The move comes a month after Dull warned that the website’s independence from the government was at risk. Last month, Index moved its “independence barometer” to “in danger” from “independent” after it was confronted by management plans to reorganize the newsroom, which it opposed.
Index is among the independent media outlets which have suffered financially amid prime minister Viktor Orban’s efforts to control Hungary’s media. The government has denied interfering in the media.
The European Commission has earlier expressed concern for the independence of index.hu, and has accused Budapest of eroding the rule of law. Several independent media outlets have closed after Orban used legal levers, ownership changes and advertising money to create more loyal media.
Over 90 staffers said in a note posted on Index that they consider the firing of Dull as “an open attempt to exert pressure”, which will make independent work in the newsroom impossible.
Dull later said he was told by Laszlo Bodolai, who leads the foundation that owns Index, that he had been fired because of the decision to move the “independence barometer” and because of the announcements he wrote explaining the motivation behind the decision.
“The political independence of Index is not at risk”, Bodolai said, adding that Dull had been unable to control internal tensions that arose from perceived attempts to influence the newsroom. That led to disarray and a drop in revenue as advertisers stayed away, according to Bodolai.
