Gov’t should heed UN human rights recommendations, says Socialist deputy

The Hungarian government should give better consideration to recommendations made by the UN Human Rights Council, a bulk of which it has rejected, Ildiko Lendvai, a deputy of the main opposition Socialist party, told a press conference on Saturday, reports Politics.hu.

In its draft response to the 29 recommendations made in May the government has rejected 20, accepted six and partially accepted three, Lendvai said.

She added the Socialists urge the government to pay heed to the Council’s recommendations and to seek the advice of the European Commission for Democracy through Law, better known as the Venice Commission, and other international organisations for future legislation.

Lendvai said the recommendations rejected by the government included incorporating the death penalty ban into Hungary’s new constitution, amending the media law and the government’s media policy, changing new abortion clauses in the constitution, changing policy concerning ethnic Hungarians abroad and taking steps to fight child poverty and family violence.

The government has until September 10 to give a final response to the recommendations, Lendvai said, adding that the government should rethink its rejections.

The ruling Fidesz party earlier said it was open to professional consultations with the Venice Commission, but did not consider the Socialists’ views on lawmaking as relevant.