Hungary's Justice Overhaul: Attorney General Resigns
Hungary's justice system is on the verge of reform: the Attorney General has resigned. In addition to corruption scandals, he has been accused of dragging out investigations into the government.
Hungarian Attorney General Gabor Balint Nagy submitted his resignation through interim President Agnes Forsthoffer. In his explanation, Nagy stated that he wished to prevent the prosecutor's office from being turned into an instrument of political conflict.
Hungary's new pro-European Prime Minister Peter Magyar had repeatedly called for the Attorney General's resignation. Magyar wrote on his Facebook page: "The country has freed itself from yet another Orban puppet who was obstructing the change of system. Gentlemen – who will be next?"
Resignation Heralds Reforms
Nagy had been Attorney General since June of last year. During the Hungarian election campaign in particular, he was accused of failing to launch investigations into misconduct by government agencies – for example in the scandal surrounding intelligence services' surveillance of politicians from Magyar's Tisza party, the former opposition party. Nagy was also accused of covering up corruption affairs within the Orban government.
The Attorney General's resignation is being seen as a milestone in Hungary. Magyar now has the opportunity to build an independent justice system and to tackle corruption effectively. Previously, the most prominent Orban loyalist in the Constitutional Court, Peter Polt, had already been removed through a new law prohibiting judges over the age of 70. A fresh start is also underway there. Only the Supreme Court in Hungary remains in Orban's hands.
