Former 24.hu and Index journalist: Most international NGOs, including Amnesty International, exercise far-reaching influence over foreign journalists

Following recent instances of liberal politicians and Soros mercenaries coming clean about entrenched, anti-Hungary bias on the international stage, a leaked Skype interview with a Hungarian journalist, Mátyás Kálmán, who worked for 24.hu and Index.hu in the past, reveals that international NGOs exercise full control over foreign journalists reporting on Hungary.

Journalists reporting on Hungary are manipulated or even bribed by various NGOs, who often report on events in Hungary in a highly distorted way, according to the Skype interview obtained by Hungarian daily Magyar Nemzet. In the recording, Kálmán makes some pretty serious statements:

“Because you never know in these cases that is this real collaboration? Is the journalist independent enough, or did he get a very good invitation into a good hotel? So how much did you offer to him to write what you want to hear back from the media,” Kálmán explained.

Recalling one of his personal experiences, he said: “So for example I was invited to Brussels and Strasburg to report on individual events. Usually, in these cases, journalists were really instructed where they should go, who they can talk to.”

According to the journalist, “it is not good” that press workers are so dependent on NGOs, and it is difficult to work transparently in such circumstances. I couldn’t agree more.

"If they rely on an NGO for everything, then journalists are totally dependent on that organization and that is not a good thing,” Kálmán said, adding that “if there is some big international event, such as a refugee crisis, […] then obviously they are not invited by NGOs, they are sent. But once they are there, they are very limited in terms of who they can rely on during their limited stay.”

Responding to a question as to whether he has personally witnessed NGOs making foreign reporters dependent on them and effectively limit their freedom, Kálmán said that “I believe most NGOs are doing this, like Amnesty International also.”

There you have it in black and white, and this is according to an insider: NGOs, including the ones financed by George Soros, exercise huge influence over foreign reporters writing about Hungary in the international press – even to the extent of controlling the sources they speak to and the places they go.

Why am I not surprised?

Partly because these statements are not the only ones made recently by liberals on the topic of biased reporting about Hungary. Just yesterday, Magyar Nemzet revealed footage of a former Open Society Foundations director talking about how foreign journalists paint a distorted image of Hungary in the international press.

Last week, former Spanish liberal MEP Carolina Punset’s leaked private conversations made headlines in Spain and elsewhere, as she spoke out against double standards against Hungary and Poland.

I honestly can’t wait to see what’s next.