The President of Hungary resigns. The reason for the controversial pardon

The Hungarian president has come under pressure over the controversy aroused by her decision to pardon a man involved in a scandal. The actions of the head of state caused Hungarians to take to the streets, and Novak’s opponents wanted her to resign.

On Friday, over a thousand people gathered in Budapest to demand her resignation. Protesters expressed their dissatisfaction with the actions of the Hungarian president and her close ally, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. The opposition has been calling for Novak’s resignation for a week.

He helped cover up pedophilia. The President of Hungary pardoned him

What caused such reluctance? It came to light that the president pardoned the former deputy director of the orphanage in Bicske in northern Hungary last year. The man was sentenced to three years and four months in prison for helping cover up his boss’s pedophilia crimes. The director of the orphanage received an eight-year prison sentence.

However, the list of controversial pardons does not end there. Novák also pardoned the sentence of far-right activist Gyorgy Budahazy, who was convicted of terrorism.

Katalin Novak resigns. “I have made a mistake”

In response to criticism, Novák initially admitted that all pardons lead to social divisions, but she firmly denied that she had ever pardoned a pedophile. In an attempt to ease tensions, Viktor Orbán’s Fidesz party on Thursday tabled a constitutional amendment that would ban future pardons for people convicted of crimes against children.

The media paid attention to the route of her plane, which was to depart early for Budapest on Saturday. On Saturday afternoon, Katalin Novák announced her resignation from her position on public television. – I made a mistake… This is the last day I address you as president,” she said.