Bence Tuzson pointed out that Hungary has already begun making its legal system more transparent.Continue reading
At a conference titled Institutional Guarantees of Judicial Independence – International Perspectives, that served as a platform for international perspectives on judicial autonomy, Justice Minister Bence Tuzson addressed the state of judicial independence in Hungary.
The politician emphasized that Hungary’s judiciary is not only independent of the government but also maintains an oversight role. He highlighted that the National Judiciary Council has both supervisory and decision-making powers, though improvements are still necessary. Acknowledging the crucial role of respect for judges, he added that judicial independence is guaranteed by more than just adherence to the law—proper infrastructure is also essential.
Minister Tuzson noted that consultations with the European Union have resulted in significant changes to the Hungarian judicial system, but the full impact remains unclear.
He criticized the EU’s tendency towards what he sees as judicial “detachment” from society, which, he argued, is a misstep.
András Zs. Varga, President of the Curia of Hungary (the Supreme Court), shared his views on judicial independence, stating it is not a personal prerogative but a collective responsibility to avoid interference in judicial work. He pointed out that the independence of the judiciary is a well-explored subject within Hungary, and now the international context must be considered. Mr. Zs. Varga added that many questions still arise when applying the principle of judicial independence.
Both András Zs. Varga and Bence Tuzson reiterated the importance of judicial independence, but stressed it must remain connected to society and continuously evaluated in light of international standards.
Via MTI; Featured Image: Pixabay