XL - Eiropas Parlaments - Europa

16-02-2011 127
A couple of brief points on behalf of Hungary: given the fact that Commissioner Kroes’ answer was extensive and
exhaustive, and also concerned the composition of the media council, this was a specific question addressed to me which I
think has been answered correctly, so I can limit myself to a couple of points.
First and foremost, I would like to underline that Hungary is fully committed to the values, principles and the rules
enshrined in the Treaty, in the Charter of Fundamental Rights and in all other instruments of international law, be they
European or universal, on human rights.
The first harsh criticism of the media law was made prior to the adoption of the law. I make particular reference to the
comments made by the OSCE media representative. My simple wish was for the text to be read, studied and analysed, and
then for us to be told what could be wrong, what kind of doubts or concerns might arise with respect to the text, or indeed
with respect to the interpretation of the implementation of the law.
This was the reason why we immediately welcomed and supported the Commission, being the Guardian of the Treaty, in
its analysis of the text, and invited it to express its doubts or concerns. Now that is exactly what happened. The
Commission scrutinised carefully the law, made some proposals and all these proposals were adopted. I can only confirm
that the day after tomorrow there will be a cabinet meeting. We will adopt the text and we will submit it immediately to the
Hungarian Parliament and the amendments will be adopted as soon as is procedurally possible and will immediately enter
into force.
I would like to thank the Commission for its hard work, help and assistance, but I would also like to thank all of you who
made fair and reasonable comments and assisted us in this exercise, which I am convinced has been extremely important,
not only for ourselves, but also for the European Union as a whole.
I would just like to offer our help and full support to the working group the Commission is about to establish. This is in the
interests of Europe as a whole and we all want to participate in it and to help it as much as we can.
The only thing I regret is the excessive language which appeared in some of the political statements. As I said already
before, the law would have been adopted. Sometimes we had the feeling that we were being subjected to what the French
call ‘un procès d'intention’, a kind of ‘Schuldvermutung.’ I had the feeling that it was the presumption of guilt which was
being applied instead of the presumption of innocence which is, of course, a basic rule of any fair trial.
So sometimes these statements went beyond the limits of reasonable and fair political debate – a political debate which we
otherwise fully support, both domestically and at a European or universal level.
In fact, it was harmful to the interests of Europe as a whole – it was harmful to European integration. Now I believe that
we are hopefully over that. I just would like to confirm again our full respect and to testify to this I would just like to let
you know that it is our firm intention to incorporate the Charter of Fundamental Rights into the new Hungarian
Constitution.
Hungary will thus be the first country where the Charter of Fundamental Rights will be an integral part of the Hungarian
legal system. It will be applicable not only in the areas covered by Union law, but it will be at the top of the hierarchy of
the overall legal system and it will prevail over any other legislation or regulation, be it criminal law, be it about the media
or be it about any other subject.
That should give an assurance to all of you that the basic rules, the basic values and the basic principles which we all share
are, and will be, fully respected by my country.
3-551
President. − The debate is closed.
I have received six motions for resolutions 4 tabled in accordance with Rule 110(2) of the Rules of Procedure.
3-552
Πρόεδρος. – Η ψηφοφορία θα διεξαχθεί αύριο στις 12.00 το μεσημέρι.
Γραπτές δηλώσεις (άρθρο 149)
3-553
Csaba Sógor (PPE), írásban. – Képviselőtársaim állásfoglalásra irányuló indítványukban azt kérik, hogy az Európai
Bizottság (EB) az Alapjogi Charta rendelkezéseit is vegye figyelembe a magyar médiatörvény vizsgálatakor, ha pedig a
kormány záros határidőn belül nem módosítja a törvényt a kívánt módon, indítson kötelezettségszegési eljárást
Magyarország ellen. Hasonlóképpen azt is kérik képviselőtársaim, hogy a Bizottság még idén kezdeményezzen egy
4 See minutes