Peter Magyar appointed his sister’s husband as minister

Magyar admitted that this decision, given that the future minister is his sister’s husband, “created a serious dilemma” for him and that the public’s concern was “understandable”.

In order to avoid, according to him, the appearance of intertwining the branches of government, Magyar announced that his sister Anna Ilona Melléthei-Barna, the wife of the future minister, would make “another sacrifice” and step down from the position of judge. He said that his sister’s husband was a part of the Tisza movement from the very beginning and that his choice was objective.

“I have known him for a long time. My decision was based on his willingness and commitment to the rule of law,” Magyar said. He emphasized that the decision was not a “political calculation, but the primary question was: who could represent the program of a functional and humane Hungary with the most willingness and moral conviction, with unwavering sincerity?”

“Fidesz has destroyed the rule of law, and legal certainty and equality before the law have ceased to exist in Hungary. In order to correct all that, I was looking for a person capable of carrying out this huge, historic task and whose professional competence is beyond any doubt,” he added.

Magyar unveiled the first seven ministerial candidates in April, just days after defeating Viktor Orbán’s Fidesz party in the election, ending his 16-year rule. The rest of the cabinet members were announced on Thursday.

The prime minister-to-be met with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen this week in a bid to secure the unblocking of billions of euros in EU funds that have been frozen due to concerns about the state of the rule of law. Officials in Brussels expect Hungary to remain aligned with Ukraine policy and show progress on the rule of law as a condition for the release of funds.

The new Hungarian government is scheduled to take office on May 9, Europe Day. The day is commemorated in a speech by French Foreign Minister Robert Schuman in 1950 on the unification of coal and steel resources, which laid the foundations of today’s European Union.

(Vijesti.ba)