Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó revealed the date on which his country's decision to withdraw from the International Criminal Court (ICC) will take effect.
Szijjarto said he had submitted a bill to parliament on Hungary's withdrawal from the International Criminal Court (ICC), and that it could be voted on by the end of May. The decision would take effect within a year.
Earlier, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said his country had decided to withdraw from the ICC because he believed the organization had shifted from neutrality to political decision-making in recent years.
In a video message posted on Facebook, Szijjarto said, "Based on the government's decision, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has prepared a similar bill, which we submitted to parliament today. Parliament can begin discussing this bill before the end of April and vote on it at the end of May. After the parliamentary vote, we will, of course, inform the United Nations of our step, and in accordance with international law, our decision will take effect within a year."
Hungary's controversial decision coincided with the arrival of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on a visit to the country. Netanyahu's visit to Budapest marks his first trip to Europe and only his second foreign trip since the ICC issued arrest warrants for him and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.