US rejects talks with Hungary over higher education law

According to the US State Department, the United States has no intention of negotiating with Hungary about its new higher education law, which could force a top university founded by US financier George Soros out of the country, reports Reuters.

The Central European University found itself in the eye of a political storm after Hungary's parliament passed a law last month setting tougher conditions for the awarding of licences to foreign-based universities.

The law has triggered a series of street protests – the most recent last Sunday – against Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's right-wing government less than a year before a parliamentary election. Orbán had proposed talks with the US about the law, saying the reforms were meant to level the playing field for all universities in Hungary. But last Tuesday's response dashed any prospect of a compromise through talks with Washington.
Full report on the Reuters site