Prime Minister Viktor Orbán attended the jubilee meeting of the Curia, formerly known as the Supreme Court, where he also spoke about the planned relocation of the institution in his ceremonial speech. According to plans, the Curia would be relocated to its original seat at Kossuth tér, opposite the Parliament Building, after 150 years. The building of the former justice palace currently accommodates the Museum of Ethnography. Once the Curia is given back its original seat, the symbolic constitutional triangle will be complete; the triangle of legislative, executive and judicial power.

Viktor Orbán stated in connection with the justice reform that a firm, decisive and well-founded evaluation would take a longer time; at the same time, new financial resources have also been allocated for the changes contemplated at this point in time so that „we may free the administration of justice from often shameful circumstances”.

The Prime Minister recalled, at the time of the establishment of Parliament, Members of Parliament were required to answer the question whether the country would need a parliamentary or a presidential system. Finally, for historical reasons and out of respect for the law, while there were a number of arguments for a shift towards a presidential system, they decided that the Hungarian constitutional system should continue to function within the boundaries of parliamentarism.

The Prime Minister also reminded his audience of the decision on the basis of which the prosecution would not be subjected to the Government but would continue to remain accountable to Parliament. Furthermore, they did not seek to implement the general reform of the administration of justice in such a way as „to shift the responsibility for the administration of justice towards the Government but that responsibility, too, should be left in the hands of Parliament”.

The justice reform, the new Civil and Criminal Codes soon to be passed and the new system of public administration are remarkable achievements, Viktor Orbán summed up. The Prime Minister also spoke about the new rules regarding the retirement of judges. In this context, he pointed out they are aware of the injury caused by the changes, however, Parliament and the Government do not regard those changes as part of the justice reform but as part of the general retirement system. At the same time, he stressed in the case of all affected judges, the Government attempts to provide fair treatment and looks upon the work they have completed with the greatest respect.

The Prime Minister repeatedly mentioned that, due to Europe’s crisis, we cannot live in the future the same way as we have done before. A new European order will evolve with new power centres; some states will rise to greater heights, while others will necessarily lose significance, the Prime Minister said. As regards Hungary, the Prime Minister pointed out, the Parliament elected in 2010 with a two-third majority accepted its responsibility for a process of renewal; whether „we use the means and methods at our disposal well or not so well”, it is for each person to decide. Viktor Orbán also argued that, in his opinion, the maintenance of the two-third rules builds an ongoing consensus necessity into the system from which the administration of justice, too, will eventually benefit.

(kormany.hu)