László Varju, DK’s deputy leader, claimed the government planned to introduce concessions under which no advertiser, bar the government or the ruling parties, would be able to make use of outside advertising in the future. Concerning the government’s proposal aimed at putting details of donations and donation tax rebates under a shroud of secrecy, Varju cited a recent ruling that such donations are public funds.

A government “which allows nobody else but itself to put out advertisements or seeks to conceal from the public what it spends their money on is the spiritual successor to the communist era,” Varju insisted. The Dialogue for Hungary (PM) party said the changes were aimed at “making the opposition invisible”.

PM spokesman Bence Tordai told a press conference that the advertising restrictions could be equally aimed at businessman Lajos Simicska, with heavy interests in the sector, and the opposition, while the scheme would also help “keeping voters in the dark”.

Referring to the recent closure of opposition daily Népszabadság, Tordai insisted that ruling Fidesz has already “destroyed” several papers and has completed a huge media network of its own by way of “oligarchs stuffed with public funds”.

The remaining independent or opposition mediums are under constant pressure by the ruling party, while the government is building a “stealthy dictatorship”, he said.

Republished with permission of Hungary Matters, MTI’s daily newsletter.