In the evening of February 10, it was officially announced that the President of Hungary, Katalin Novak, resigned amid a new high-profile scandal.
Resignation of the President of Hungary. The reason is already known
Katalin Novak announced her resignation amid the scandal involving the pardon of a man convicted as an accomplice for helping to cover up a case of sexual abuse at an orphanage.
As the politician notes, she admits that she made a mistake.
I made a mistake... Today is the last day I am addressing you as President.
Katalin Novak
President of Hungary
What is important to understand is that the country's leader pardoned the former deputy director of an orphanage in Bichsk.
This man was convicted of forcing several minor residents of the orphanage to recant their testimony against the director, who was later convicted of pedophilia.
As mentioned earlier, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban recently officially announced the adoption of an amendment to the Constitution in connection with the scandal, which means that in cases of crimes against minors, the perpetrator cannot be pardoned by the president.
Katalin Novak also came under criticism in connection with another case of pardon: in April of last year, she pardoned György Budahazi, convicted of terrorist crimes, and some of his associates.
What is known about Katalin Novak
Katalin Novak became the President of Hungary on May 10, 2022.
It is worth noting that she is the first woman in history to hold this position.
Before that, Katalin Novak was the deputy head 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, the last time in August 2023, where she took part in the work of the Crimean Platform at the invitation of the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyi.
