The Rt Hon David Lidington MP Minister of State for Europe Foreign & Commonwealth Office King Charles Street London SW1A 2AH 11 June 2014
Dear Mr Lidington, I am writing to express the grave concern of Transparency International about the curtailment of civil society and local media freedoms in Hungary, and to request the UK Government’s support in holding Hungary to its international treaty obligations. Transparency International is a non-political anti-corruption organisation that works through local chapters in 26 out of 28 member states of the European Union – and more than 100 national chapters globally. The protection of key civil society safeguards is essential for our work in creating a constructive debate on how to achieve more open, accountable and effective governance. It is our understanding that the Government of Hungary is serially and deliberately eroding these safeguards. For example, citizens, the media and civil society organisations are increasingly unable to monitor and evaluate public institutions and public officials without threat or interference. This is happening in the European Union, right now, and the UK and other EU governments have a common responsibility to intervene. Transparency International has undertaken research throughout the world on the corrosive impact of corruption, and the knock-on effects of weak governance and suppression of mechanisms for accountability and transparency. Whether in the form of organised crime, human trafficking, money laundering or other types of corruption, regression by one member state will certainly start to affect the UK. As a signatory to international conventions such as the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union and the United Nations Convention against Corruption, Hungary has committed to ensure freedom of expression and information, the free and unobstructed functioning of an independent civil society, the freedom and diversity of the press, the protection of personal data, and the unhindered access to public information. These commitments are not being upheld. Transparency International has called upon the Government of Hungary to uphold the commitments made to the international community as well as its own citizens. I am asking you to work with European Union institutions and the Hungarian Government to ensure that these commitments are respected and the current actions against the media and civil society cease immediately. REG OFFICE: CAN MEZZANINE - 32-36 LOMAN STREET - LONDON SE1 0EH, UK TEL: 020 7922 7906 FAX: 020 7922 7907 INFO@TRANSPARENCY.ORG.UK REGISTERED IN ENGLAND AND WALES, NUMBER 2903386 REGISTERED CHARITY, NUMBER 1112842
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I would be happy to meet with you to outline our concerns in greater detail and look forward to working with you on these matters. With kind regards, Yours Sincerely
Robert Barrington Executive Director
Cc Lynne Charles, Head of Anti-Corruption and Transparency at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office
REG OFFICE: CAN MEZZANINE - 32-36 LOMAN STREET - LONDON SE1 0EH, UK TEL: 020 7922 7906 FAX: 020 7922 7907 INFO@TRANSPARENCY.ORG.UK REGISTERED IN ENGLAND AND WALES, NUMBER 2903386 REGISTERED CHARITY, NUMBER 1112842
WWW.TRANSPARENCY.ORG.UK