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Liberal MPs criticise President for blocking law against domestic violence |
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Wednesday, 07 January 2009 |
Hungary's domestic violence laws are skewed towards protecting the rights of the abuser, and the refusal by President Laszlo Solyom to sign new legislation aimed at redressing this bias is regrettable, officials of Hungary' liberal opposition Free Democrats (SZDSZ) told MTI on Tuesday. The Prime Minister shared the Liberals' opinion.
"It seems as if the rights of people threatening, assaulting or terrorising family members were considered by the President stronger than the rights of those threatened, assaulted or terrorised," he wrote in his internet blog.
On average the first request for help comes only after 40 acts of violence and one woman dies every week in Hungary at the hands of a violent partner, Free Democrat MPs Klara Sandor and Balint Magyar said in their statement.
Sandor and Magyar said they regretted the president's Monday decision to send the law, adopted by parliament in December last year, to the Constitutional Court for review.
Solyom, explaining his decision, said the new regulation defined the meaning of both the "relative" and "violence" too loosely. He said the measures would "disproportionately limit the freedom of movement [of the accused]".
The liberal politicians said they felt sorry for the victims who are still exposed to the threat of domestic violence.
President's Office reacts to critical remarks by PM
In reaction to Premier Ferenc Gyurcsany's criticism, Hungarian President Laszlo Solyom's spokesman on Tuesday made it clear that the President has no right but to refuse the signing of a law if he finds it unconstitutional.
"Parliament should enact laws that are in line with the Constitution," Ferenc Weber said.
In Solyom's view effective prevention of domestic violence is an obligation stemming from the Constitution and Hungary's international obligations. The laws in question, however, fail to meet the criterion of constitutionality, Weber said.
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