Justice Minister Judit Varga has said the government will submit a proposal to lawmakers to suspend compensation payments to prisoners who sue the state over poor prison conditions.
According to MTI, the minister said the proposal, which aims to end the “unfair practice”, will be submitted on Monday and discussed by parliament in an expedited procedure.
Minister Varga said payments will be suspended while rules on compensation for bad prison conditions are being amended, adding that a broad public consensus on the matter was needed.
The minister said appropriate new legislation will be drafted based on the results of a national survey now under way. So far, 12,680 court rulings have awarded HUF 9 billion (EUR 27m) to plaintiffs, and 10 percent of that total has been paid out.
Minister Varga stressed that new rules will aim to put the rights of the complainants, victims, and their families to the fore, adding that in the future compensation would be paid directly to the plaintiffs rather than to their lawyers.
Finally, the minister said the government is working to improve prison conditions and eliminate overcrowding.
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