The European Court of Justice has announced a decision according to which the Law on Higher Education adopted in 2017 in Hungary violates a number of fundamental rights enshrined in EU law, and among other things — academic freedom. The Act of 2017 introduced additional criteria for foreign universities working in the country, such as those which de facto only the Central European University (CEU), founded by the American billionaire George Soros, did not meet. As a result, the university was forced to move to Vienna. The press makes its assessments in court.
Now will not get away with it!
With their decision, the judges marked a clear milestone,” said Michael Ignatiev, Rector of the Central European University, who welcomed the European Court’s decision. In his article in the Financial Times, he writes:
“The court’s decision is too late: the university has already had to move most of its teaching activities to Vienna. However, this verdict will serve as an important milestone — it will take away from the governments of several other European countries the hunt to attack free institutions. The verdict is also a watershed in the heated debate in the EU as to whether or not to link the disbursement of funds from the economic recovery fund to the recipient country’s adherence to the rule of law. The EU countries can no longer pretend that the rule of law situation in Hungary is not sufficiently clear. The EU Supreme Court has ruled unambiguously: fundamental rights are being violated in the country.
The EU finances its own breakup
The Hungarian correspondent of Der Standard newspaper Gregor Mayer points out that this is already the fourth court decision against Hungary this year:
“For Orban, it’s all down to the bulb. Verdicts, however correct, are mostly taken too late. … In its practice of violating the principles of the rule of law, Orban drives a wedge into the EU — and blurs its values. Together with its wannabes from other countries, it can thus finally divide the EU. But the EU itself finances the Orban system with its generous subsidies! Money from Brussels provides a wide space for maneuver — and an opportunity to feed their oligarchs by throwing them tidbits in the form of super expensive government orders. In return, they organize support in the media and during elections. Thanks to such a closed circle, it is virtually impossible to throw Orban off the podium during the elections. The EU should immediately shut down Orban’s cash tap, otherwise, the community will continue to finance its own collapse.
