BUDAPEST, Hungary — The Hungarian foreign ministry says it has summoned Canada’s ambassador to Hungary after she expressed concerns about the fate of a Budapest university and academic freedom as a whole.
The ministry said Friday that Ambassador Isabelle Poupart’s statements on recent amendments to the law on higher education are false and academic freedom is not under threat.
Poupart had said in a statement Thursday that Canada was “seriously concerned” by the amendments seen targeting Central European University, founded by George Soros in 1991 and accredited in Hungary and New York state.
Poupart said Canada encourages a constructive dialogue to solve the matter.
Hungary says CEU is cheating by issuing Hungarian and American diplomas, giving it an unfair advantage over other local universities.
CEU rector is Michael Ignatieff, former leader of the Liberal party.
The Associated Press
