George Soros

Hungarian President Janos Ader on Monday approved a controversial law seen as targeting the respected Central European University founded by US billionaire George Soros, despite protests at home and abroad. The signing of the higher education legislation, the final legal hurdle before it passes into law, came after the largest street demonstration in Hungary in recent years, AFP reported.

After Hungary passed laws potentially restricting the functioning of foreign universities in the country, and putting the Central European University at risk of closure, mayors of two cities in western Romania, in Arad and Oradea, have said they would welcome the university moving there instead.

MPs from Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban's Fidesz party on Tuesday approved a draft education bill.

AP is reporting that "critics say the bill targets a university founded by billionaire philanthropist George Soros."

Amid a government crackdown on NGOs that are co-financed by billionaire George Soros, thousands have protested against a restrictive draft bill. The legislation could drive a university backed by Soros out of Hungary, according to DW.

The Central European University (CEU) announced on Tuesday evening that Hungary's government has submitted a draft bill for amendments to higher education which will make it impossible for the institution to function in Budapest. CEU headquarters have been based in Budapest for the last 25 years, reported AP and BTA.

Albanian opposition leader Lulzim Basha, from the centre-right Democratic Party (PD) gave an interview to controversial American media outlet Breitbart during a visit to the United States to raise awareness about the political situation in the country.

The 240-page book called 'Robbers of Democracy', which was distributed free with the Telegraph daily newspaper, part of the Balkan Media Company linked to controversial media mogul Delyan Peevski, has caused anger among those accused of being "foreign mercenaries".

While organisations financed or perceived to be linked to US billionaire philanthropist George Soros are increasingly under attack in the Balkans, Open Society Foundations says it is honoured to finance those working to create better lives for people in the region.

A group of NGOs in Macedonia has given a recently formed movement, Stop Operation Soros, SOS, a week to apologise or face legal charges over its claims that local NGOs are receiving money from abroad to destabilise the country.

Romanian demonstrators welcomed the government's decision to scrap an emergency ordinance party decriminalizing abuse of office.

However, they added protests would continue until the ordinance was repealed.

On Saturday evening, Prime Minister Sorin Grindeanu said authorities had heard and seen "many options" and did not "want to divide Romania".