Hungarian university founded by Soros seeks Vienna campus

BUDAPEST, Hungary – A Budapest-based university founded by Hungarian-American billionaire George Soros says it’s in talks to open a satellite campus in Vienna.

Central European University Rector Michael Ignatieff said Monday in a statement that Budapest would remain its home base.

Ignatieff said CEU looks forward “to working with the city and the Austrian government to make a CEU Vienna a reality.”

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has targeted CEU because of its ties to Soros, whom Orban says is fomenting migration into Europe and trying to influence Hungarian politics through his support for non-governmental organizations like corruption watchdog Transparency International and the Hungarian Helsinki Committee, a rights group.

The government has been delaying signing an agreement which would ensure CEU’s ability to remain in Budapest and continue issuing American diplomas.