András Romankovics, vice-president of the National Association of Textbook Publishers, told the website that the lawsuit is about freedom of choice of textbooks and ultimately about the freedom of education because if the publishers lose the lawsuit, pupils will be taught only from state textbooks next year.

The five wanted to extend their licence for another five years, but the Human Resources Ministry told them that there is no legal possibility to extend the licences of private publishers.

The first of 20 trials set by a court will begin at the Public Administration and Labour Court on September 5. Romankovics says it complicates the problem that six or seven judges will try the cases rather than one.