Hungary's Orbán Plans A New Constitution

  • 7 May 2010 4:00 AM
Hungary's Orbán Plans A New Constitution
"The next cabinet will draft a new Constitution before the end of its term, Prime Minister-designate Viktor Orban announced in Parliament on Wednesday.

Work on drafting the document will have to wait, he said, as there are other, more urgent issues.

The first official decision of the next government will be to form a commission to investigate allegations of police brutality on October 23, 2006, Orban revealed, adding “There is no room for caution or hesitation: we shall not leave without commenting on what happened” on that day. All of those responsible must be found, he said, regardless of rank, position or age.

The commission will be led by Fidesz MP Istvan Balsai, a Democratic Forum interior minister in the 1990-94 cabinet.

On other issues, Orban listed accountability and improving the economy as among the top priorities. Once the government structure has been changed, Orban said he will focus on reducing the number of MPs and amending legislation on local authorities.

Preparing a new Constitution, will come later, Orban continued. He said enacting a new Constitution will require much wisdom and time “but now there is no time for us concern ourselves with this”.

“The time has come to found a new system, one of national co-operation which will be built up step by step.”

He promised that all forms of corruption will be weeded out, including political and economic corruption.

Investigations of police brutality were begun in 112 cases but prosecutors brought charges in only nine, as the perpetrators could not be identified because they wore masks and did not wear identification badges, Magyar Nemzet writes.

It is likely that national security will not be entrusted to the Interior Ministry, Magyar Hirlap writes. Incoming interior minister Sandor Pinter shocked Fidesz on Monday by saying the chief of Budapest police had done nothing illegal in ordering the dispersal of rioters in 2006."

Source: Hungary Around the Clock.

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