“It is in Hungary’s interest that the institution of the president of the republic should regain its reputation, which was marred by silence, passivity and unacceptable decisions in recent years,” the prime minister said.

“I told the president that unless he resigns voluntarily, I will inform the Tisza Party group about his decision today, and we will initiate the necessary procedures with no delay,” he added.

Magyar also said that the proposed constitutional changes would concern all “puppet” officials whose removal he had initiated.

The constitution offers several options to remove the president, including deprivation of office, Magyar said, but added that “in the interest of protecting the office of president and its remaining reputation,” Tisza would choose the alternative and change the fundamental law. He added that passing the amendment could take about one month.

Asked about the possibility of electing the president directly, Magyar said it would strengthen participatory democracy.

The prime minister said the amendment would not be “tailored to one person” but would be aimed “at restoring Hungary’s rule of law and democracy under a clear and strong authorization from millions of Hungarians.”

“Hungarians on April 12 defended a sovereign Hungary, which we will implement in legislation,” Magyar said.

“The Republic of Hungary does not belong to Tamas Sulyok, nor to Viktor Orban or to a party … it is the joint achievement of the Hungarian people,” he said.

The prime minister said he and Justice Minister Marta Gorog had met the president “to discuss Sulyok’s responsibility and to restore the reputation of one of the most important institutions of the Republic of Hungary.”

The president did not resign at the meeting, Magyar said.

The president has more to do than “sign laws, present awards or appear at protocol events,” the prime minister said, adding that Sulyok “chose silence in all cases without exception” on socially important and serious matters. He said the president had not made a statement on the “pardon scandal,” remained silent when “the fallen prime minister” had referred to “clearing out bugs,” when the previous government had restricted the right to assembly, or when the sovereignty authority “used taxpayers’ billions to stigmatize and discredit civil organizations, civilians and investigative journalists.”

Sulyok was silent when members of the opposition were being monitored by the secret service, political activists were physically attacked, or when Hungarians critical of the government were regularly presented as traitors, servants of foreign interests and internal enemies, Magyar said.

The president should have called on the government to stop inciting war against its own compatriots, Magyar said, noting that Sulyok had told him “it was not his task.”

Magyar called it “especially painful” that Sulyok had been silent on issues around ethnic Hungarian communities.

Answering a question by the public media, Magyar said removing the president would not cause delays in Hungary accessing community funding.

Asked if access to European Union funding could be jeopardized if the president does not sign the necessary legislation into law, Magyar pointed to the constitution and said if the president resigns or is removed from office, the speaker of parliament is empowered to countersign new legislation.

The prime minister said negotiations aimed at releasing frozen EU funds to Hungary had not touched on “the migration pact, the war or gender issues.”

Meanwhile, Magyar said he hoped that “the remaining part of the Fidesz group” would support the government’s anti-corruption measures and empowering the European Public Prosecutor’s Office to investigate crimes committed in Hungary since 2021.