U.S. Ends Funding for Radio Free Europe's Hungarian Service

The U.S. Congress has halted funding for Szabad Europa, the Hungarian-language service of Radio Free Europe. This decision comes just months before Hungary's next legislative elections. The media freedom organization Reporters Without Borders (RSF) strongly criticized the move. It stated that the funding cut deals "another serious blow to the right of Hungarians to information." The closure reduces a key source of independent news for Hungarian audiences. The service had operated for decades, often providing reporting that contrasted with government-aligned Hungarian media.