 28 April 2015, http://mandiner.hu/cikk/20150428_dontott_a_parlament_az_nfa_hataskorebe_kerultek_a_termeszetvedelmi_teruletek
[62] “Ombudsman: a magyar kormány megfelelően látja el a menekülteket” [Ombudsperson: the Hungarian Government supports the refugees appropriately ], Magyar Idők, 23 September 2015, http://magyaridok.hu/belfold/ombudsman-a-magyar-kormany-megfeleloen-latja-el-a-menekulteket-23436/
[63] “Menekültyügyi válsághelyzetben az Ombudsman – A tájékozottság és az óvatosság határai” [The Ombudsperson in the refugee crisis – The limits of being well informed and caution], Ekint.org, 29 September 2015, http://www.ekint.org/ekint/ekint.news.page?nodeid=842
[64] “Law No. XCVI/2015 amending the law No. CIII/2011 on information rights and free access to information and law Nr. LXIII/2012 on the re-use of public information,” MagyarKozlony.hu, 2 July 2015, http://www.magyarkozlony.hu/hivatalos-lapok/0abffce582ae0c8167da59a07a1a74936cf021f3/dokumentumok/0634cd5b958129224fd0d646b96463fbd8d7cfe3/letoltes
[65] “Az Infotörvény módosítása Magyarország szégyene” [The amendment of the information laws is a shame for Hungary], Ekint.org, 30 June 2015, http://www.ekint.org/ekint/ekint.news.page?nodeid=829; “Mától hatályos az infotörvény módosítása: összeszedtük, hogy mi változott” [Amendment of the information laws in force: summary of the changes], Átlátszó.hu, 16 June 2015, http://atlatszo.hu/2015/07/16/matol-hatalyos-az-infotorveny-modositasa-osszeszedtuk-hogy-mi-valtozott/
[66] “2015. évi CXL. és 2015. évi CXLII. törvény egyes törvények Magyarország államhatárának hatékonyabb védelmével és a tömeges bevándorlás kezelésével összefüggő módosításáról” [Law Nr. CXL/2015 and law Nr. CXLII/2015 on the amendment of certain laws related to the more effective protection of the Hungarian state borders and to the management of mass-immigration], njt.hu, September 2015, http://njt.hu/cgi_bin/njt_doc.cgi?docid=177552.298006; http://njt.hu/cgi_bin/njt_doc.cgi?docid=177732.298490
[67] “A menekültügyi válsághelyzet bevezetése az alkotmányosság kiiktatásához vezethet” [The emergency situation caused by mass-immigration can lead to the suspension of constitutional governance], Ekint.org, 4 September 2015, http://www.ekint.org/ekint/ekint.news.page?nodeid=837
[68] “Tightening criminal rules targeting refugees,” Hungarian Helsinki Committee, 16 September 2015, http://helsinki.hu/en/tightening-criminal-rules-targeting-refugees
[69] “Mióta lezárták a határt, senki nem kapott menekültstátuszt,” [No one received asylum since the border is closed], ATV, 2 December 2015, http://www.atv.hu/belfold/20151202-miota-lezartak-a-hatart-senki-nem-kapott-menekultstatuszt/hirkereso
[70] “No Country for Refugees – New asylum rules deny protection to refugees and lead to unprecedented human rights violations in Hungary,” Hungarian Helsinki Committee, 18 September 2015, http://helsinki.hu/wp-content/uploads/HHC_Hungary_Info_Note_Sept_2015_No_country_for_refugees.pdf
[71] János Kornai, “Hungary’s U-Turn,” János Kornai, 3 April 2015, http://www.kornai-janos.hu/Kornai_Hungary's%20U-Turn%20-%20full.pdf
[72] Transparency International, “Corruption by Country – Hungary, Positive Developments,” Transparency International, accessed 7 April 2016, http://www.transparency.org/country/#HUN
[73] The World Bank Control of Corruption index sunk to its historically lowest value in 2014 (60.6 points in comparison with 65.1 in 2013 and 67.9 in 2009), and the World Economic Forum (WEF) Global Competitiveness Report placed Hungary 119th out of 140 countries on “transparency of government policy making” (113th in 2009/2010) and on “diversion of public funds” (94th in 2009/2010). See Worldwide Governance Indicators, Hungary 1996-2014, Aggregate Indicator: Control of Corruption, http://info.worldbank.org/governance/wgi/c101.pdf; World Economic Forum, The Global Competitiveness Report 2015-2016, http://www3.weforum.org/docs/gcr/2015-2016/Global_Competitiveness_Report_2015-2016.pdf; World Economic Forum, The Global Competitiveness Report 2009-2010, http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_GlobalCompetitivenessReport_2009-10.pdf
[74] “Mészáros Lőrinc négy hónapos cége egymilliárdnyi megbízást nyert” [A company of Lőrinc Mészáros established only four month ago win a Billion deal on public procurement], 24.hu, 15 October 2015, http://24.hu/kozelet/2015/10/15/meszaros-lorinc-4-honapos-cege-egymilliardos-megbizast-nyert/; Magyar Krisztián, “Fényből nyert milliárdok – Tiborcz István és Orbán Ráhel boldogulása” [Billions from light – The fortune of István Tiborcz and Ráhel Orbán], Magyar Narancs 2015/4, http://magyarnarancs.hu/belpol/fenybol-nyert-milliardok-93428; Brückner Gergely, “Miért éppen Spéder?” [Why exactly Spéder?], Figyelő, 8 August 2013, http://figyelo.hu/cikkek/miert-eppen-speder
[75] “A Közgépet minden közbeszerzési eljárásból kizárták” [Közgép is disqualified from all public procurement tender], Index.hu, 17 July 2015, http://index.hu/gazdasag/2015/07/17/nincs_jogorvoslat_simicska_cegenek/; “Újabb cégkizárás a Simicska-galaxisban” [New disqualification of a Simicska-company], Világgazdaság, 22 September 2015, http://www.vg.hu/vallalatok/ujabb-cegkizaras-a-simicska-galaxisban-457897; “Közérdek, hogy a Közgép pályázhassson”[Public interest that Közgép can participate in public tenders], Népszabadság Online, 17 September 2015, http://nol.hu/gazdasag/ismet-indulhat-a-kozgep-kozbeszerzeseken-1563605; “Hiába kedvezett a bíróság Simicskáéknak, akkor is kigolyózzák őket” [Despite the court sentence in favor, Simicska is disqualified anyway], Népszabadság Online, 26 September 2015, http://nol.hu/gazdasag/kilistazott-maradt-a-kozgep-1565479
[76] “EU Anti-Corruption Report – Hungary,” European Commission, 3 February 2014, http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/home-affairs/what-we-do/policies/organized-crime-and-human-trafficking/corruption/anti-corruption-report/docs/2014_acr_hungary_chapter_en.pdf; “Public Procurement Corruption,” Transparency International Hungary, 12 February 2015, http://transparency.hu/uploads/docs/infografika_angol.pdf
[77] “Beszámoló az Országgyűlés részére a Közbeszerzési Hatóság 2014. január 1. és december 31. közötti időszakban végzett tevékenységéről, továbbá a jogorvoslati ügyek tapasztalatiról (B/3743)” [Report to the National Assembly on the activities of the Public Procurement Authority and the experiences of cases of legal remedies in the period of 1 January to 31 December 2014], Hungarian National Assembly, 2015, http://www.parlament.hu/irom40/03743/03743.pdf ; “GDP and main components,” Eurostat, http://appsso.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/nui/show.do
[78] Brückner Gergely, “A tehetséges Mr. Tarsoly” [The talented Mr. Tarsoly], Figyelő, 19 March 2015, http://figyelo.hu/cikkek/416917-a-tehetseges-mr--tarsoly; “Szabálytalan volt a külügy befektetése” [MFA’s investment was unlawful], RTL, 20 October 2015, http://rtl.hu/rtlklub/hirek/szabalytalan-volt-a-kulugy-befektetese
[79] Dávid Jancsics,“Buda-Cash és társai: a kormányzás csődje” [Buda-Cash & Co.: the failure of governance], Index.hu, 30 June 2015, http://hvg.hu/gazdasag/20150630_Buda_Cash_es_tarsai_A_kormanyzas_csodje
[80] “Brussels Blocks Hungary’s nuclear deal with Russia,” Euractiv, 13 March 2015, http://www.euractiv.com/sections/energy/brussels-blocks-hungarys-nuclear-deal-russia-312874
[81] “European Commission calls Hungary to halt procurements for Paks nuclear expansion,” Nuclear News, 17 November 2015, http://nuclear-news.net/2015/11/18/european-commission-calls-on-hungary-to-halt-procurements-for-paks-nuclear-expansion; “European Commission – November Infringement Package: key decision,” European Commission, 19 November 2015, http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_MEMO-15-6006_mt.htm
[82] “Elég furcsán nyerték az oroszok a metrótendert” [A strange Russian victory on the underground public procurement tender], Index.hu, 10 July 2015, http://index.hu/belfold/budapest/2015/07/10/furcsasagok_a_bkv_metrotenderen/
Nations in Transit 2016 - Albania (Periodical Report, English)