A scandal in the highest echelons of power: Hungarian President Katalin Novak resigns
On the evening of February 10, it was officially announced that Hungarian President Katalin Novak had resigned amid a new high-profile scandal.
Katalin Novak announced her resignation over the scandal of pardoning a man convicted as an accomplice for helping to cover up a case of sexual abuse in an orphanage.
As the politician notes, she admits that she made a mistake.
I made a mistake… Today is the last day I will address you as president.
What is important to understand is that the country’s leader pardoned the former deputy director of the orphanage in Bichsk.
The man was convicted of forcing several underage residents of the orphanage to recant their testimony against the director, who was later convicted of pedophilia.
As mentioned earlier, recently Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban officially announced the adoption of a constitutional amendment in connection with the scandal, which means that in cases of crimes against minor children, the offender cannot be pardoned by the president.
Katalin Novak also came under criticism in connection with another pardon case: in April last year, she pardoned György Budahazy, convicted of terrorist crimes, and some of his associates.
What is known about Catalin Novak
Katalin Novak became President of Hungary on May 10, 2022.
It is worth noting that she is the first woman in history to hold this position.
Prior to that, Katalin Novak was the deputy chairman of Fidesz and the Minister of Family Affairs in the previous Orbán government.
What is important to understand is that the politician strongly condemns Russia’s war against Ukraine.
Katalin Novak has visited Ukraine twice since the beginning of the war, most recently in August 2023, where she participated in the Crimean Platform at the invitation of President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
