Despite round criticism and privacy concerns, the government has once again sent out a newsletter to the e-mail addresses of people who had previously registered for Hungary’s official Covid vaccination site, which was a prerequisite for receiving a Covid vaccine in the country. In the new e-mail, Viktor Orbán himself thanks voters for their participation in the recent parliamentary elections.
During the coronavirus epidemic, millions of people registered on the Hungarian government’s official vakcinainfo.gov.hu website as a prerequisite for receiving vaccinations.
When registering, people had to enter an email address to receive official notifications about the vaccination and the epidemic. However, the government has barely used these adresses to inform people. Instead, they have often received letters about various political and economic decisions and measures of the government, and even governing Fidesz’s main campaign messages before the 2022 elections.
In spite of the widespread criticism and privacy concerns, the government has recently sent out another letter to registered people that has once again nothing to do with the coronavirus epidemic and vaccinations.
In the latest letter, Viktor Orbán himself thanks everyone who cast their election vote on April 3rd and also filled out the government’s highly controversial referendum ballot. He also writes that “the high turnout proves the strength of Hungarian democracy and ensures a strong mandate for the newly formed Parliament. The results are clear. Hungarians want peace and security. The new government will work with all possible means to enforce their will.”
All Hungarians can count on the government, regardless of the party they supported and the part of the country they live in,”
the message concludes.
In early March, Hungary’s Supreme Court, the Kúria, had already condemned the Orbán government for sending campaign messages, or rather harsh and deceptive criticism about the opposition, to those who had registered for the coronavirus vaccine. However, the Constitutional Court has annulled the Kúria’s ruling. According to the Constitutional Court, the top court did not give sufficient weight to the fact that the bulletin, which did not qualify as a campaign tool, was made under special circumstances, in an extraordinary war situation, primarily in order to inform citizens.
Featured photo by Benko Vivien Cher/PM’s Press Office/MTI
