Democracy Digest: Witness Claims Chief Suspect in Murder of Slovak Journalist Had Protection

The Hungarian parliament passed a resolution revoking the country’s planned withdrawal from the International Criminal Court (ICC). In April 2025, Viktor Orban’s Fidesz government decided to leave the institution, arguing that it had become a “political court” after it issued arrest warrants against Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes, including starvation and crimes against humanity in the Gaza Strip. As the formal withdrawal process from the ICC takes considerable time, it has allowed the new Tisza-led government – sticking to its earlier commitment – to reverse the decision within the legally permitted timeframe, which would have otherwise expired on June 2. Justice, Minister Marta Gorog said: “This bill is not merely the reversal of an earlier decision that stood in opposition to the values of the international community, but also a declaration of faith that the values of justice, human dignity, and international cooperation continue to serve as guiding principles for Hungary.” Hungary was a founding member of the ICC. The decision could complicate relations with Israel. While the former Fidesz government and Orban himself maintained close ties with Netanyahu – who visited Hungary last year, making it the only EU country he visited after the ICC arrest warrant was issued – the Tisza government has not yet clarified whether this special relationship would continue. The new PM, Peter Magyar, has invited his Israeli counterpart to the 70th anniversary of Hungary’s 1956 revolution in October, alongside other countries that accepted Hungarian refugees after the Soviet crackdown. However, it is considered unlikely Netanyahu would attend the commemoration if he risked detention.

Meanwhile, Magyar announced sweeping cost-saving measures to the government and parliament. A proposal was tabled to cut the PM’s salary to roughly half of Orban’s 7.8 million forints per month (20,000 euros) to 3.8 million forints, and to significantly reduce the wages of MPs, who will earn approximately 40 per cent less than before. This will amount to roughly 1.8 times the average salary, instead of the previous threefold level. Under the plan, politicians would no longer receive unlimited phone coverage, and fuel allowances would apply only to those living outside Budapest while housing subsidies would also be reduced. The lower salaries will take effect from July and will affect former Fidesz ministers currently serving as MPs. Magyar said in an interview with RTL that he plans to cut the wages of mayors and top managers of state-owned companies as well, which could save up to 50 billion forints over the next four years. However, criticism quickly came from the mayors’ association TOOSZ. “For the stable operation of the municipal system, predictable financing is needed,” said Peter Hanusi, president of TOOSZ. Former PM candidate Peter Marki-Zay, mayor of the Hungarian city Hodmezovasarhely, warned against what he called a “populist narrative” of wage cuts and argued that most mayors are not overpaid. “There are honest, well-performing mayors who earn their salaries, and there are corrupt politicians whose pay should not be cut but who should be sent to prison. Let’s not confuse the two!” He added that his problem with Orban was not that he earned a lot, but that he “stole thousands of billions [of forints] from the country”.