Hungarian parliament approves new reading of law on administrative procedures

Budapest, February 21 (MTI) – Parliament has approved, with minor changes, the law on administrative procedures that the top court earlier ruled unconstitutional.

President János Áder referred the law to the Constitutional Court in January with concerns about the introduction into the judicial system of a new layer, a so-called administrative court that would act as an appeals court.

This type of legislation, the Constitutional Court ruled, required a two-thirds majority, which the government does not have.

The resubmitted law now refers to the already functioning metropolitan court as the higher court rather than legislating for a new court.

Further, the administrative activities of the National Election Committee are no longer listed under the jurisdiction of the administrative or labour courts, and any references to challenges to its decisions are missing from the new law.

Lawmakers passed the law with 127 in favour, 31 against and 22 abstentions.

Source: MTI