MABIE head Katalin Boros said at the protest held in front of the Justice Ministry that judges felt that recent measures had curbed judicial independence.

Organisational and legal status reforms were adopted by the legislative and executive branches without substantial consultation with the judiciary, she said.

Judiciary employees were increasingly vulnerable because there had been no adequate wage raises, she added. Full independence and adequate pay were key to serving the public, she said. "If judicial independence is shaken, the rights of all citizens are at risk, because there is no freedom without an independent judiciary," she said.

Mikael Sjoberg, the head of the European Association of Judges (EAJ), said the protest was a sign of "the rule of law facing an ultimate challenge in Hungary". The EAJ supports the demonstration, he said.

Sjoberg said that at the end of last year, the EAJ sent a letter to the Hungarian justice minister, protesting against the government's attempt to make wage hikes conditional on introducing judicial reforms which the EAJ said undermined judicial independence.

Duro Sessa, the leader of the International Association of Judges, said the government should ensure that the judiciary take part in decisions on the sector's budget, and that they are consulted on all decisions concerning the sector.

Source: 
MTI - The Hungarian News Agency, founded in 1881.