Soros foundations to quit Hungary amid political hostility

Attila Kisbenedek | AFP | Getty Images

A billboard with a poster of Hungarian-American billionaire and philanthropist George Soros with the lettering ‘National consultation about the Soros’ plan – Don’t let it pass without any words’ is seen in the 22nd district of Budapest on October 16, 2017, as the conservative government prepares their new national consultation.

George Soros’ Open Society Foundations will close their office in Budapest and move their eastern European operations to Berlin, Hungarian media cited Austria’s Die Presse newspaper as saying on Thursday.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has blamed Soros, a Hungarian-born U.S. financier, for a host of ills and pushed through legislation cracking down on non-governmental organizations called the “Stop Soros” laws which drew international criticism.

The Hungarian news website 444.hu said the Open Society Foundations office would shut down by Aug. 31 and move first to Vienna then on to Berlin.

Reuters was not been able to immediately reach the Open Society Foundations either in Budapest or New York.