After protests, Hungary says there is way for Soros-founded university to stay

Hungary said on Wednesday there was a way for a university founded by U.S. financier George Soros to continue operations, following protests after opponents said a new law threatened its future.

The law stipulated that the Central European University (CEU), viewed as a bastion of independent thinking in eastern Europe, must open a branch in its home state of New York alongside its campus in Budapest and secure a bilateral agreement of support from the U.S. government.

The United States called on Hungary to suspend implementation of the law, which on Sunday drew some of the biggest demonstrations against Prime Minister Viktor Orban's government by opponents who consider it part of a wider crackdown on dissent.

Education Secretary Laszlo Palkovics told the news web site HVG.hu on Wednesday the CEU could issue diplomas if it extended a license agreement with its Hungarian sister school to teach its courses.

(This article has not been edited by DNA's editorial team and is auto-generated from an agency feed.)