Sexual abuse in the child's home/ The President of Hungary resigns

2024-02-10 21:13:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

Hungary's president, Katalin Novak, resigned on Saturday after mounting pressure to pardon an inmate who helped cover up sexual abuse at a children's home.

President Novak, a close ally of conservative Prime Minister Viktor Orban, pardoned about twenty prisoners in April 2023, among them the deputy director of the orphanage, who helped the former director of the institution to hide his crimes.

"I made a mistake... Today is the last day I address you as president ," said Mrs. Novak while announcing her resignation during a speech broadcast on state television.

Sexual abuse in the child's home/ The President of Hungary resigns

"Last April I made the decision to pardon a convict, believing that he had not abused the vulnerable children he supervised. Doubts about zero tolerance for pedophilia were justified due to the error of forgiveness and lack of reasoning," she said.

This week, the opposition parties demanded the resignation of the president regarding the case in question. On Friday, about a thousand demonstrators gathered in front of Ms. Novak's office, calling for her removal from office.

In an effort to contain the political damage, Prime Minister Orbán, whose Fidesz party is launching an election campaign for the European Parliament, presented to parliament on Thursday evening a constitutional amendment that would remove the president's right to pardon individuals who have commit crimes against children.

Sexual abuse in the child's home/ The President of Hungary resigns

Judit Varga, an important figure of the ruling party, who approved the pardon while serving as Minister of Justice, is also involved in this case. Ms. Varga was expected to head the Fidesz party's list of candidates in June's European Parliament elections.

Through a post on the Facebook network, Mrs. Varga announced her withdrawal from political life, resigning as a deputy and taking responsibility for the decision./ VOA