The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) will hold its elective general meeting in Budapest, Hungary, on 2-3 June 2025. More than 100 journalists and trade union representatives from 38 European countries will meet and elect the leadership of the federation for the next three years. This is the first time in the history of the EFJ that the organisation holds a statutory meeting in Hungary.
Budapest was chosen as the host city of the EFJ congress, representing 295,000 journalists through 73 journalists’ organisations across 44 countries in Europe. Co-organised by the Hungarian Press Union (HPU) and the Association of Hungarian Journalists (MUOSZ), with the support of the Hungarian Trade Union Confederation (MASZSZ), the EFJ general assembly will be held in the capital of Hungary, where delegates from EFJ member unions and associations will elect the nine members of the organisation’s steering committee for the next three years (meet the candidates).
“Since 2010, the Hungarian government has systematically undermined independent and professional journalism, severely limiting the right of Hungarian citizens to access free, independent and pluralistic information,” said EFJ President Maja Sever. “It’s really important for the EFJ and the entire European journalist community to show their support, through their presence in Budapest, to all those fighting for press freedom and the rule of law in the country”.
The current president of HPU, László M. Lengyel, launched the idea of organising the EFJ general assembly in Budapest, more than a year and a half ago: “By its presence in Hungary, the EFJ will have its say on the Hungarian media law, the media system, the precarious situation of independent journalists, the lack of democratic and European values. Holding such an event in the capital will be a demonstration of strong support to Hungarian journalists, their representative organisations, the trade union movement and the free and independent media”.
“It will be useful for all EFJ members to get to know the real situation of the Hungarian media,” added Ilona Kocsi, MUOSZ President. “And it is probably also useful for Hungarian journalists to get to know the situation of other journalists in Europe”.
MASZSZ, the first Hungarian trade union confederation with 250,000 active members, representing mainly workers from the private sector, decided to support the organisation of the EFJ GM: “We consider that the EFJ meeting in Budapest and the discussions on media freedom would provide a strong message of solidarity to the Hungarian media workers in difficult circumstances”, said Róbert Zlati, President of Magyar Szakszervezeti Szövetség (MASZSZ).
Source: EFJ
