The 2020 EC Rule of Law Report mentions the disclosure practices of Hungarian municipalities

09/10/2020

The European Commission cites the findings of a joint project carried out by BI and the Corruption Research Centre Budapest (CRCB) in the Country Chapter on Hungary in the 2020 Rule of Law Report. The chapter investigates media plurality in Hungary and warns that there are still several hindrances to accessing public information.

Despite the legal requirement stating that all organizations serving the public interest must make data of public interest available, 70% of local municipalities in Hungary fail to meet even the minimal requirements. 

The 2020 Rule of Law Report relies on the joint analysis of BI and CRCB concerning the data disclosure practices of local municipalities and companies owned by local municipalities, carried out in the 2017-2019 period. 

The project was supported by the Open Society Initiative for Europe (OSIFE). Apart from covering the transparency and data disclosure practices of local municipalities and municipality-owned companies, the project also consisted of the development of a new transparency index; mapping currently available data; specifying due diligence methods; and conducting interviews and interactive workshops with stakeholders. 

More information about the joint work of BI and CRCB is available here.