Event: Protecting Democratic Security Set Up in Central Europe

Our live debate was held in Budapest with MEP Katalin Cseh, MEP Daniel Freund, Lóránt Győri, Wojciech Przybylski and moderated by Edit Zgut, on protecting the democratic security set up in Central Europe, foreign interference in election campaigns, the role of media and of independent institutions and organisations.

The meeting took place on 11 February 2022  in Budapest and was organised by Visegrad Insight, Res Publica Foundation (Warsaw, Poland) together with Political Capital and Paradigma Intezet. 

The discussion is part of a larger project on the topic of democratic security engaging Members of the EU Parliament and offering solid journalism and open discussion in response to the deteriorating state of public debate, the lack of information sovereignty, limited trust in democratic institutions and political polarisation undermining support for democratic values in the region. It is supported by the European Parliament. 

This discussion was an in-person event.

Memorable Quotes:

MEP Katalin Cseh (Momentum) pointed out that the deterioration of the rule of law in Hungary compared to four years ago continued at such a rate that it is now the Orbán government that is trying to interfere in the affairs of other countries without compromising democratic values.

Lóránt Győri said that while Russia is putting military pressure on the region under threat from Ukraine, we have recently seen in the talks between Russian President Viktor Orban and Vladimir Putin that they want to help each other stay in power, for example by keeping gas prices low.

MEP Daniel Freund (German Greens) said that the biggest intervention is the huge amount of money that the EU is spending on Hungary, which the Fidesz government is ultimately spending to secure its own power.

Wojciech Przybylski (editor-in-chief of Visegrad Insight) approached the topic from another perspective. “We see that Russia and China are so afraid of democratic processes and their own citizens that they see democracy as a threat to their system.”

Coverage in the Press:

https://nepszava.hu/3146240_magyarorszag-oroszorszag-kina-v4-demokracia-orban-kormany

Yesterday in Budapest we spoke on bringing the EU house in order: democratic security in times of global tensions @katka_cseh @daniel_freund @ZgutEdit @gyorilorant @VisegradInsight @Europarl_EN Full house attendance. Coverage coming up soon in HU & ENhttps://t.co/MSAPK3cxzG pic.twitter.com/FjNjCaNiKF

— Wojciech Przybylski (@wprzybylski) February 12, 2022

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