A delegation of the European Judges Association is now drawing attention to the precarious situation in the Hungarian judiciary following an observer trip to Budapest at the end of April, the report of which is available in the „Wiener Zeitung“ (online edition).
At the center of the sharp criticism is the „problematic situation“ for the legal system in Hungary, which was identified in the fact-finding mission.
This is characterized by a „completely uncontrolled acting of the President of the National Office of Jurisdiction“.
This was well known, but tolerated by the political side. Prime Minister Viktor Orban and his national-conservative FIDESZ party have been confronted in the past few months with serious concerns from the European Commission, partly because of the reform of the judiciary. The judges‘ conclusions warn that the situation in Hungary since May 2018 has been facing a very difficult situation, which is close to some aspects of a „constitutional crisis“.
At an event next week in the Palace of Justice on the subject of „Europe and the rule of law“, the developments in the Hungarian judiciary will be deliberately put at the center. It is about influencing judges‘ orders and „eliminating“ the National Council of Jurisdiction.
