Hungary
Pedophilia scandal: Orban distances himself from the president
Viktor Orban wants to ensure a constitutional ban on pardons for criminals in connection with child sexual abuse in Hungary. photo
© Denes Erdos/AP/dpa
Hungarian President Novak has pardoned a man who was convicted of aiding and abetting the sexual abuse of children. Now Prime Minister Orban is getting involved.
The right-wing populist Prime Minister Viktor Orban then announced that he would implement a constitutional ban on pardons for criminals in connection with child sexual abuse. For the first time he criticized – albeit indirectly – his political colleague Novak. The start of an opinion poll that is intended to determine whether Hungarians support the resignation of the head of state is putting further pressure on Novak.
Orban: No mercy for pedophile perpetrators
“There is no mercy for pedophile perpetrators. That is my personal belief. A discussion has arisen about the legal framework for pardons by the President,” Orban said in a video posted on his Facebook profile. He didn’t mention Novak’s name. She was a leading politician in Orban’s Fidesz party until she took office in 2022 and was elected president by parliament at the prime minister’s suggestion. As family minister, she had previously propagated a traditional image of the family and women.
Orban’s government particularly wants to be seen as a protector of children from sexual violence. In 2021, she implemented a controversial “child protection law” that prohibits teaching children about homosexuality in schools. Distributors of relevant publications are also obliged to make them inaccessible to minors. Critics say the spirit of this law equates homosexuality with pedophilia.
Pardon during the Pope’s visit
The man pardoned by Novak was the deputy head of a children’s home in Bicske near Budapest. According to the court ruling, he forced children to recant their testimonies as victims of abuse against the home director in order to exonerate his boss. The home director was sentenced to eight years in prison. His deputy, who has now been pardoned, received a prison sentence of three years and four months.
The pardon had already taken place in May 2023, on the occasion of Pope Francis’ visit to Budapest. Novak did not comment on the motives. Opposition media suspect that the pardonee has good relations with the Catholic Church and Viktor Orban’s family.
Does Novak have to resign?
According to Hungarian media reports, a company began a telephone poll to determine whether the majority of citizens support Novak’s resignation. Readers of the newspaper “HVG” reported to the editorial team that they had received calls from pollsters. The company in question has already carried out several surveys on behalf of Orban’s Fidesz party in the past.