The European Commission on Tuesday requested Hungary to amend laws which blocked competition among cable television operators in the country, local media reported.

Under current laws, the proportion of Hungarian cable TV receivers could not surpass one third of the total population. The restriction ran against laws of the European Union (EU), said the bloc's Competition Commissioner Neelie Kroes-Smit.

Hungary must amend the laws within two months or face sanctions from the European Court of Justice, she stressed.

In response, Balasz Zachar, a senior official of the Hungarian Culture Ministry said the authorities have presented proposals about lifting the restrictions several times over the past two years, but the amendment draft failed to pass in the parliament because of the objection of opposition parties.

Zachar stressed that the new government to be formed later this month would continue submitting the amendment proposal to the parliament.

As no party won an overall majority in the first round of Hungarian general elections on Sunday, a run-off will be held on April 23.

Source: Xinhua