(Bloomberg) -- The US said it was “deeply concerned” by new probes Hungary launched into an investigative journalism outlet as well as a graft watchdog, calling them “anti-democratic measures” threatening civil society and media freedom. 

“The Hungarian government’s attempt to harass, intimidate, and punish independent organizations runs counter to the principles of democratic governance rooted in the rule of law,” according to a State Department statement published on Thursday.

Hungary’s Sovereignty Protection Agency earlier this week announced probes into Transparency International and the Atlatszo.hu news website, ostensibly because they’ve received funding from abroad. The two organizations have criticized the moves as an effort on the part of Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s regime to stifle critical voices in the European Union member state.

The state agency was the brainchild of Orban, who’s been dismantling liberal democracy since 2010, striking up close ties with Russia and China while maintaining Hungary’s membership in the EU and the NATO military alliance. The EU is currently probing the legality of so-called sovereignty protection law in Hungary. It’s also withholding funds earmarked for the nation for corruption and the erosion of the rule of law.

The Hungarian probes were announced just as Hungary takes over the EU’s rotating presidency from Monday. It also follows local and EU elections earlier this month that saw an upstart politician surge in polls in a potential threat to the five-term Orban ahead of the 2026 general ballot.

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