A Reminder to the Hungarian Government

Via Bloggingportal.eu’s campaign I became aware of the controversial new media law in Hungary that seems to introduce mechanisms that elicit media censorship. A lot can be said about this law and its compliance with ECHR and the founding principles of the European Union. But I would like to take a different approach. Instead of providing some legal analysis I will take the liberty (sic) to remind the Hungarian government a poem they should know better. The poem is written by the Hungarian poet and revolutionary Sándor Petőfi in 1847, 2 years before his death.

Szabadság, Szerelem!

E kettő kell nekem

Szerelmemért föláldozom

Az életet,

Szabadságért föláldozom

Szerelmemet.

Freedom, Love!

These two I need

For my love I sacrifice life

For freedom I sacrifice my love.

The e-Justice Portal of the European Union is Launched

A new web site dedicated to providing legal information for the Member States and the European Union has been launched. The first version of the European e-Justice portal provides information and links on laws and practices in all Member States. It is intended for use by citizens, businesses, lawyers, notaries and judges. New information, tools and functions will be added to the portal in the next few years.

The portal is a good entry-level point of reference for legal information in the European Union. Much more than that is needed, though, in order to make Member States’ legal systems really transparent.