Orbán government launches investigation into Hungarian branch of Transparency International (TI) over activities funded from “subsidies from abroad” that “influence the decisions by the electorate”

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• The Hungarian branch of anti-corruption organization Transparency International received a letter containing a total of 62 questions in their six-page official letter, giving them thirty days to respond.
• The letter of notification were signed by Hungary’s new sovereignty protection office (SPO), a controversial body set up with broad powers which has been condemned by rights groups as a means to investigate against citizens and stifle dissent.
• Transparency International Hungary says it believes that it is no accident that our organisation has been targeted by the SPO. As a non-governmental organization fighting corruption, the success of our investigative, analytical and legal work, and perhaps even our mere existence threatens the regime of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who has been leading the most corrupt government in the European Union.
• The Guardian reports that Átlátszó, one of the country’s best-known investigative outlets, received a similar notification that they were being investigated as organisations that, “using support from abroad, conduct activities aimed at influencing the will of the voters”.