Brussels is weighing up whether to open a state aid probe into financial support from the Hungarian government to a recently formed media conglomerate, the Central European Press and Media Foundation (KESMA in Hungarian.)

The foundation, which has close ties to Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s Fidesz party, was formed in November 2018 with the merger of hundreds of Hungarian pro-government TV, radio, print, and online outlets. It was exempt from Hungarian media or competition rules following an order signed by Orbán.

Brussels confirmed on Thursday that it was looking into the case: “The Commission has received State aid complaints concerning the financing of the Hungarian broadcasting system. Our assessment is ongoing in line with our standard procedures.”

The conglomerate received strong objections from opposition parties and was seen as a move by Fidesz to reduce media plurality in Hungary.

Benedek Jávor, a Green EU lawmaker from Hungary, said: “The misuse of EU funds helped to build up the KESMA Foundation in Hungary. The Commission should use its existing competences particularly on competition policy to step up against unlawful state aid and media concentration. Without media plurality there is no real chance to beat Fidesz on any elections.”

The Commission now has to decide whether to open a formal probe against Hungary.

News of the potential probe was first reported in BruxInfo.

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