On Tuesday evening, Hungary’s parliament adopted a series of measures to establish a supervisory body designed to prevent “foreign interference” in the electoral process linked to prison sentences, AFP reports.

The texts were approved by a large majority in parliament, dominated by Viktor Orbán’s Fidesz party, and are due to enter into force in early February.

This legislative package, aimed at “protecting the sovereignty” of the Central European country, is viewed by detractors of the nationalist prime minister as a new offensive aimed at suppressing the system of checks and balances.

A specialized body prescribed in the Constitution will be created. It will have the mission of “identifying and investigating organizations that receive money from abroad” with the aim of “influencing the choice of voters.”

In November, Mate Kocsis, leader of the Fidesz parliamentary group, explained that “this law closes the door to any form of election fraud and provides for up to three years in prison for those who use foreign campaign funds.”

The government, which regularly accuses Brussels and “various organizations” of “distributing billions of euros” from the opposition, is thus strengthening its arsenal ahead of municipal and European elections scheduled for June 2024.

The creation of such a body has been widely criticized in recent weeks.

In late November, the Council of Europe expressed concern about the “risk” to human rights, calling on Hungary to back down.

Being “under the authority of a President appointed by the President of the Republic on the recommendation of the Prime Minister,” the Office for the Protection of Sovereignty would have “unfettered powers to request sensitive data and personal information from anyone without oversight.” or legal protection,” warned Dunya Miyatovych, Commissioner for Human Rights.

Several human rights NGOs, including Amnesty International, issued a statement condemning the government’s efforts to “silence critical voices.”

“Journalists, businesses, trade unions, churches and municipalities can also become targets,” they warned.

The United States, through its ambassador to Hungary, David Pressman, also expressed concern.

“The proposed authority has a breathtaking mandate,” he said in early December, criticizing the text “which would make Russia’s law on foreign agents pale in comparison.”