We stand by Atlatszo and condemn incitement against journalists

The Hungarian pro-government press is making extremely serious accusations (betrayal of the nation, working for foreign orders, attacking minority Hungarians in the neighboring countries, and carrying a national security risk for Hungary) against investigative journalism outlet Átlátszó, based in Budapest, Hungary.

Átlátszó came under attack because of their role in the “Hungarian Money” (hungarianmoney.eu) cross-border investigative journalism project led by Átlátszó Erdély based in Romania. (Átlátszó Erdély was inspired by Átlátszó, but the two organisations are independent in terms of organisation and funding).

Apart from Átlátszó (Hungary), and Átlátszó Erdély (Romania), project partners were Centar za Istraživačko Novinarstvo Srbije (Serbia), Oštro (Slovenia, Croatia) and Investigatívne Centrum Jána Kuciaka (Slovakia).

The “Hungarian Money” (hungarianmoney.eu) project was one of a series of cross-border investigative journalism projects led by the minority Hungarian-run investigative project Átlátszó Erdély based in Cluj-Napoca, Romania, a project that monitors the Hungarian state’s support of minorities abroad and its publication was in the public interest.

We condemn the smearing campaign against Átlátszó that is centered around an unchallenged investigation two years after its publication. During the preparation of the project, Bethlen Gábor Fund was asked to comment on a number of questions that were raised by project partners but the Fund never replied.

We, the undersigned partners of the investigative project, call on the involved actors to stop the smearing campaign against Átlátszó and specifically call on the Hungarian government to condemn these blatant attacks against regional independent media and the incitement of hatred towards Átlátszó and its journalists in Hungary.

Milica Šarić – Centar za Istraživačko Novinarstvo Srbije (Serbia)

Anuška Delić – Oštro (Slovenia, Croatia)

Lukáš Diko – Investigatívne Centrum Jána Kuciaka (Slovakia)

Zoltán Sipos – Átlátszó Erdély (Romania)

Tamás Bodoky – Átlátszó (Hungary)