“The time of Pravda is over. This new law is unacceptable. Hungary must explain and the Commission must act.” said Guy Verhofstadt, Leader of the ADLE Group at the European Parliament commenting on the adoption by the Hungarian Parliament of a "Law on media services and mass communication", on 20 December, that according to him “is against all European Union standards”.

“Hungary is about to start its first EU Presidency. In that function it not only needs to accept and endorse but also defend all democratic principles that we commonly share, including freedom of information and press. No Member State can be allowed to put, in the name of undefined national security, restrictions to freedoms that lie at the heart of our Union of values.”

“We have witnessed a shocking precedent, whereby critical media and public debate will be silenced, the free market economy will be violated and political independence will be denied. What must we expect of Hungary after this?” he concluded.