Átlátszó Center for Investigative Journalism is a watchdog NGO based in Budapest, Hungary, that combines investigative journalism and civic activism to promote transparency in Hungary.
Our stories in Hungarian: https://atlatszo.hu
Our stories in English: https://english.atlatszo.hu
Latest posts by Atlatszo.hu
Hungarian watchdog Atlatszo uses FOIA lawsuit to obtain data on overpricing EU-funded package for the poor
Journalists used documents released though a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit to reveal that Hungarian government overpriced by more than 330 percent when purchasing milk with money from an EU-funded package for the poor.
State-affiliated actors launch smear campaign against Hungarian investigative nonprofit Átlátszó
Hungarian pro-government media publish defamatory texts about independent investigative outlet Atlatszo with allegations that it was receiving 'Judas money' and being a 'criminal association' involved in treason and anti-national activities.
Hungarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs obliged by court to publish finances of US-based foundation
Documents revealed the involvement of acting U.S. Director of National Intelligence Richard Grenell in a Hungarian foundation, a fact that had not been lawfully disclosed to the Justice Department.
Data shows trend of fewer Hungarians attending public protests
Prior to a new law governing public assembly which came into effect on October 1, 2018, public demonstrations in Hungary were well attended. Now, though they still happen, attendance is down.
Some foreign correspondents were denied entry to Putin’s press conference in Budapest
Like Hungarian journalists critical of the government, foreign journalists working in the country are now facing an information blockade.
This is how Hungarian villages fought back against planned nuclear waste repositories in the 1980s
"We've done a lot of things that were very new at that time."
The police were the ‘surprise guests’ at a fundraiser at Budapest's Auróra community center
Community center managers say the local municipality has been trying to shut Auróra down for years.
Hungarian state media are attacking a high school student who criticized government
Nagy has endured criticism of her intellect and even sexual harassment, with one pro-government media outlet calling her a "whore".
In Hungary, protests continue at the public broadcast building where opposition MPs were removed by force
Protests continued in the Hungarian capital in front of the public broadcasting service building with opposition MP's ejected for demanding an end to the so-called "slavery law".
Hungarians stage nightly protests against new court system and so-called ‘slavery law’
This article is based on the story “Hungarians protest against the government in front of Parliament every night” written by Anita Kőműves, with photos by Márk Tremmel and Áron Halász for Atlatszo.hu, Hungary’s first investigative journalism non-profit. It is republished here in edited form through a partnership with Global Voices....
Hungarian PM Receives Chocolates from Union Workers’ Children, Then Votes for Parents to Lose Jobs
Hungary's government monopolized the sale of tobacco goods in 2013, drawing criticism from all sides both for the monopoly and the restriction of the Freedom of Information Act that came with the secretive distribution of sales licenses for the goods. In a second round, Hungarian Parliament voted on Monday, December...
Drone Footage of Hungary Protests Against “Internet Tax”
Hungarians have been rallying in masses against a proposed tax on Internet traffic that many in the country find to be outrageous. The Hungarian government plans to introduce a tax of approximately 0.6 US dollars per gigabyte of Internet traffic. This proposal tipped the scales for many, and tens of...
Social Media Users Pick at Hospital Food in Hungary
A blog, ‘Kórházi koszt‘, was launched over the summer of 2014 in Hungary, exposing the poor quality and small rations of food in Hungarian hospitals. The blog rose from the outrage among Hungarians who stayed at hospitals and received not only small portions of food, but often cheap and “disgusting”...
Hungarian Student Bloggers Win Lawsuit Against University
Bloggers of Átlátszó Oktatás (Transparent Education) sued the largest Hungarian university ELTE's Law Faculty in winter 2012, in order to obtain documents on how state scholarships and bonus payments were distributed by the members of the faculty's student union. Because the university is entirely state-funded, the students demanded through a...
Asylum-Seekers Continue Hunger Strike in Hungary
Sixty asylum-seekers went on hunger strike yesterday in a southeast Hungarian detention camp for asylum-seekers, atlatszo.hu investigative journalism site's blog reported in their Blog Action Day post [hu] on human rights. The Office of Immigration and Nationality confirmed that the strike was started by five Malian citizens who were joined by...
Hungarian Students Blog on Freedom of Information Requests
Hungarian grassroots student union Hallgatói Hálózat (Student Network) started a blog that curates freedom of information requests related to higher education. The blog, titled Transparent Education [hu], is using the Hungarian public freedom of information request service KiMitTud [hu] to track down the allegations of misuse of funds by university student governments. The blog's author...
Hungarian Bloggers Take Student Union To Court
Students from the Faculty of Law at ELTE University in Hungary sued the faculty's student union after they denied a freedom of information (FOIA) request. The students wanted to know who received bonus payments from the union's monthly budget of around $3,300. They wrote on their blog ÁJK HÖK Figyelő (Faculty of Law Student Union...
“Liberal, Jewish, Sexy”: Keeping Tabs on Hungarian Students
According to a report published by a Hungarian TV channel, members of the student union of one of the universities in Budapest allegedly kept tabs on students’ religion, ethnic background and political affiliation.
Hungarian Student Protesters Face Punishment, Keep Fighting
In December 2012, Hungarian university and high school students united to protest against the large cutbacks in higher education admission quotas. Their fight for tution-free slots continues.
Hungarian Radio Employee Defends Government on Hidden Camera Video
Atlatszo.hu published [hu] a hidden camera video of Fruzsina Tóth, a protester representing the students (she is also a first-year sociology student), talking to a woman who claimed to be a journalist of the Hungarian Radio. At the Dec. 17 protest, students demanded the Hungarian Radio to read their 5...
Hungary: Shantytown Destroyed to Help Real Estate Investment
Some 45-50 people have been living in their makeshift shacks in the abandoned woods of District X in Budapest. Some of the residents have built up self-supporting farms, but in June 2012 the local municipality started to move them out, which is not a unique phenomenon in Hungary's capital.