BUDAPEST: Hungary’s incoming prime minister Peter Magyar said on Monday that his country would execute International Criminal Court (International Criminal Court) arrest warrants against any individual, even as he confirmed inviting Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu — who is currently wanted under such a warrant — to visit Budapest later this year.
In 2024, the ICC issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu over allegations of crimes against humanity and war crimes, including the use of starvation as a method of warfare during Israel’s conflict with Hamas in Gaza.
Hungary’s outgoing nationalist leader Viktor Orban had earlier announced the country’s withdrawal from the ICC following a meeting with Netanyahu in Budapest. That withdrawal is scheduled to take effect by June 2 this year.
However, Magyar recently made it clear that he intends to reverse this decision. Despite this stance, he still invited Netanyahu to visit Budapest again in October, according to an Israeli readout of a phone conversation between the two leaders.
When asked to clarify the apparent contradiction, Magyar explained that invitations were extended to all heads of state and government he had spoken with, in connection with the 70th anniversary of Hungary’s 1956 anti-Soviet uprising.
He emphasized that he had also made his position clear — “even to the Israeli prime minister” — that he plans to halt Hungary’s withdrawal from the ICC.
“If someone is a member of the International Criminal Court and a person who is wanted enters our country, then they must be taken into custody,” Magyar told reporters. He added that he expected world leaders to be fully aware of such legal obligations.
Magyar further stated that his incoming government still has the ability to stop the withdrawal process before Hungary formally exits the ICC.
Meanwhile, angered by the arrest warrants issued against Netanyahu, the United States has imposed sanctions on senior ICC judges and prosecutors. The United Nations has criticised these sanctions, describing them as “reprisals.”
Separately, Magyar addressed energy concerns, urging Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to reopen the Druzhba pipeline once it becomes operational again, and calling on Russia to resume oil shipments through the route.
Hungary’s outgoing government under Orban, along with Slovakia, has been engaged in a dispute with Ukraine over the suspension of Russian oil supplies via the Soviet-era pipeline. Kyiv has stated that the shutdown followed a Russian attack in late January.
“If on the Ukrainian side the Druzhba pipeline is ready for oil shipments, then they should kindly reopen it as they had promised,” Magyar said after a meeting with his parliamentary group. He added that Russia must also resume supplying oil in accordance with existing contracts, noting that the system cannot function without cooperation from both sides.
Magyar also discussed Hungary’s energy strategy, describing the expansion of the Paks nuclear power plant as essential. However, he said the new government would review the financing conditions of the project’s construction loan to determine whether restructuring or refinancing would be possible.
The €12.5 billion Paks-2 project — which Magyar noted could ultimately cost up to €24 billion — was awarded to Russia’s Rosatom without a competitive tender. It has long been viewed as a symbol of close ties between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Orban.
“We have to examine whether the loan conditions can be restructured, whether this important and necessary investment can be financed with better conditions,” Magyar said. He added that the government would also explore whether opening the project to the market could help accelerate its progress.