Prague – At the end of January, the Czech Republic submitted a request to the Court of Justice of the European Union to participate as a secondary party in the European Commission’s (EC) legal action against Hungary. This move comes in response to a law concerning the protection of national sovereignty. The Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed this information today in response to inquiries from ČTK. The European Commission decided to take legal action against Hungary last October, arguing that the law contravenes EU regulations. The Hungarian parliament, led by the ruling Fidesz party, passed the controversial bill in December of the previous year, claiming it is essential to guard against foreign political interference.
This legislation includes several provisions, such as banning foreign funding for political parties campaigning for votes in elections, with potential prison sentences of up to three years for violations. It also proposes the establishment of a sovereignty protection office tasked with identifying and mitigating foreign influence risks in politics. Critics argue that this law is part of a broader strategy to undermine democratic opposition.
Daniel Drake, spokesperson for the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs, confirmed to ČTK that on January 30, the Czech Republic formally requested to join the EC’s proceedings as a secondary participant. “We have indications that twelve other EU member states are in the process of considering intervention or completing their internal procedures to join the proceedings,” he noted. (February 4)
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