Tamás Menczer told the press that freedom of education is not under threat in Hungary and that foreign players do not influence Hungarian laws. The real aim of the talks was to determine the legal status of the CEU, he said.

Cuomo called the talks “productive” and said in a statement that the parties met “to discuss a new law that threatens CEU’s continued presence in Hungary and the urgent need to preserve academic freedom”.

Altusz also said the talks had been productive. The CEU, founded in 1991 by American financier George Soros, is registered in the state of New York. Hungary tightened rules governing the operations of foreign universities in the country in April.

The amendment, seen by many as tailored as an attack on the CEU, stipulates that to issue degrees in Hungary, foreign-registered universities have to undertake education in their home countries or have an interstate agreement sanctioning their activities in Hungary. The government initiated talks on the issue with the US in April.

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