Hungary begins ICC withdrawal amid Netanyahu visit
Hungary has decided to withdraw from the International Criminal Court. The process will begin on Thursday, as announced by the head of the Prime Minister's office, Gergely Gulyas. The decision coincided with the visit of the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, to Budapest.
The Hungarian government has resolved to leave the International Criminal Court (ICC), as announced by the head of the Prime Minister's office, Gergely Gulyas.According to "Politico," the procedure for exiting this institution is set to begin on Thursday. This decision was announced on the same day as the arrival in Budapest of the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, for whom the ICC has issued an arrest warrant.
"The government will initiate the termination procedure on Thursday, in accordance with the constitutional and international legal frameworks," Gulyas informed in an interview with the MTI news agency, referring to the ICC's founding document, the Rome Statute.
A few hours before the announcement of Hungary's decision to leave the International Criminal Court, Benjamin Netanyahu arrived in the country, governed by Viktor Orban, on an official state visit. The Israeli Prime Minister is being pursued by the ICC on charges of war crimes in the Gaza Strip. Orban has repeatedly declared that Netanyahu can feel safe in Hungary, as Hungary has not adopted the Rome Statute, which was deemed unconstitutional.
The first reports that Hungary would leave the ICC appeared as early as February. At that time, the Foreign Minister, Peter Szijjarto, stated that Hungary would "reassess its participation in this institution." Szijjarto added that, in his opinion, the institution is "politicized."
The procedure for leaving the ICC
The process for Hungary's withdrawal from the ICC will unfold as follows: First, a bill will be submitted to parliament. If a majority supports it, the formal procedure for leaving the tribunal, conducted by the Hungarian government, will begin. The entire process may take a year.
Donald Trump also imposed sanctions not only on the tribunal itself but also on individuals who are helping this institution pursue legal actions against Americans, along with officials from Israel and other allied nations of the United States.
