Hungarian President Tamás Sulyok has stated that he does not intend to leave office, despite the demand from Prime Minister Péter Magyar's government to resign by May 31. This was reported by Telex, according to UNN.
In a video address, Sulyok emphasized that he will wait for the position of the Venice Commission and will act exclusively within the framework of constitutional procedures.
"The dignity of the presidential office requires resilience from me. Love for the law requires perseverance. The Motherland requires loyalty. The Nation requires respect," he stated.
Conflict between the President and the new government
Sulyok noted that after the elections, a political demand emerged in the country to rethink the role of the president; however, he emphasized that the country's current Constitution provides for the president's cooperation with any government.
According to him, the calls for resignation and demands from the Prime Minister are "unusual for relations between state institutions" and damage the authority of the presidential office.
At the same time, Sulyok stated that he would continue to cooperate with the government and support legislative decisions necessary to unblock EU funds for Hungary.
Magyar demands the removal of "Orbán's people"
Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar reacted briefly to the president's address.
"Tamás Sulyok has never stood up for the underprivileged, the victims, or the protection of the rule of law. Even on Children's Day, he only protects his salary of 6.3 million forints per month," Magyar wrote.
Earlier, the head of government gave Sulyok and several other high-ranking officials until May 31 to resign voluntarily. Magyar claims that after his party's election victory, the country must undergo a "system change," and officials appointed during Viktor Orbán's era must leave their posts.
Among those the government called on to resign are the Prosecutor General, the President of the Constitutional Court, the heads of the judicial administration, the competition authority, and the media regulator.
The Constitution may be amended to remove the President
Under current legislation, the President of Hungary can only be removed prematurely in the event of a violation of the Constitution or the commission of a crime.
However, Magyar's government holds a constitutional majority in parliament and is considering the possibility of amending the basic law to simplify the procedure for removing officials appointed by the previous administration.
Hungarian lawyers have already warned that such changes could raise questions regarding compliance with the principles of the rule of law.
Tamás Sulyok's mandate is valid until March 2029.