The Constitutional Court on Monday struck down legislation on hate speech, as well as a clause on funding church-run schools. President László Sólyom sent the amendments to the Court for preliminary review in March. The amendments were passed by Socialist MPs without the support of the cabinet.

In declaring that hate speech may not be punishable, the Court said the right of free speech may not be denied simply because comments offend the interests, views or sensitivity of others, or if those comments are offensive or humiliating to individuals.

The court also struck down an amendment that would have enabled members of ethnic minorities and organizations to take legal action over offensive remarks affecting their group. The Court ruled that only natural persons are entitled to the right of human dignity, but communities are not. It stated that the amendments would disproportionately restrict freedom of opinion.

The rulings divided the court, as Péter Kovács and Miklós Lévay added differing remarks and László Kiss expressed a dissenting opinion, Népszabadság notes. The Jewish federation Mazsihisz called the ruling outrageous.

Regarding school funding, the Court ruled that subsidies for schools not run by the state or local governments may not be less than subsidies allocated to local government schools, as this is inconsistent with the treaty signed with the Vatican in 1997.

The Education Ministry has drafted a government decree on state funding of church-run schools and will consult the churches before August 31.