Havasi said that Magyar had abused his power as prime minister when, "during his publicly-broadcast tour of the ministry on Saturday, he unlawfully instructed officers of the standby police to remove [Havasi] from the ministry building on Disz Square, where the office of the deputy state secretary is located."

"It is a criminal act, unprecedented since the fall of communism, that an incumbent prime minister should have an incumbent deputy state secretary forcefully removed from his office and ministry, without any legal procedure or lawful reason," Havasi said in a statement.

Magyar's argument requesting police action lacked any legal basis and was tantamount to "abuse of power, which is a crime," Havasi said, adding that until he was relieved from his office, he had the right to access all ministries and public institutions.

"I call on Peter Magyar to keep his nervous system in a state fit to govern, or contrive to achieve such a state," Havasi said.

Earlier: Magyar dismisses Bertalan Havasi

Prime Minister Peter Magyar has dismissed Bertalan Havasi from his position as deputy state secretary. The decision was published in the latest issue of the Magyar Kozlony (Hungarian Gazette).

The text of the decree states: "On the recommendation of the minister leading the Prime Minister’s Cabinet Office, I hereby dismiss Dr Bertalan Havasi, deputy state secretary of the Prime Minister's Cabinet Office, from his position with immediate effect."

In a video posted on Facebook, Magyar said: "Bertalan Havasi, former deputy state secretary of the propaganda ministry, today requested his dismissal in front of the Hungarian public on the rooftop terrace of the luxury ministry."

When Havasi told the prime minister, "You could throw me out by the seat of my pants -- it would make a better spectacle," Magyar replied that he had not planned to do so.

When the topic of severance pay for government members arose, the prime minister said: "We'll meet in court."

Havasi called the prime minister's decision "petty". In a statement to MTI, Havasi clarified that his severance pay, including family tax benefits, amounted to six months of his 1.3 million forint monthly salary, not tens of millions. He added that this payment would be made in full not only to him but to all "humiliated or to-be-humiliated public servants".

"I suppose, like most people, they will use it for their families' livelihood," he wrote, recalling that Magyar, as a "Fidesz minister's wife", had received millions monthly and multi-million forint severance payments in state positions.

"You are petty and ill-informed. Unfit," he wrote, addressing Magyar.

Photo: Youtube screenshot

Source: MTI – Hungary’s national news agency since 1881. While MTI articles are usually factual, some may contain political bias, and readers should be aware that such content does not reflect the position of XpatLoop, which is neutral and independent.

Since the goal of XpatLoop is to keep readers well briefed, right across the spectrum of opinions, MTI items are shared to ensure readers are aware of all narratives within the local media.

XpatLoop believes in empowering readers to form their own views through complete and comprehensive coverage. To facilitate this XpatLoop has a balanced range of news partners, as you can see when you surf around XpatLoop.com

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