Developments in Hungary
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116th CONGRESS Printed for the use of the 1st Session Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe Developments in Hungary APRIL 9, 2019 Briefing of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe Washington: 2020 VerDate Mar 15 2010 14:59 Jan 14, 2020 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 3191 Sfmt 3191 P:\_HS\WORK\DEVINHUNGARY2019 NINA CSCE18-11 with DISTILLER CSCESeal.EPS Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe 234 Ford House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 202–225–1901 [email protected] http://www.csce.gov @HelsinkiComm Legislative Branch Commissioners HOUSE SENATE ALCEE L. HASTINGS, FLORIDA ROGER F. WICKER, MISSISSIPPI, Chairman Co-Chairman JOE WILSON, SOUTH CAROLINA BENJAMIN L. CARDIN. MARYLAND ROBERT B. ADERHOLT, ALABAMA JOHN BOOZMAN, ARKANSAS EMANUEL CLEAVER II, MISSOURI CORY GARDNER, COLORADO STEVE COHEN, TENNESSEE MARCO RUBIO, FLORIDA BRIAN FITZPATRICK, PENNSYLVANIA JEANNE SHAHEEN, NEW HAMPSHIRE RICHARD HUDSON, NORTH CAROLINA THOM TILLIS, NORTH CAROLINA GWEN MOORE, WISCONSIN TOM UDALL, NEW MEXICO MARC VEASEY, TEXAS SHELDON WHITEHOUSE, RHODE ISLAND Executive Branch Commissioners DEPARTMENT OF STATE, to be appointed DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE, to be appointed DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, to be appointed [II] (2) VerDate Mar 15 2010 14:59 Jan 14, 2020 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 3193 Sfmt 3193 P:\_HS\WORK\DEVINHUNGARY2019 NINA CSCE18-11 with DISTILLER ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION FOR SECURITY AND COOPERATION IN EUROPE The Helsinki process, formally titled the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe, traces its origin to the signing of the Helsinki Final Act in Finland on August 1, 1975, by the leaders of 33 European countries, the United States and Canada. As of January 1, 1995, the Helsinki process was renamed the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). The membership of the OSCE has expanded to 57 partici- pating States, reflecting the breakup of the Soviet Union, Czechoslovakia, and Yugoslavia. The OSCE Secretariat is in Vienna, Austria, where weekly meetings of the partici- pating States’ permanent representatives are held. In addition, specialized seminars and meetings are convened in various locations. Periodic consultations are held among Senior Officials, Ministers and Heads of State or Government. Although the OSCE continues to engage in standard setting in the fields of military security, economic and environmental cooperation, and human rights and humanitarian concerns, the Organization is primarily focused on initiatives designed to prevent, manage and resolve conflict within and among the participating States. The Organization deploys numerous missions and field activities located in Southeastern and Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, and Central Asia. The website of the OSCE is: <www.osce.org>. ABOUT THE COMMISSION ON SECURITY AND COOPERATION IN EUROPE The Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, also known as the Helsinki Commission, is an independent U.S. Government commission created in 1976 to monitor and encourage compliance by the participating States with their OSCE commitments, with a particular emphasis on human rights. The Commission consists of nine members from the United States Senate, nine mem- bers from the House of Representatives, and one member each from the Departments of State, Defense and Commerce. The positions of Chair and Co-Chair rotate between the Senate and House every two years, when a new Congress convenes. A professional staff assists the Commissioners in their work. In fulfilling its mandate, the Commission gathers and disseminates relevant informa- tion to the U.S. Congress and the public by convening hearings, issuing reports that reflect the views of Members of the Commission and/or its staff, and providing details about the activities of the Helsinki process and developments in OSCE participating States. The Commission also contributes to the formulation and execution of U.S. policy regarding the OSCE, including through Member and staff participation on U.S. Delega- tions to OSCE meetings. Members of the Commission have regular contact with parliamentarians, government officials, representatives of non-governmental organiza- tions, and private individuals from participating States. The website of the Commission is: <www.csce.gov>. [III] (3) VerDate Mar 15 2010 14:59 Jan 14, 2020 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 3193 Sfmt 3194 P:\_HS\WORK\DEVINHUNGARY2019 NINA CSCE18-11 with DISTILLER Developments in Hungary APRIL 9, 2019 Page PARTICIPANTS Erika B. Schlager, Counsel for International Law, Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe ...................................................................................................................................... 1 Paul Massaro, Policy Advisor, Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe ............... 17 Melissa Hooper, Director of Human Rights and Civil Society, Human Rights First ................ 3 Dr. Dalibor Rohac, Research Fellow, American Enterprise Institute ........................................ 8 Susan Corke, Senior Fellow and Director, Transatlantic Democracy Working Group, Ger- man Marshall Fund .................................................................................................................... 12 APPENDIX Prepared statement of Melissa Hooper ......................................................................................... 23 Prepared statement of Dr. Dalibor Rohac ..................................................................................... 30 [IV] (4) VerDate Mar 15 2010 14:59 Jan 14, 2020 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 3193 Sfmt 3193 P:\_HS\WORK\DEVINHUNGARY2019 NINA CSCE18-11 with DISTILLER Developments in Hungary April 9, 2019 Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe Washington, DC The briefing was held at 10:00 a.m. in Room 1539, Longworth House Office Building, Washington, DC, Erika B. Schlager, Counsel for International Law, Commission on Secu- rity and Cooperation in Europe, presiding. Panelists present: Erika B. Schlager, Counsel for International Law, Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe; Paul Massaro, Policy Advisor, Commission on Secu- rity and Cooperation in Europe; Melissa Hooper, Director of Human Rights and Civil Society, Human Rights First; Dr. Dalibor Rohac, Research Fellow, American Enterprise Institute; and Susan Corke, Senior Fellow and Director, Transatlantic Democracy Working Group, German Marshall Fund. Ms. SCHLAGER. Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. I’m going to start very promptly this morning because I know one of our panelists has a particularly tight schedule. So I will go ahead and open our briefing this morning on ‘‘Developments in Hungary.’’ My name is Erika Schlager. And I serve as counsel for international law with the U.S. Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, informally known as the Hel- sinki Commission. On behalf of the commission, I’d like to welcome everyone who is here today. At the other end of the table is my colleague Paul Massaro, who is the Helsinki Commission’s policy advisor on economic issues, including corruption. The Helsinki Commission is an independent commission of the U.S. Federal Government charged with monitoring and implementing the 1975 Helsinki Accords, and advancing U.S. policies regarding the Organization on Security and Cooperation in Europe. In recent years, Hungary has received quite a bit of attention, both from the adminis- tration and from Congress. I think it is fair to say that those Members of Congress who have spoken about or in some other way addressed the situation in Hungary are moti- vated by a deep respect for the Hungarian people and a desire to strengthen the United States’ relationship with Hungary based on the concept of comprehensive security. As President George H.W. Bush in 1992 underlined when he signed the Helsinki Human Rights Day Proclamation, those countries participating in the Helsinki process recognize respect for human rights is an essential factor for the attainment of peace, justice, and cooperation among nations. This briefing is organized in that spirit. (1) VerDate Mar 15 2010 14:59 Jan 14, 2020 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 3194 Sfmt 3194 P:\_HS\WORK\DEVINHUNGARY2019 NINA CSCE18-11 with DISTILLER We welcome the engagement by Secretary of State Michael Pompeo and other administration officials. I’d like to recap briefly Secretary Pompeo’s points after meeting Minister Szijja´rto´ for the first time last May. The secretary underscored the importance of maintaining a vibrant civil society. The secretary also emphasized the urgent need to help Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression, including the importance of facilitating and supporting Ukraine’s engagement with NATO and the need to counter Russian malign influence in Central Europe. Both sides agreed that Europe should diversify its sources of energy and discussed increasing U.S. investment in Hungary. The secretary and foreign minister committed to concluding a defense cooperation agreement in the days ahead and, as many of you know, that defense cooperation agree- ment was signed just a few days ago, so it was very welcome. We have made available a package of statements by the Department of State, including Ambassador Cornstein’s recent remarks in Budapest on the 70th anniversary of the establishment of NATO. Those materials should be in the packets that you received as you came in. Now, I’d like to also briefly read one additional point from Secretary Pompeo, from his trip to Slovakia, Hungary, and Poland earlier this year,