EU confronts Hungary on draconian laws

THE EU and Hungary brought their fight over democratic rights fully into the open yesterday, with the European Commission launching legal challenges against the former Soviet-bloc country many fear may be slipping back into authoritarianism.

The commission said the Hungarian constitution that came into force on January 1 undermines the independence of the national central bank and the judiciary, and does not respect data privacy principles.

Prime minister Viktor Orban, whose grip on power has earned him the nickname “Viktator”, defied the criticism and invited himself to the European Parliament in Strasbourg today to confront his detractors head on.