Hungarian President Katalin Novak resigns

Ms Novak resigned just a week after the pardon was discovered and reported by the local newspaper 444.hu. The revelation caused an uproar, leading the opposition to demand the resignation of her and former Justice Minister Judit Varga. Varga also resigned as an MP on Saturday.

Hungarian President Katalin Novak speaks at COP28 in Dubai, UAE on December 1, 2023. Photo: Reuters

“I made a mistake… Today is my last day speaking to you as president,” Novak said as she announced her resignation on state television. She cut short an official visit to Qatar and unexpectedly returned to Budapest on Saturday.

"I granted the pardon in April last year because I believed the convict did not abuse the children in his care to the point of harm. I made a mistake by granting this pardon," she said.

This week, opposition parties in Hungary called for President Novak to resign over the incident, and on Friday, thousands of protesters rallied at Novak's office to call for her resignation.

In an effort to calm the situation, Prime Minister Viktor Orban personally submitted a constitutional amendment to the Hungarian Parliament late Thursday, stripping the president of his power to pardon crimes against children.

Huy Hoang (according to Reuters)

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/tong-thong-hungary-katalin-novak-tu-chuc-post284239.html