Trump "inspired" Orbán, Fico and Vučić to increase pressure on NGOs and media
Kyiv • UNN
Trump's actions regarding USAID encouraged Orbán, Fico and Vučić to increase pressure on non-governmental organizations and media in their countries. The governments of Hungary, Serbia and Slovakia have stepped up their efforts.
US President Donald Trump's initiative to curtail funding for the US Agency for International Development (USAID) has inspired a number of European leaders to launch a similar offensive against non-governmental organizations in their countries. This applies primarily to the Prime Ministers of Hungary and Slovakia, as well as the President of Serbia, UNN reports with reference to DW.
At the end of February, Hungarian leader Viktor Orban said that he intends to rid his country of "pseudo-civil public organizations that serve foreign interests" by Easter.
There is nothing new in this statement, as the governments of Hungary, Serbia and Slovakia have long been attacking the opposition and non-governmental structures in their countries. However, since the beginning of the year, the authorities of these countries have intensified their efforts, probably taking the example of Trump, especially in the way he puts pressure on USAID.
After the American leader became president again, and the United States froze foreign aid programs, "Orban probably felt that all external barriers have now been removed."
The Hungarian Prime Minister has long accused Hungarian non-governmental organizations of acting in the interests of foreign states. He tried to find out where they get funding and what they do.
A similar tactic was also used by the Prime Minister of Slovakia, Robert Fico, and the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic.
Details
Non-governmental organizations and the media were the main targets. In 2023, the Hungarian Parliament adopted a package of measures aimed at limiting "foreign influence." These innovations apply to both NGOs and political parties.
Earlier, Slovak Prime Minister Fico announced secret operations from Ukraine and Georgia, during which non-governmental organizations and the media allegedly used them to try to organize a coup.
Fico wanted to compile a detailed list of all state funds allocated to NGOs.
In turn, in Serbia, police searched the offices of several NGOs at the end of February, announcing to them a suspicion of misuse of funds and money laundering. One of the organizations, which studies threats to democracy, called the raids by law enforcement officers "a senseless demonstration of muscle by an authoritarian regime".
Most of the organizations that became the object of attention of the Serbian authorities received funding from Washington. Belgrade confirmed that it had asked the US authorities to provide details. The Prime Minister of Slovakia addressed the Vice President of the United States, Jay D. Vance, with a similar request.
Such actions by the authorities provoke large-scale anti-government protests, in particular from students. Last Saturday, according to law enforcement, more than one hundred thousand people took to the streets in Belgrade.
The February protests against Fico's policy gathered about 100,000 people across Slovakia as well. However, despite such scale, the protest movement is poorly organized.
With an example in the person of President Trump, the governments of Hungary, Slovakia and Serbia feel support and continue their actions against NGOs, media and political parties. Currently, their actions tend to intensify.
Addition
The United States has officially canceled more than 83% of USAID programs after six weeks of analysis. They spent billions of dollars on goals that do not meet the interests of the United States, said Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Employees of the US Agency for International Development (USAID) who remained after the wave of layoffs were ordered to destroy classified documents stored in safes and the personnel department at headquarters.