Anti-gay law: Books are wrapped in transparent foil in Hungary

The LGBTQ-themed books that Libri recently removed from the shelves had to comply with the “Child Protection Law” (also commonly referred to as the anti-gay law). In the spring, the consumer protection authority fined several bookshop chains for offering publications covered by the law in “inappropriate” places. Now, a video emerged showing books being wrapped in transparent foil so that they cannot be read or looked into.

“While Waterstones bookshop in the UK is doing LGBTQ book highlights to celebrate Pride, Libri is wrapping these books in foil,” said Tibor Rácz-Stefán, an author who himself has homosexual characters in his books. He also made a video in the Libri bookstore showing how the transparent film makes it impossible to read these publications, even though their covers and backs are visible, Index writes.

The Mathias Corvinus Collegium (a government-close company) has recently acquired a stake in Libri. The takeover has provoked strong reactions from some sections of the literary community. Writer Dénes Krusovszky said that the change of ownership would have unforeseeable consequences. We wrote abou this in detail HERE. This means that the largest part of the book market will no longer be controlled by the market, but by the state.

The company, which owns half of the book market, justified the wrapping to Telex by claiming that it had to comply with the Child Protection Act.

In May, the consumer protection authority fined both Libri and Líra bookshops for selling a book in the youth section, which the authority said should not have been there, in line with the provisions of the Child Protection Act. This is why Dóra Papp’s books were also excluded from the youth offer. The author noted in the context of the experience:

You see, the book arrives from the printer in foil, then the bookshop orders it from the publisher, then repackages it one by one! It’s called censorship… Go to Pride on 15 July and support those who are constantly being stepped on – now that includes Hungarian authors.

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