Death penalty option should be relegated to EU members: Hungarian PM

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban again proposed that European Union members be allowed to introduce the death penalty at their own discretion, speaking to the public Radio Kossuth on Friday.

"If the EU would allow members to choose to introduce the death penalty, we could make our own decision on whether or not we wanted it," he said.

Asked if he supported capital punishment, banned under European Union law, Orban said he supported life and had to consider what was necessary to protect law abiding people. "If we can protect them without a death sentence, we won't need it, but if not, then we have to introduce it," he said.

Orban has repeatedly raised this issue, most recently in 2012, when a police psychologist was slain. He came forward with it this time in late April, about a week after the murder of a young saleswoman in a tobacco shop.

A week ago Orban reassured European Parliament President Martin Schultz that Hungary had no plans to restore the death penalty. Nonetheless, Orban triggered a debate amid the European Parliament's civil liberties committee after speaking of the possible effects of an EU member reintroducing it.

Meanwhile, the Council of Europe issued a statement saying that return of the death penalty would be contrary to the values that Europe stands for.

European Commission President Jean-Claude Junker went on record on April 30 with a warning to Orban that he had to immediately back away from statements suggesting consideration of the re-introduction of the death penalty.

"Orban must immediately make clear that this is not his intention. If it would be his intention, it would be a fight," said Juncker.

Hungary banned capital punishment in 1990, well before joining the European Union in 2004. The EU's Charter of Fundamental Rights bans capital punishment. Endit