Hungary summons US envoy over plan to fund rural media outlets

Hungary’s Foreign Ministry has summoned US envoy David Kostelancik over a plan to fund rural media outlets in Hungary, Reuters said. Budapest considers the plan to be a “political intervention” ahead of an election due early next year. The United States said on Monday that it would allocate $700,000 to fund rural media outlets in Hungary to help train and equip journalists in defense of independent media. The US program offers technical and financial assistance to media outlets, small grants and other tools. The funds can be used after the election in May 2018.