Czech women´s lobby on behalf of their member organizations supports and joins European challenge of solidarity with the Hungarian non-profit organizations. They are systematically persecuted by the Hungarian Governmant of Victor Orban. The Hungarian governmant accused Norway of influencing hungarian politics through Norwegian funds and the Governmant demands to stop support from Norway. Czech women lobby joins this declaration of solidarity with civil sector in Hungary!
Since its re-election the Hungarian government has led divisive campaign against the local NGOs and seeks to take control of their funding, which up to now were running independently. We believe, that the dynamic and independent civil society plays a crucial role in the democratic system and it is a key tool for surveillance over the authority of government as well as it form its counterweight. However, the example of Putin´s Russia, governmant attacks on civil sector can very easily lead to the criminalization following by very effective prevention of its operation. By this statement, Czech women lobby, expresses solidarity with the Hungarian non-profit organizations and calls on the Hungarian Government and the governments of other countries to refrain from any attacks on civil society.
More information regarding this issue, you can find on following links:
http://www.liberties.eu/en/news/putins-methods-against-criticism
http://norvegcivilalap.hu/en/government_attacks_hungarian_NGOs
http://english.atlatszo.hu/2014/06/03/hungarian-govt-targets-ngos-atlats...
http://www.transparency.org/news/pressrelease/transparency_international...
http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/06/02/us-hungary-norway-funding-ngo-...
http://www.hrw.org/news/2014/06/05/dispatches-harassing-civil-society-hu...