Overview

• The Transparency of Public Life bill was formally introduced to Hungary’s parliament on May 14, 2025, and is expected to pass under Fidesz’s supermajority.
• The legislation grants the Sovereignty Protection Office authority to blacklist organizations receiving foreign funding, including from EU grants, if they are deemed threats to national sovereignty.
• Blacklisted groups face severe penalties, including loss of tax-donation access, intrusive inspections, and fines up to 25 times the amount of foreign funding received, payable within 15 days.
• The bill defines threats broadly, encompassing activities like influencing public opinion, promoting democratic debate, or challenging Christian culture and traditional family roles.
• Critics warn the bill mirrors Russia’s foreign agent law, signaling further democratic backsliding in Hungary and targeting dissenting media and NGOs reliant on foreign funding.