Civil Society Organisations across Europe join in a common statement in solidarity with people in Hungary Statement to Hungarian people and civil society organisations – we stand in solidarity with you! We, representatives of European civil society, hereby express our solidarity with the Hungarian NGOs who were most recently targeted by the bill on the “transparency of organisations receiving foreign funds”. At the same time we wish to express our deepest support for the people who have taken the streets of Budapest to protest against this renewed attack on basic freedoms in Hungary. The legislative proposal that was tabled in the Hungarian parliament on 7 April would force NGOs receiving more than € 24,000 per year from outside Hungary to register as “civic organisations receiving foreign funds”. This includes funding from EU sources not managed by a Hungarian institution. This would effectively stigmatise any organisation that receives such funding. The current bill is not an isolated occurrence. It is part of a wider governmental effort aimed at undermining the credibility of civil society in Hungary. Here, we specifically refer to the recently launched national consultation ‘Let’s stop Brussels’. The questionnaire accuses international NGOs operating in Hungary of interfering “in internal affairs […] in a non-transparent way” and of inciting “illegal immigrants […] to commit illegal acts”. The current legislation regulating civil society organisations already provides sufficient mechanisms for guaranteeing that these organisations conduct their work in a transparent, lawful and accountable manner. If accepted in its current form, the new bill tabled by the government would be unprecedented in a European Union member state. It would also severely constrain the space of action of independent civil society organisations at a time when other checks and balances have been significantly weakened in Hungary. Civil Society Organisations should have the same right to operate freely and independently in fundraising and projects as prescribed in International Human rights law and also in line with article 11 of the EU Treaties. Based on these concerns, we call on the Hungarian government to withdraw the bill. Rather than stigmatising NGOs with an unnecessary and harmful piece of legislation, we urge Hungary’s leaders to support NGOs which work for the well-being of society. On a European level we join our forces to raise awareness about the situation to the highest political level and call for immediate action: on the European Parliament to adopt a resolution urging the Hungarian Government to withdraw the bill on NGOs following its debate on the situation in Hungary on 26 April, condemning firmly this law and demanding to withdraw it. on the European Commission to use as announced by the College of Commissioners all instruments at their disposal to uphold EU values as enshrined in article 2 of the EU treaties.
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we stand in solidarity with you! · Civil Society Organisations across Europe join in a common statement in solidarity with people in Hungary Statement to Hungarian people and civil
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Civil Society Organisations across Europe join in a common statement in solidarity with people in
Hungary
Statement to Hungarian people and civil society organisations – we stand in solidarity with you!
We, representatives of European civil society, hereby express our solidarity with the Hungarian NGOs
who were most recently targeted by the bill on the “transparency of organisations receiving foreign
funds”. At the same time we wish to express our deepest support for the people who have taken the
streets of Budapest to protest against this renewed attack on basic freedoms in Hungary.
The legislative proposal that was tabled in the Hungarian parliament on 7 April would force NGOs
receiving more than € 24,000 per year from outside Hungary to register as “civic organisations
receiving foreign funds”. This includes funding from EU sources not managed by a Hungarian
institution. This would effectively stigmatise any organisation that receives such funding.
The current bill is not an isolated occurrence. It is part of a wider governmental effort aimed at
undermining the credibility of civil society in Hungary. Here, we specifically refer to the recently
launched national consultation ‘Let’s stop Brussels’. The questionnaire accuses international NGOs
operating in Hungary of interfering “in internal affairs […] in a non-transparent way” and of inciting
“illegal immigrants […] to commit illegal acts”.
The current legislation regulating civil society organisations already provides sufficient mechanisms
for guaranteeing that these organisations conduct their work in a transparent, lawful and
accountable manner. If accepted in its current form, the new bill tabled by the government would be
unprecedented in a European Union member state. It would also severely constrain the space of
action of independent civil society organisations at a time when other checks and balances have
been significantly weakened in Hungary.
Civil Society Organisations should have the same right to operate freely and independently in
fundraising and projects as prescribed in International Human rights law and also in line with article
11 of the EU Treaties.
Based on these concerns, we call on the Hungarian government to withdraw the bill. Rather than
stigmatising NGOs with an unnecessary and harmful piece of legislation, we urge Hungary’s leaders
to support NGOs which work for the well-being of society.
On a European level we join our forces to raise awareness about the situation to the highest political
level and call for immediate action:
on the European Parliament to adopt a resolution urging the Hungarian Government to
withdraw the bill on NGOs following its debate on the situation in Hungary on 26 April,
condemning firmly this law and demanding to withdraw it.
on the European Commission to use as announced by the College of Commissioners all
instruments at their disposal to uphold EU values as enshrined in article 2 of the EU treaties.
on the European Council to engage with concrete steps by similarly applying pressure on the
Hungarian government.
on all EU institutions to adopt a consistent and systematic monitoring of the state of
fundamental rights and democratic values in EU member States in a period when these rights
are being undermined by several governments. This can only be achieved through an
inclusive and transparent process and with the full involvement of civil society organisations
and the citizens they represent.
We stand in solidarity with you – civil society actors and human rights defenders in Hungary and
elsewhere. The further shrinking of civic space in Europe can no longer be tolerated.
Together, we will work to create a Europe that truly respects human dignity, freedom, democracy,
equality, the rule of law, and human rights, including the rights of persons belonging to minorities in
a society in which pluralism, non-discrimination, tolerance, justice, solidarity and equality between
women and men prevail.
List of signatories (519 organisations as of 16 May 2017)
Organisation Country of operation
A.R.T. Fusion Romania
Academy of Performing Arts Slovakia
Access Info Europe Spain
Access Now Spain
ACDC Romania Romania
Acreditar Portugal
ACTIVI PENTRU VIITOR Romania
Aditus foundation Malta
AEGEE-Europe / European Students' Forum Europe
AEVR Romania
Agency for Community Development Foundation Romania
Agrupamento de Escolas do Cerco Portugal
AICA Slovakia, president Slovakia
ALCC Portugal
Alliance of Organisations of Disabled People in Slovakia Slovakia
Allileggie Solidarity Now Greece
Alytus NGO information centre Lithuania
Alytus Women Crisis Centre Lithuania
AMCV –Association of Women Against Violence Portugal
Amnesty International Europe
Anatomy Department Malta
Angel of Hope Fundation Romania
Antigone Italy
APDRP - Asociatia pentru Dezvoltare Regionala si Parteneriat Romania
Aproximar Portugal
ARAS - Romanian Association against AIDS Romania
ARCI - Associatione Ricreativa Culturale Italiana Italy
AREAS- The Regional Association for Adult Education Suceava Romania
Ari Ari Foundation Poland
As. Filiala Sfantul Stefan -Barlad Romania
Asociatia ARIN Romania
Asociatia ASCED Romania
Asociatia Bunul Samaritean Romania
Asociatia Carpaterra Romania
Asociatia Consultantilor in Dezvoltare Comunitara Romania
Asociatia de Ecoturism din Romania Romania
Asociatia de Turism Ecologic Camena Romania
Asociatia Ecologic Romania
Asociatia Esperando Romania
Asociatia FDP Protagonisti in Educatie Romania
Asociația Femei cu Perspectiva din Romania Romania
Asociația Femeilor din Sibiu Romania
Asociația Inima Copiilor Romania
Asociația Mișcare de Tabără Yuppi/ Association Yuppi Camping Motion Romania
Asociatia pentru Parteneriat Comunitar Brasov Romania
Asociația pentru Susținerea Agriculturii Țărănești Romania
Asociatia pentru Tehnologie si Internet ApTI Romania
ASOCIATIA PRIETENIA Romania
ASOCIATIA PRO ASSISTO Romania
Asociatia Romana pentru Promovarea Sanatatii (ARPS) Romania
Asociatia Stea Romania
Asociatia Techsoup Romania
Asociatia Tura in Natura Sibiu Romania
Asociația Umanistă Română (Romanian Humanist Association) Romania
ASOCIATIA UMANITARA IL CHICCO Romania
Asociation Bona Fide Romania
Assistence and Programs for Sustainable DEvelopment - Agenda 21 Romania
Associação A Casa do Caminho Portugal
Associação Animar - Ass. Portuguesa para o Desenvolvimento Local Portugal
Associação ILGA Portugal - Lesbian, Gay, Bissexual, Trans and Intersex Intervention
Portugal
Associacao Lilaz Portugal
Associação Olhos da Juventude Portugal
Associação Portuguesa de Estudos sobre as Mulheres Portugal
Associação Portuguesa de Sociologia Portugal
Associação PRO BONO Portugal
Association "For free Russia" Poland
Association BIOM Croatia
Association for civil society development SMART Hungary
Association for Comunity Relations Romania
Association for Continue Development AD Plus Romania
Association for culture and sport Positive force Croatia
Association for Development and Social Inclusion Romania
Association for International Affairs Czech Republic
Association for library development and innovation Innova Lib Macedonia
Association for Nature, Environment and Sustainable Development Sunce Croatia
Association for Podlasie Land "DRUMLA" Poland
Association for the Local Product Development "Windmills of Masury" Poland
Association For Youth Rights Turkey
Association of Educational NGOs Lithuania
Association of HIV affected women and their families “Demetra” Lithuania
Association Žmergo Croatia
Ateliere Fara Frontiere Romania
AUTISM ROMANIA-Association of Parents of Children with Autism Romania
Autonomous Women's House Zagreb Croatia
Autonomy Foundation Poland
Avatud Eesti Fond/Open Estonia Foundation Estonia
Az emberség erejével Alapítvány (With the power of humanity Foundation) Hungary
BAOBAB EXPERIENCE Italy
BBF Bulgaria
Belgrade Fund for Political Excellence Serbia
Bike Kitchen Timisoara Romania
BILSP Bulgaria
BlueLink Foundation Bulgaria
Bodossaki Foundation Greece
Broad Perspectives Foundation Bulgaria
Brod Ecological Society-BED Croatia
Bucovina Institute Romania Romania
Bulgarian Center for Not-for-Profit Law Bulgaria
Bulgarian Donors' Forum Bulgaria
Bulgarian Helsinki Committee Bulgaria
Caritas Romania Confederation Romania
Carusel Association Romania
Católica Porto Business School Portugal
CCM Comitato Collaborazione Medica Italy
Center for Citizenship Education Poland
Center for Civic Education Russia
Center for Equality Advancement Lithuania
Center for European Initiatives Estonia
Center for Philanthropy n.o. Slovakia
Center for Social Development CEDES Romania
Center of Environmental Activities Slovakia
Central and Eastern European Citizens Network Europe
CENTRAS Romania
Centre for Education Initiatives (NGO) Latvia
Centre for Legal Resources Romania
Centre for Public Policy PROVIDUS Latvia
Centre for School Improvement Lithuania
Centre for the Development of Democracy and Human Rights Russia
Centro Europe Direct Algarve Portugal
Centrul de Dezvoltare Comunitara Neamt Romania
Centrul de Ecologie Montana Romania
Centrum dobrovoľníctva Slovakia
Centrum pre výskum etnicity a kultúry (Center for the Research of Ethnicity and Culture)
Slovakia
CESI - Center for Education, Counselling and Research Croatia
CGIL Area Politiche Europee e Internazionali Italy
CIDAC - Centro de Intervenção para o Desenvolvimento Amílcar Cabral Portugal
Cipsi Italy
Citizen, Democracy and Accountability Slovakia
Cives Foundation Spain
CIVICA Association Romania
Civil Liberties Union for Europe Germany
Civil network OPORA (Lviv office) Ukraine
Civil Society Development Foundation Czech Republic
Civil Society Institute Lithuania
CNVOS Slovenia
Comissão de Proteção de Crianças e Jovens da Figueira da Foz Portugal
Committee for the Defence of Democracy (KOD) Poland
Committee on the Administration of Justice (CAJ) United Kingdom
Community Foundation Tyumen Russia
Consiliul Tineretului din România Romania
Consiliul Tinerilor Institutionalizati Romania
Constanta School Students' Association Romania
Consultoria Social Portugal
Cosi Romania
Create Yourself Association Romania
Croatian Platform for International Citizen Solidarity - CROSOL Croatia
Croatian Society for Birds and Nature Protection Croatia
Croatian Youth Network Croatia
CSDF-Civil Society Development Foundation Romania
CYPRUS WOMENS LOBBY Cyprus
Czech Women's lobby Czech Republic
Dalibor Nicz Slovakia
Democratic Women's Union (Germany) Germany
Demokratiezentrum Wien Austria
Desenam Viitorul Tau Romania
Dizabnet Federation Romania
Divadlo Astorka Slovakia
Doctors of the World - Médecins du monde International Network Europe
Doctors of the World (Portugal) Portugal
Documenta - Center for Dealing with the Past Croatia