Hungarian Parliament to Decide Composition of New Independent Media Board by Aug. 31

The Hungarian Parliament’s Culture Committee will hold a public hearing on August 26 and is expected to vote on the composition of the newly created Independent Media Board (Független Közmédia Testület) on August 31. Under the media‑law amendment that takes effect on July 26, the nine‑member board will be staffed by three nominees from the governing parties, three from opposition parties and three representatives nominated by media‑professional organisations.

Speaker‑designate Mihály Varga will ask parliamentary groups to submit their candidates by July 29, with a nomination deadline of August 23. The presidential post will be filled through an open application announced by August 3, followed by a 30‑day submission period. A temporary nomination committee, to be formed at the end of August, will include three government, two opposition and four media‑organisation delegates. The committee’s public session is slated for September 16, after which it will forward its recommendations to the full chamber.