Hungary’s Fidesz party announces protest after PM Magyar files constitutional amendment

Budapest, July 7 (IANS) Hungary’s opposition Fidesz party has announced that it will hold a protest on Thursday as Prime Minister Peter Magyar submitted a constitutional amendment to oust the country’s President, Tamas Sulyok, a report has said.

Magyar, who secured win in the elections held in April, has repeatedly called for the removal of President Sulyok who was appointed by his predecessor Viktor Orban, whom he calls “Orban’s puppet”, Euro News reported.

The amendment submitted by Magyar states that “the mandate of the incumbent President of the Republic shall terminate on the day following the entry into force of the amendment to the Fundamental Law.”

The ruling Tisza Party holds a supermajority in parliament, implying that the amendment filed by Magyar is expected to pass. Sources in the Hungarian parliament revealed that the vote could take place as early as next week, however, this has not been officially confirmed.

Four constitutional judges will be removed after the constitutional changes as their retirement age will be set to 70 years. In addition, constitutional changes will limit parliamentary deputies to a 12-year mandate.

President Sulyok has announced that he has no plans to resign and termed Magyar’s action a threat to democracy, Euro News reported.

In a statement on Sunday, Sulyok said, “The question is whether this force will sweep away internationally recognised and required principles of the rule of law, as well as genuine representative democracy.”

Fidesz has said Sulyok’s removal would pave the way for tyranny, and called for a protest in support of Hungarian President on Thursday in support of Sulyok. The opposition has contended that Sulyok was elected in accordance with Hungary’s constitution and that his removal would amount to personalised legislation.

Orban said, “The Tisza Party crosses all boundaries – human, moral and legal.” He stated that the voters of Hungary did not authorise it.

During his election campaign, Magyar vowed to remove Hungary’s President from office, stressing that Sulyok did not fulfil his constitutional duties and did not stand up for opposition supporters when Orban served as PM.

Earlier in June, Magyar accused Tamas Sulyok of abandoning the people of Hungary.

While addressing a press conference in outside the Sandor Palace on June 1, he said, “The office of the president of the republic is more important and more powerful than any individual head of state. It is in Hungary’s interest that the presidency should regain the authority that has been battered in recent years by its silences, its untenable decisions and its omissions.”

–IANS

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