Hungary: Népszabadság back in circulation
Ten years after its sudden closure, the Hungarian daily Népszabadság has been relaunched and will now be published as a weekly paper and news website. In 2016 the owner at the time, Austrian investor Heinrich Pecina, closed down what was Hungary's highest-circulation newspaper without warning and sold the publishing house to a businessman with close ties to Viktor Orbán. Four Hungarian private investors are behind the relaunch.
Committed owners a must
Népszabadság has been given a rare opportunity, its new editor-in-chief Ákos Tóth writes:
“Ten years ago the Orbán regime put an end to Népszabadság. ... Although this happened behind the scenes, it did not come out of nowhere: a seemingly stable financial foundation is worth nothing if the owner is not sufficiently committed to the press and its independence. ... This is how Viktor Orbán ultimately destroyed the independent newspaper, which was critical of his regime. ... It looks like today's editorial team will have better luck than our predecessors: the owners are very committed and the market conditions may well stabilise once more.”
There can be no going back
This new start should not be interpreted as turning back the clock, writes journalist Boróka Parászka on Facebook:
“If we are not careful, the casual observer – whether friend or foe of the former Népszabadság – will interpret this relaunch as an opportunity to take revenge and to settle scores after what happened ten years ago. That is not possible. Népszabadság cannot be revived in its old form. ... Nor would it be a good thing if the political corruption and the covert, tactical abuse of power of those who swept Népszabadság away and built their own propaganda empire in its place were to re-emerge today.”