Nóra Somlyódi, journalist of Magyar Narancs has initiated a lawsuit against the Hungarian Privatization and State Holding Company for denying access to public interest data on the Experimental Economic Holding Company of Herceghalom.
The journalist was interested in details of the company’s operations. Since the Hungarian Privatization and State Holding Company is a shareholder of the Experimental Economic Holding Company, the journalist is entitled to gain access to the requested data. Everyone is entitled to access data of the state’s public funds. The journalist will be represented by the HCLU.
In yet another assault on freedom of expression and information, the Hungarian government adopted a new Constitution on Monday 18 April which will abolish independent oversight of the public’s right to know.
The Court of Appeal declared in its final judgment on the 21th of January 2009, that the minutes of the government meetings are data of public interest. Unfortunately, much information won’t be available for the public.
The HCLU was contacted by a representative of Zöld Rádió Kht. (Green Radio) after failing to gain access to data on ad hoc winning tenders from the Radio and Television Commission. Previously, the Court in its first instance decison has ordered the Broadcasting Fund to issue the requested documentation, but since the defendant was not present at the reading of the verdict, the ruling did not come into effect.