The head of the National Judicial Office warns against attempts to put pressure on judiciary 

Budapest, February 2 (MTI) – The head of the National Judicial Office has called on “representatives of the other branches of state power to respect the independence of judges”.

Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, Tünde Handó referred to critical remarks concerning such recent court rulings as the acquittal of all defendants in the case of Hungary’s 2010 red sludge disaster.

The criticism indicates that the concepts of independence and judges’ responsibility may not be evident, therefore the courts should consider feedback and make their workings more understandable, Handó said.

Handó quoted the constitution as stating that judges shall be independent, subordinated solely to the law, and shall not be instructed when making decisions.

“Pressure cannot be put on the courts,” Handó said.

Péter Darák, Hungary’s chief judge, has also warned of the dangers of politicians pressuring the courts if they do not like a ruling.

On Monday, Darák said in a statement that “Judges must be able to rule freely and without bias, and calling them to account … goes against the spirit of the constitution”.

A lawmaker of ruling Fidesz said on Sunday that the party is initiating a debate in parliament’s justice committee of two court rulings last week.

The committee will discuss the acquittal of all 15 suspects in a case involving Hungary’s worst environmental disaster, a spill of industrial sludge, and a suspended prison sentence handed down to the capital’s former Socialist deputy mayor, Miklós Hagyó, on embezzlement charges.

Government office chief János Lázár told a public forum on Tuesday that politicians must not exert influence on the work of judges but people cannot be prohibited from telling their opinion about court decisions. Lázár said in Hódmezővásárhely in southern Hungary that people have the right to express their discontent about court decisions and if these decisions go against their sense for justice then the trust in the judiciary will be shaken. If the laws do not make it possible to name those responsible for severe industrial or environmental disasters, then they need to be amended, he added.

Photo: MTI

Source: http://mtva.hu/hu/hungary-matters