Hungary’s Decision to Leave the International Criminal Court Sparks Questions on EU Exit
Hungary’s decision to leave the International Criminal Court (ICC) has sparked questions on whether the country might also consider exiting the European Union (EU). However, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto dismissed the idea, saying, “Of course, we understand ourselves as a member of the European Union, also in the future.”
Szijjarto emphasized that Hungary wants to see reforms in the EU, as the current competitiveness and power of the union is at a low level. He added that the country would like to see the EU transformed from a “supranational state ruled from Brussels” to a union of strong countries.
Hungary recently started the official procedure to withdraw from the ICC, citing the court’s transformation into a “political tool” over the years. The country’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban said the move was necessary to protect Hungary’s sovereignty.
Earlier, Szijjarto criticized EU member states that have criticized Hungary’s decision to leave the ICC, accusing them of hypocrisy. He pointed out that these countries did not make a big fuss when Finland, Poland and the Baltic states announced their withdrawal from the Ottawa Convention, which bans the use of antipersonnel mines, in 2019.
Antipersonnel mines are small explosive devices designed to cause harm to people, often used in large numbers and over a wide area. They can be triggered by a variety of means, including tripwires, pressure plates, or remote control.
Szijjarto also mentioned that he did not notice any outcry from EU member states when Lithuania, a fellow ally, announced its withdrawal from the Dublin Convention, which bans the use of cluster munitions, in 2010.
The Hungarian foreign minister emphasized that the criticism from EU member states is selective and contains a certain level of hypocrisy.