Conservative Fidesz, tipped to win the April general election, said earlier that it would examine the legal background for prosecuting politicians for any misdeeds committed while in office. But Istvan Balsai, Fidesz’s chief legal expert, said on Tuesday that former leading politicians would be put in the dock only if they faced common charges such as for theft and fraud.
Fidesz had earlier vowed to bring former ruling politicians to account for any wrongdoing in office, saying it would examine the possible legal framework for prosecuting politicians.
Former prime minister Ferenc Gyurcsany and ex-finance minister Janos Veres were accused on the political right of lying about the state of the public finances in the run-up to the 2006 parliamentary elections. Gyurcsany’s admission that his government had lied – made in a closed-door meeting of his party but publicised when a secret recording was handed over the media – provoked outrage and a series of street demonstrations, some of which turned violent.
Fidesz has recently sought to distance itself from calls on some fringes of the right to exact vengeance on a number of Socialist luminaries.
Balsai said an urgent task would be to determine what exactly happened on October 23, 2006 – the anniversary of Hungary’s 1956 anti-Soviet uprising turned into riots – as those responsible have not been named ever since, Balsai said.
Meanwhile, Balsai said that restoring public order and security is one of the main targets planned by Fidesz if it enters government.
He said that public trust in the state prosecution service had been shaken and should be restored, he added. Fidesz plans to set up an independent ministry of the interior and legislation will be geared towards speeding up the administration of justice, he said.
Other issues that need to be reviewed are the sale of the headquarters of public television MTV, Hungarian Post and state railways MAV, Balsai said. The use of the secret services for political purposes, land transactions, advisor contracts and communication contracts will also need to be reviewed, he added.
Fidesz plans to set up an independent ministry of the interior and legislation will be geared towards speeding up the administration of justice
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Independent of what?
The Government?
The Interior Ministry will not be responsible to the Parliament?
I do not understand that part
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Cutting the time of pre-trial detention would be a good thing, then it seems to be a very long time between initial arrest and when the case goes to court in Hungary
Not so good for the accused, especially if that person is later either not charged or convicted
Compare with the ‘Debrecen Nazi’ and Budahazi and his merry gang of Molotov-Coktail-Shakers
Mr Viking I think the word ‘Independent’ here means that it takes orders only from Orban Viktor. One of it’s objectives will be to detain almost indefinitely anyone that Orban (and perhaps the other ‘big wigs’ of FIDESZ) do not like or who will not ‘give a subscription’ to FIDESZ. It’s function is to suppress any one who expresses dissent or criticises FIDESZ.
The idea of actually getting a verdict is only a secondary consideration. So long as it is a ‘pre-trial’ detention the Europeans can only look on in disgust. This is because the legal process in Hungary is not finished and Strasbourg cannot interfere.
I have been trying to get a complete (English) version of the treaty of Paris (1948) as I think there are a few supposes in it.
“One of it’s objectives will be to detain almost indefinitely anyone that Orban (and perhaps the other ‘big wigs’ of FIDESZ) do not like or who will not ‘give a subscription’ to FIDESZ. It’s function is to suppress any one who expresses dissent or criticises FIDESZ.”