Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban introduced a second state of emergency on Tuesday, this time to deal with the consequences of the war in Ukraine, while the first, linked to the coronavirus pandemic, was due to expire next Tuesday.
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“The world is on the brink of an economic crisis. Hungary must stay out of this war and protect the financial security of its families,” the nationalist leader said on Facebook, raising concerns.
“This requires flexibility and immediate action. The government, exercising its right under the Basic Law, declares a state of war emergency from midnight,” he added.
Shortly before this announcement, the parliament, which had just been sworn in, had amended the constitution to allow the introduction of such a measure “due to a conflict”. Viktor Orban’s Fidesz party has a two-thirds majority there.
The first decisions taken in this new legal framework will be announced on Wednesday, according to Viktor Orban.
The NGO for the defense of civil liberties TASZ denounced a “state of emergency that has become permanent”, recalling that it had already been established in Hungary, as part of the fight against the coronavirus pandemic. It was due to expire on May 31.
It offers Viktor Orban “more leeway than usual”, allowing him to “restrict or simply suspend everyone’s fundamental rights”, denounces the NGO, which regrets the marginalization of parliament in Hungary.
In power without interruption for twelve years, Mr. Orban, dean of European leaders, is regularly accused by his Western partners of abuse of power in his country, a member of the European Union (EU) and NATO.
