The Hungarian Amnesty International recently published a study on the situation of civil organisations in Hungary, in connection to which, the Director of the organisation Orsolya Jeney wrote a letter to Minister of the Prime Minister’s Office János Lázár.
Below the Minister’s answer:

Dear Madam Director,

“I do not agree with what you have to say, but I'll defend to the death your right to say it.”- says Voltaire, and I can only agree with him.
I will even go further: I firmly believe that even those who are against us are with us!

This is how I can characterize our relation to the civil sector in a nutshell, our relation to those organisations, who regard it to be their job to criticize the activities of the given government – therefore the current one’s as well. This is why I will do everything in my power, both as a politician and a private person, to ensure that the civil sector can best fulfil the tasks foreseen for it by a modern democracy.

The funding practice of the Hungarian civil society, however – which cannot be called a healthy “funding based on civil donations of individuals”, not even with the greatest generosity – has led to the fact that these organisations have distanced themselves from the whole of society, and the strongest ones of the sector have divided the scarce funds available amongst themselves in a “civil for a living” way. Even though they had the opportunity to do so, this practice cannot be regarded as one that is legal or fair. Civil organisations that are presented in your study as being cornered by the Government of Hungary have become advocates of interests and values that do not meet the issues of the Hungarian society’s destiny.

The Hungarian authorities – as opposed to what was written in your study – have never engaged in a “crusade” against the members of the independent civil society. They did their job, and they are doing their job when they control to compliance with the effective Hungarian laws of those civil organisations that manage public money. Our laws apply to these organisations as well.

According to you, ”those people will pay the price of harassing and threatening civil organisations (…) who are being represented by these organisations.” The Government of Hungary and I – as a member of it – give the following answer to this: the whole society pays the price of the harmful activity of those organisations that believe they stand above the law. Although I do not expect you to agree with me, I do expect civil organisations to accept that the laws apply to them as well.

Last year, the Government Control Office scrutinized and disapproved of the activities of a dozen of civil organisations – in this context, you claim that they are being cornered. In my opinion, the controls are aimed at sorting out the black sheep from 80 thousand organisations. Those concerned do not try to prove their right but make all kinds of accusations against the Government of Hungary and against the authorities doing their job independently of it. This is unacceptable – not just from a civil organisation, but from everyone.

Dear Madam Director, I hope you agree with me on the fact that civil organisations do not stand above the law. Judicial processes might take a while, but there is a good chance that we can finally close this case in the near future.

And finally let me thank you for providing us an exceptional opportunity to get acquainted with your standpoint, as your voice is just as important as that of other organisations that make up the diverse choir of those who believe in the future of a democratic Hungary.

Budapest, 10 February 2015.

Sincerely yours,

János Lázár
Minister of the Prime Minister’s Office

(Prime Minister's Office)