Statement on school’s website

Although the statement does not mention Putin by name, the number of the resolution – 1/2017 (VIII.18) – makes clear that the Hungarian institute of higher learning has revoked the Russian President of his honorary citizen title.

At its meeting on March 17, the University Senate unanimously adopted an amendment to the section of its organizational and operational rulebook entitled “Procedure for awarding university honors and titles at the University of Debrecen.”

The amendment states that an award may be revoked by three-quarters of its members voting in the affirmative if the recognized person has become unworthy, or if it is not presented to them within three years. Debreciner asked the school which one applied to Vladimir Putin, but has not received an answer yet.

The University of Debrecen decided on August 18, 2017 to award the title of Honorary Citizen to Vladimir Putin.

The University Senate justified this on the grounds that Russia would give the University of Debrecen a major role in implementing the Paks II nuclear power plant expansion project.

A strategic contract concluded between the University of Debrecen and Russian state energy giant Rosatom also states that the university could train experts for the project.

Vladimir Putin originally planned to receive the Honorary Citizen award but never did, choosing instead to speak briefly with Viktor Orbán at the opening of the World Judo Championships in Budapest.


MTI Photo: Zoltán Máthé