President Katalin Novák Resigns from her Office

President Katalin Novák has just announced her resignation from her office on the Hungarian M1 news channel.

The announcement comes amid a scandal concerning a past amnesty, in which a man sentenced for covering up a number of pedophile incidents at a Hungarian children’s care home has received a presidential pardon signed by President Novák.

The Hungarian president had cut short her ongoig Middle-East trip to return to Hungary in order to answer mounting questions in her role in pardoning the concerned person.

During the televised announcement Katalin Novák began her statement by saying that “I am not addressing the politicians, the policy makers, but the people I swore to serve two years ago.

Last April, I decided in favor of clemency in the belief that the convict had not abused his position that involved working with children. I was wrong,”

Katalin Novák admitted in her announcement.

The President of the Republic indicated that Hungarians expected their President not to make mistakes and announced that she would resign from the office of President of the Republic. At the same time she apologized to those she had disappointed and also for having made mistakes.

In her announcement, the former President thanked her family and all those who helped her in her work. “Politics is a tough, sometimes cruel world”, – said Katalin Novák, who ended her announcement by quoting from the Hymn:

“God, bless the Hungarian!”

Shortly after the President’s announcement, former Minister of Justice Judit Varga also fell on her sword announcing her resignation on her Facebook page by saying:

“The President of the Republic of Hungary resigned today. Since the regime change, the validity of the President’s individual pardon decision requires the countersignature of the Minister of Justice. I have continued the practice of more than 25 years whereby the Minister of Justice takes note of the President’s pardon decision.

I take political responsibility for countersigning the President’s decision. I am retiring from public life, resigning my seat as a Member of Parliament and also as leader of the EP list.

I would like to thank everyone with whom I have worked as part of a team over the years. Hungary can continue to count on me to defend our national interests and values”, ends the announcement from the former Justice Minister.

Earlier this week Prime Minister Viktor Orbán indicated that he would propose a constitutional amendment on the right to pardon which would exclude convicts involved in child abuse cases.

Featured Image: MTI/Sándor-palota