EU concerned after Hungary forces Klubradio off air

European Union is urging Hungary's government to allow a liberal-leaning rio station to continue brocasting after it went off air on Monday following a refusal by media authorities to extend its brocast license.

European Commission spokesman Christian Wigand confirmed that Commission h officially expressed its concern over Klubrio, a commercial brocaster in capital of Budapest.

station was forced to stop brocasting a court upheld a decision by Hungary's Media Council not to extend its license.

Wigand said station’s loss of its brocasting frequency h occurred on basis of highly questionable legal grounds, and that Hungary should respect EU’s charter of fundamental rights, including rights to freedom of expression, information and freedom to conduct a business.

Commission has asked Hungary to take urgent action to ensure that Klubrio can continue using its frequency until final decisions become legally binding, Wigand said.

Hungary has not replied, he ded. loss of Klubrio's brocasting license has reinvigorated a debate over freedom of press and outsized political influence in Hungary’s media market.

station was one of last rio channels in Hungary that regularly featured opposition politicians and or critical voices during its news and talk programmes, something critics of government say led to discriminatory decisions by court and Media Council.

Klubrio CEO and director Andras Arato called last week's court verdict "shameful," and said company plans to appeal to Hungary’s highest court, Curia.