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Budapest. Photo: Kon Karampelas

European Court of Justice cancels Hungarian higher education law

The European Court of Justice (ECJ) has declared a Hungarian higher education law to be completely incompatible with EU law. The Luxembourg judges decided that the country's provisions violate "academic freedom and the right to education".

Published: October 8, 2020, 7:04 am

    Luxembourg

    In addition, obligations under the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) were violated, the court said this week.

    The offending law stipulated that foreign universities in Hungary must also have a location in their home country. It also provided for a contractual agreement between the countries concerned as a prerequisite for the operation of universities in Hungary.

    The law was changed in 2017 with the aim of improving the quality of education. The Central European University (CEU), founded by US billionaire George Soros, was the only institution that no longer met the new requirements because the Hungarian government refused to grant it an operating license.

    As the reason for this, it cited a small student body and faked classes. At the end of 2018, the CEU decided to move from Budapest to Vienna . The EU Commission, in turn, initiated infringement proceedings against Hungary.

    In May, the country was already defeated before the ECJ in another case. The judges had ruled that fundamental parts of the Hungarian asylum system violated EU law.

    Last week, German MEP Katarina Barley (SPD) called for Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orbán to be “financially starved” in order to prevent him from opposing EU decisions.

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    • LuciusAnnaeusSeneca

      The Hungarian governent will probably ignore this highly-politicized ruling by the ECJ, as it should. Orban is pushing back against relentless globalism, EU-style, and the powers in Brussels and Berlin will never be happy with Hungary’s efforts to preserve its national sovereignty and culture. Hungary is not restricting anyone from attending university. Hungarians can attend any university in the EU. However, universities in Hungary that are not based there have to conform to Hungarian law. And good on Hungary and Orban’s government for that.

      • Stev60

        But Orban and Fidesz won’t be in power for ever, and what then? It will be too late to escape the death-grip of the EUSSR, aka Eurabian Ummah.

        • LuciusAnnaeusSeneca

          Not to worry. Orban has cultivated a younger generation of Hungarian conservative leaders to carry on the fight after him. They are capable and articulate, and Orban is already using them to represent Hungary’s position on a range of issues from national sovereignty to legal reform.

          • Stev60

            But at some point they will lose power, to the EUrocrat lackeys, and likely never regain it, the way things are going. There is only one safeguard against the “EU”, and that is not to be in it. I am amazed at how few people seem to really grasp that fundamental truth, let alone are willing to act on it. Claiming ‘economic’ advantage is directly falling into the trap set to snare and skewer the unwary.

            • LuciusAnnaeusSeneca

              Agree. Orban is likely preparing his successors for exit from the EU when the moment comes to leave. The EU’s worst days are still ahead of it, and Hungary (and the other V4 nations) have to be prepared to exit it in short order. To do that, Orban should have capable people in place to make sure that happens, and happens quickly when the cord is cut.

            • Stev60

              The sooner the better, and he ought to be the one to do it, no successor will have his stature. Same goes for Poland. Those two together would already be a good start, others would follow, the Czechs for example. Maybe even Austria, could make a great team with Switzerland and Liechtenstein, maybe even Slovenia. Alpine Alliance and V4 (or 5 with say Croatia), working where suitable with Britain and maybe Italy, could be the beginning of the salvation of Europe. The EU is guaranteed to kill it.

            • LuciusAnnaeusSeneca

              Yes, the EU would do what it could to block future exits by former Iron Curtain countries. But what would/could Brussels do? It will have its own share of internal problems, especially regarding who controls the Brussels-Berlin axis. Merkel’s departure will certainly have an impact, as none of her clones has anywhere near the political acumen and capability that she does.

            • Stev60

              The main problem is in those countries themselves, they are far too beguiled by EU bribes and perks too see and do what is needed to save themselves and Europe while there is still time, which there may not even be by now. They are allowing themselves to be slowly strangled by a boa constrictor whilst enjoying the fakir’s flute-playing. One day they will wake up from the spell and it will likely be too late.

              Merkel btw is just a figurehead for a dark mafia that will continue the ‘acumen and capability’ even without her. The same dark mafia that topedoed the Austrian patriot front and tamed Kurz into a coalition with the Greens instead – something he should never have done.

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