According to Radio Free Europe, Hungary plans to withdraw from the International Criminal Court, potentially making it the first European country to exit the organization, though it’s yet to be officially confirmed.

The Hungarian government had been considering the move for some time. The formal procedure would involve offering a resolution proposal to the Hungarian Parliament and initiating the withdrawal if the Parliament approves, which could take as long as one year. “According to our source, the text of the draft resolution may soon be posted on the website of the National Assembly,” Szabad Európa reported, adding, “We understand that the political decision to withdraw Hungary was actually made weeks ago, but the government was still waiting to see what U.S. President Donald Trump would say about the ICC.”

On February 6, President Donald Trump announced he was imposing sanctions on the ICC, stating that “the International Criminal Court (ICC), as established by the Rome Statute, has engaged in illegitimate and baseless actions targeting America and our close ally Israel. The ICC has, without a legitimate basis, asserted jurisdiction over and opened preliminary investigations concerning personnel of the United States and certain of its allies, including Israel, and has further abused its power by issuing baseless arrest warrants targeting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Former Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant.  The ICC has no jurisdiction over the United States or Israel, as neither country is party to the Rome Statute or a member of the ICC.”

“The ICC’s recent actions against Israel and the United States set a dangerous precedent, directly endangering current and former United States personnel, including active service members of the Armed Forces, by exposing them to harassment, abuse, and possible arrest.  This malign conduct in turn threatens to infringe upon the sovereignty of the United States and undermines the critical national security and foreign policy work of the United States Government and our allies, including Israel,” he continued.

A source told Szabad Európa that after Trump imposed sanctions on the ICC, “the Hungarian government took this as a green light.”

Hungarian conservative Prime Minister Viktor Orban has been a staunch supporter of Israel; he is meeting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Budapest on Wednesday. In November, after the ICC issued the arrest warrant, Orban ripped it, calling it “outrageously brazen and cynical,” UPI reported.

“Later today, I will invite the Israeli prime minister, Mr. Netanyahu, to visit Hungary, where I will guarantee him, if he comes, that the judgment of the ICC will have no effect in Hungary, and that we will not follow its terms,” he stated in November. “There is no choice here, we have to defy this decision.”

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According to Radio Free Europe, Hungary plans to withdraw from the International Criminal Court, potentially making it the first European country to exit the organization, though it’s yet to be officially confirmed.

The Hungarian government had been considering the move for some time. The formal procedure would involve offering a resolution proposal to the Hungarian Parliament and initiating the withdrawal if the Parliament approves, which could take as long as one year. “According to our source, the text of the draft resolution may soon be posted on the website of the National Assembly,” Szabad Európa reported, adding, “We understand that the political decision to withdraw Hungary was actually made weeks ago, but the government was still waiting to see what U.S. President Donald Trump would say about the ICC.”

On February 6, President Donald Trump announced he was imposing sanctions on the ICC, stating that “the International Criminal Court (ICC), as established by the Rome Statute, has engaged in illegitimate and baseless actions targeting America and our close ally Israel. The ICC has, without a legitimate basis, asserted jurisdiction over and opened preliminary investigations concerning personnel of the United States and certain of its allies, including Israel, and has further abused its power by issuing baseless arrest warrants targeting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Former Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant.  The ICC has no jurisdiction over the United States or Israel, as neither country is party to the Rome Statute or a member of the ICC.”

“The ICC’s recent actions against Israel and the United States set a dangerous precedent, directly endangering current and former United States personnel, including active service members of the Armed Forces, by exposing them to harassment, abuse, and possible arrest.  This malign conduct in turn threatens to infringe upon the sovereignty of the United States and undermines the critical national security and foreign policy work of the United States Government and our allies, including Israel,” he continued.

A source told Szabad Európa that after Trump imposed sanctions on the ICC, “the Hungarian government took this as a green light.”

Hungarian conservative Prime Minister Viktor Orban has been a staunch supporter of Israel; he is meeting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Budapest on Wednesday. In November, after the ICC issued the arrest warrant, Orban ripped it, calling it “outrageously brazen and cynical,” UPI reported.

“Later today, I will invite the Israeli prime minister, Mr. Netanyahu, to visit Hungary, where I will guarantee him, if he comes, that the judgment of the ICC will have no effect in Hungary, and that we will not follow its terms,” he stated in November. “There is no choice here, we have to defy this decision.”

“}]] 

 

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