Orban promises Barroso change to media law

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has promised that the country's new media law would be changed if necessary, the President of the European Commission José Manuel Barroso said after talks with Orban on Friday.

Barroso added that he had received assurances from the Hungarian prime minister that the law would be implemented with full respect for European values, principles and regulations. He stressed that the pluralism of the media is a basic principle in the EU.

"I am fully confident in Hungary's democracy and rule of law," he said.

"This is a democratic country and it is important not to have doubts about that," Barroso said.

He said he had asked Orbán to send the legislation formally so that the commission can make a legal assessment. "We are going to make our legal assessment with full objectivity," he added.

Barroso said he welcomed the Hungarian presidency's commitment to "fast track legislative proposals for enforced economic government" in the EU.

"We all support the Hungarian presidency in steering these proposals to port," he said.

Barroso said he was pleased about the Hungarian presidency's priorities, especially energy and innovation. He congratulated Orban on the completion of an energy linkup project with Slovakia.

José Manuel Barroso and other member of the European Commission held a joint session with the Hungarian government on Friday after Hungary officially took over the Presidency of the European Union from Belgium Thursday evening.