Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said the ruling parties chose to nominate Tamás Sulyok, the current head of the Constitutional Court, for head of state based on his experience in constitutional and legal matters as well as his knowledge of the international stage and political institutions.
PM Orbán said it was these qualities and his professional standing that made Sulyok stand out as the most qualified candidate for the job. He said the nomination was preceded by long consultations and negotiations, also within Fidesz’s leadership. Orbán said Hungary was a strong country, even though “there’s trouble now because the previous president resigned”. “Our heart still bleeds”, especially because the resignation happened over a matter in which there had been a sharp contrast between public opinion and the president’s decision, he added. But the cloud’s silver lining was that when examining potential candidates, the ruling parties found many Hungarians who were qualified to hold the office of president, “which strengthens one’s faith in one’s own country and nation”. PM Orbán said it would be the new head of state who would have to restore unity and balance, expressing hope that Sulyok would make it clear in his first national address that there can be no pardon for child abuse or related crimes. “I hope he will also call on us to make the legislative amendments and decisions needed to prevent such things from happening again,” Orbán said, adding that he had already made some of these decisions and ordered a full-scale screening and inspection. “People who pose a threat to children can’t be allowed to work in schools, kindergartens or children’s homes,” he said. Orbán said it was “impossible” for a case like the one concerning the director of the Bicske orphanage who had been convicted of child abuse to happen and not be followed by a public outcry but rather a cover-up. He said the government will bring order to this area, vowing to personally monitor the process and bring it to an end by “making the right decisions”.