Emma Rorke at the human chain protest around CEU, calling for President János Áder to veto the bill (Photograph by Bernard Rorke). Tens of thousands marching on the streets of Budapest, a university facing forced closure, civil society in the cross-hairs of the regime, and the threat of violent government crackdown looms large over the civilly disobedient citizens of the city.
Amidst all the ‘hoopla’ (the prime minister’s description of the country’s largest protests since the fall of communism), there has been little attention paid to the effect the new laws could have on Hungary’s largest ethnic minority: the Roma.
The provocation which ignited demonstrations across Budapest was the threatened closure of Central European University (CEU). Mass civil disobedience began in the capital after the ruling party, Fidesz, rushed through the 'Lex CEU' higher education amendment which has been widely criticised as discriminatory for specifically targeting the Soros-funded university. Now, parliament is set to debate a new bill aimed at foreign-funded NGOs, sparking further protests off the back of the CEU solidarity marches. Critics have compared the bill to similar gagging laws which severely curtail NGO activity in Russia and Israel.
