Government proposes amending constitution to define ‘state of terrorist threat’

Budapest (MTI) – The government has proposed amending the constitution to include a so-called “state of terrorist threat” among instances that mandate the mobilisation and, if need be, the domestic deployment of the armed forces.

Speaking after Defence Minister Istvan Simicsko’s talks with four of the five parliamentary parties on the matter, Fidesz deputy group leader Gergely Gulyas said the worsening security situation in Europe calls for instances of terrorist threats to be regulated by the constitution. The Socialist Party stayed away from the talks.

Under the amendment the government could declare a state of terrorist threat after a terrorist attack or during a period of a high threat of terrorism. In such an instance, the government would be authorised to pass decrees that would suspend or deviate from certain laws while leaving the provisions of the constitution intact. These decrees would remain effective for 60-day periods and would expire if parliament does not renew them before the 60 days are up.

During such periods, parliament would mandate the armed forces to assist the police in national security tasks, Gulyas said, noting that the army was given similar assignments during the state of crisis declared due to mass migration in the autumn.

The motion will require a two-thirds support by deputies to clear parliament, including votes by opposition MPs.

Gulyas said he regretted that the Socialists did not take part in the talks. He said the radical nationalist Jobbik party and green LMP supported the motion in general, adding, however, that both parties disagreed on some details of the proposal.

JOBBIK

Jobbik said it supports amending the constitution to introduce a state of terrorist threat but it will review the government’s specific proposal on the matter and comment on it within a week. Elod Novak, the party’s deputy leader, noted that Jobbik submitted a similar amendment proposal to parliament in August, but the legislative body rejected it. Novak said Jobbik only received a copy of the proposal a few hours before the meeting with the defence minister was due to begin, which was why the party has asked for a week to look it over to make sure no part of the proposal would lead to civil rights abuses.