A delegation from the European Parliament's Civil Liberties Committee (LIBE) has wrapped up a three-day fact-finding mission in Budapest amid renewed concerns over Hungary's democratic standards, judicial independence and the treatment of civil society groups.

One member of the delegation stated that representatives of the Hungarian government were explicitly hostile and aggressive during the meetings, writes liberal Hvg.hu.

​State Secretary for EU Affairs Zsigmond Barna Pal welcomed the delegation, but senior officials, including the justice and interior ministers and the heads of the Constitutional and Supreme Courts, refused to meet with them. Fidesz politicians publicly criticised the visit, calling it biased and politically motivated.

Led by Dutch MEP Tineke Strik (Greens/EFA), the group met with NGOs, civil society representatives and selected government officials as part of a review of developments since their last visit in 2021.

The trip was part of ongoing scrutiny under the EU's Article 7 procedure, triggered in 2018 over breaches of fundamental EU values, such as threats to judicial independence, media pluralism, academic freedom and the rights of LGBTQ people and migrants.

Despite the lack of tangible sanctions, the ongoing scrutiny has had practical consequences. Hungary has seen tens of billions of euros in EU funding frozen under separate conditionality and rule-of-law mechanisms. The Article 7 process also continues to isolate Budapest, but at the same time, it allows the government to paint the European Commission as a scapegoat.

In a recent development, Fidesz has started to shift the blame, accusing the Tisza Party of attempting to block EU funds to Hungary in the European Parliament. This accusation seems absurd, considering that the Tisza Party, led by former Fidesz insider-turned-critic Peter Magyar, was only established 13 months ago, while EU funds have been suspended since the end of 2022.

At a press briefing on April 16, Strik said the delegation encountered "numerous worrying developments," pointing to Hungary's failure to implement key rule-of-law recommendations and court rulings.

She called it worrying that EU funds were being branded by the Orban government as a source of foreign influence and pointed to government hostility toward EU funding oversight.

Strik said the Sovereignty Protection Office (SPO) was created with the purpose of stigmatising independent media and NGOs. Following a closed-door meeting with the delegation, head of the office Tamas Lanczi labelled the visit as a motivated "show trial" against the country and its recently adopted sovereignty law. The SPO, established in late 2023 with sweeping powers to investigate alleged foreign influence, has become a flashpoint in Brussels' criticism of democratic backsliding in Hungary.

The delegation also expressed alarm over recent judicial reforms that link pay rises for judges to structural changes, raising concerns over the independence of the courts. "It is rare to see judges protesting in the streets, what's happening in Hungary is a sign of deep concern," Strik noted, referring to a recent demonstration by judicial workers.

The visit by the LIBE delegation coincided with the Hungarian Parliament's approval of the 15th amendment of the Fundamental Law, or constitution, which further curbs fundamental rights, including the freedom of assembly.

The Dutch MEP said they will call on the European Commission to challenge relevant Hungarian legislation that bans the Budapest Pride in the EU Court of Justice. The LIBE Committee's report will be submitted to the European Parliament for debate and is expected to be adopted after the summer.

"Hungary does not ask for imported democracy", wrote Zsigmond Pal Barna in a Facebook post after the meeting, while other Fidesz politicians also lashed out against the visit, saying it was part of a pact with the Tisza Party to discredit Hungary.