Hungary opens communist-era secret police files to the public
The move aims to help society heal from communist rule, though critics argue the files are incomplete and may cause division.
The Hungarian government has opened secret police files from the communist era to the public, according to BBC News. The release of the documents, which includes the names and personal data of around 60,000 people recruited by secret services, became available on the nyitottaktak.hu website on Wednesday.
Prime Minister Péter Magyar said the publication is long overdue and intended to help society process trauma. He asked the public to treat the documents with dignity and humanity, noting that many families will face difficult information regarding deceased relatives.
Magyar defended the move as a fulfilment of a campaign promise. While it has been possible since 1998 for individuals to apply for their own files or for historians to research others, many names were previously blacked out and some files were withheld or shredded.
A second batch of files, known as the B-dossiers, is currently being digitalised. These files, which will provide more detail regarding the recruitment process and the value of information provided, are scheduled to be made available on 25 February.
Critics have raised concerns about the release. Zsuzsanna Borvendég, a historian and MEP of the Our Homeland party, told Hungarian media that publishing names without explaining recruitment circumstances risks misleading the public.
Historian Krisztian Ungváry, who campaigned for the release, stated that access to information recorded by the state should be a citizens' right rather than depending on those in power.