Commentary to the Hungarian Constitution published in English

Hungary's Institute of Public Administration has published a volume of commentaries by legal experts to Hungary's new constitution in English, state secretary for justice Bence Retvari said at the book's presentation at the Hungarian Academy of Sciences on Friday.

The Basic Law of Hungary – A First Commentary is a study compiled by 18 law professors from Hungary and abroad, and it aims to give the clear facts on the much-debated text, Norbert Kis, a former director of the institute, said.

Retvari said the book was written purely from a professional perspective and is hoped to help the international community to get accurate, non-partisan information about Hungary's basic law. He highlighted that constitution puts a cap on public debt as a first in Europe, and that it enhances legal protection for vulnerable groups as well as raising environmental rights.

Hungary adopted a new constitution in 2011 which came to effect on January 1, 2012. Criticism from abroad included the European Parliament, which in a resolution of July 2011 called on the Hungarian government to address the issues and concerns raised by the Venice Commission regarding the basic law.

The Commentary is available for download at the institute's website http://www.nki.gov.hu/.