Hoyer Statement on Hungary's Anti-Democratic Emergency Powers Legislation
“I am deeply concerned about the emergency powers legislation enacted yesterday in Hungary. Prime Minister Orban has given little indication that he can be trusted to relinquish emergency powers granted to him without an expiration date. Already, he and his associates have undermined Hungary’s independent judiciary, imposed limitations on press freedom, taken action to stifle peaceful dissent, and enabled corrosive corruption. On my visit to Hungary last year, I met with opposition figures, with officials from the Prime Minister’s office, with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and with the Chair of the Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee. I expressed concerns about the threats against democracy in the country. I will continue to monitor the situation closely, and I urge Hungarian leaders to work closely with European Union officials and the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights to ensure that democratic institutions and norms are protected, even during this time of challenge.”