In one of his last actions, David Pressman announced that the US had placed the Minister of the Prime Minister’s Cabinet Office on a sanctions list.Continue reading
Former US Ambassador David Pressman’s parting gift was not only to announce that the Minister in charge of the Prime Minister’s Cabinet Office had been placed on a sanctions list, but also to distribute more than 170 million forints to opposition media.
The third call of the Free Media Grant Program has closed, as a result of which the US Embassy distributed more than 173 million forints (435,000 dollars) to various Hungarian media outlets. However, the winners mainly include those actors that criticize the government, reports Magyar Nemzet.
The results were announced by the Hungarian Environmental Partnership Foundation, which together with the Mertek Media Monitor (supported by billionaire George Soros) announced the competition, funded by the United States Embassy. According to the Hungarian Environmental Partnership Foundation’s website, a total of 42 applications were received by the deadline. Of these, 36 applications were submitted for “strengthening and improving the sustainability of local and national independent public media (category A), and six applications for “implementing media literacy and education and journalism training programs (category B).” The US Embassy decided that 26 applicants won.
In category A, funding was awarded to well known left-wing media outlets such as 444 (20,800 USD), Átlátszó (24,890 USD), Magyar Hang (26,300 USD) and Klubrádió (26,600 USD).
Among the winners of the B category, the Transparency International Hungary Foundation received the biggest amount, around 17,600 USD.
Alongside Hungarian critics of the partisan behavior exhibited by former Ambassador David Pressman, American political scientist Bryan E. Leib, CEO of Henry Public Relations, who often speaks out on Hungarian-American relations, also questioned the US government’s decision to send out more than 400,000 USD to left wing media outlets in Hungary.
Why is the U.S. government sending out +$400,000 USD to left wing media outlets in Hungary? What is the purpose?
Let’s redirect these funds to helping California families rebuild.
Flagging @marcorubio @elonmuskhttps://t.co/RHbxfUEjji
— Bryan E. Leib (@BryanLeibFL) January 21, 2025
Via Magyar Nemzet, Index; Featured photo via Facebook/US Embassy Budapest