New media laws in Hungary, which now holds the EU presidency, worry some MEPs.

Fears for press freedom

https://api.multimedia.europarl.europa.eu/documents/20125/15383796/n001-110110-001-en.srt

All smiles for the cameras:  Hungary’s PM Viktor Orban

to launch his country’s  EU Presidency.

His stated priorities have won support  from the EPP group,

Hungary is defending  the strengthening of the single currency.

Mr Orban also wants to make  energy supplies more secure,

push Croatia’s accession, get Bulgaria  and Romania into the Schengen zone

and create a strategy for  integrating the Roma.

But it’s the new media laws  that worry many.

I mean imagine Catherine Ashton  going to China or to Iran

and trying to tell them  what is appropriate in free speech

when we have restrictive laws  in some EU states.

The new laws impose a strict supervisory  regime on all types of media,

with fines for alleged breaches decided  by a body made up of Fidesz members.

The fear is that the threat  of punishment for infractions

might lead to self-censorship and a loss  of media freedom and it could spread.

We have problems in Italy, France  and in many countries.

If Hungary goes through with  this outrageous media law,

The new laws have been criticised by  some MEPs,

the OSCE and others  and the Commission is investigating.

But Mr Orban’s supporters  aren’t worried.

He said that if the Commission finds that  provisions of the law go against EU rules,

he’s ready to adapt the legislation to  community standards.

The key to success  will be tackling the euro issue

and setting the EU budget framework for  2014 to 2020.

That sounds like  a big enough challenge for anyone.