Joint Statement of the Commissioner for Fundamental Rights and the Ombudsman for Future Generations on the Occasion of Earth Day - AJBH-EN
Prof. Dr. Máté Szabó
Prof. Dr. Máté SZABÓ
Commissioner for Fundamental Rights, Hungary
CURRICULUM VITAE
He was elected by the Hungarian Parliament as the Parliamentary Commissioner for Civil Rights for
six years which position he had hold from 26.09.2007. He continues his role and stands as the general
ombudsman of Hungary. From 1st January 2012, Prof. Szabó is Commissioner for Fundamental Rights.
He received his law degree at the Eötvös Loránd University, Faculty of Law in Budapest in
1980 and got a job as a journalist. From 1984, he worked as a scientific associate in the Political
Science Department of the Eötvös Loránd University's Faculty of Law. From 1990, as an associate
professor. He defended his PhD. on social movements in 1987, and got the ‘Doctor of the Political
Science' title from the Hungarian Academy of Science in 1996.
He is a founding member of the Hungarian Political Science Association and the Hungarian
Humboldt Association; furthermore, he is an active member of the Political Science Committee of
the Hungarian Academy of Science and several international associations related to sociology and
political science.
Since 1980, he has continuously carried out several project researches on various subjects of political
and social sciences.
• Between 1991-2007, he was a fellow of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation in
Hamburg, Berlin, Bremen, Mainz and Frankfurt an der Oder in Germany.
• He was a visiting fellow of the Netherlands Institute of Advanced Studies, Wassenaar, in
1995.
• In 2000, he was a research fellow at the European University Institute in Florence, Italy.
He is specialized in civil society, social movements and political protest and the theory of law and
politics as well. He published more than 300 scientific contributions in Hungarian, English and
German. He is a regular participant at conferences in political science, law, and political sociology
in Europe and around the world. He teaches political science and European studies. Since he was
elected ombudsman, he is an active member of the International Ombudsman Institution and the
European Network of Ombudsman and board member of the European Ombudsman Institute.
Awarded:
• The ‘Erdei Ferenc Prize' of the Hungarian Sociological Association for young talents in 1988.
• The memorial medal ‘For Hungarian Higher Education' of the Ministry of Education for his
teaching career in 2006.
• The ‘István Bibó-Prize' of the Hungarian Political Science Association in 2007, as an
acknowledgement of his life work.
• The Gold Cross of Merit awarded by the President of Poland in 2012, in recognition of his
merits in strengthening human rights and developing Polish- Hungarian relations in this field.
Born in 1956 (13.06.), Budapest-Hungary. Married, and father of two children.
Publications on foreign languages (2007-)
1) Books
Human Rights and Civil Society in Hungary . Twenty Years for Rights and Freedom (1988-2008). OBH,
Budapest, 2009.
2) Studies in volume
Partizipation und Zivilcourage- die neue Ungarn jenseits des Autoritarismus in: Aron Buzogany-Rolf
Frankenberg (Hrsg.): Osteuropa: Politik, Wirtschaft und Gesellschaft. Nomos, Baden-Baden, 2007.
277-291.
Collective Protests in Central European Post-Communist Countries, in: Pero Mladini-Davorka Vidovic
(eds.): Transitions in Central and Eastern European Countries, CPI, Zagreb, 2007. 93-117.
1968 in Hungary, in: Martin Klimke-Joachim Scharloth (ed.): 1968 in Europe. A History of Protest and
Activism, 1956-1977. Palgrave, New York, 2008. 219-229.
(-Kerényi Szabina): Transnational Influences on Patterns of Mobilisation Within Environmental
Movements in Hungary, in: Brian Doherty-Thimothy Doyle (eds.): Beyond Borders. Environmental
Movements and Transnational Politics.Routledge: New York, 2008. 107-125.
Die Zivilgesellschaft Ungarns in einer vergleichenden Perspektive, in: Anton Sterbling (Hrsg.):
Zivilgesellschaftliche Entwicklungen in Südosteuropa. O. Sagner, München, 2009. 205-239.
Kompromiss als Erbe des Kádárismus: Ungarn 1989-1990, in: Jerzy Macków (Hrsg.): Autoritarismus in
Mittel- und Osteuropa. VS Verlag, Wiesbaden, 2009. 199-215.
The Hungarian Ombudsman Institution (1995-2008), in: Linda C. Reif. (eds.): The International
Ombudsman Yearbook. Martinus Nijhoff Publ. Leiden/Boston, 2009.154-182.
Das Wesen von Ungehorsam und Kritik. Ombudsmann-Institution, die osteuropäische Revolution
der Menschenrechte und eine neue Zivilkultur, in: Bálint Balla-Anton Sterbling (Hrsg.): Europäische
Entwicklungsdynamik. Krämer Verlag.Hamburg, 2009. 87-107.
Milestones in the global and European development of human rights, in: Jernej Rovsek/Liana
Kalcina(eds.): 60th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the 15th
Anniversary of the Human Rights Ombudsman Act in Slovenia. The Human Rights Ombudsman of
Slovenia, Ljubljana, 2009.88-94.
Demonstration Democracy in Hungary, in: Armen Harutyunyan(eds.): Freedom of Expression-Right to
Fair Trial.Almanac, Erevan(Armenia) 2010. 38-55. in Russian: 214–233; in Armenian: 123–146.
Demokratija Demonstraciji v Vengrija, in: Armen Harutyunyan(ed.): Almanah: Szvabodna
Vürazsenyija Mnenyija. Erevan(Armenia) oroszul 2010.214-233. Uo. örményül 123-146.
Gab es eine politische Ethik der Wende- und wäre diese heute noch gültig? In: András Masát(hrsg.):
Ethik und Alltag. Zwischen Wahrheit und Wirklichkeit. Andrássy Univ.Abhandlungen Nr. 23. 2010.
Budapest, 29-57.
Revisionismus, Liberalismus und Populismus: die Oppositionn in Ungarn, in: Detlef Pollack-
Jan Wielghos (hrsg.): Akteure oder Profiteure? Die demokratische Opposition in den
ostmitteleuropäischen Regimeumgbrüchen 1989.WS-Verlag, Wiesbaden, 2010. 63-83.
Zwischen Reform und Revolution. Ungarns Weg aus der Staatssozialismus-wohin? In: Th.
Grossbölting-Raj Kollmorgen u.a.(Hrsg.): Das Ende des Kommunismus. Die Überwindung der
Diktaturen inn Europa und ihre Folgen. Klartext, Essen, 2010.177-195.
The Hungarian Ombudsman Institution, in: S. Rashidova(ed.): World Ombudsmen. Y-M.M. Publ.
Tashkent, 2010. 58-74.
Defizite der Demokratie oder Machtausübung mit Defiziten? Probleme der Kundgebungen und des
Versammlungsrechts in Ungarn, in: Joachim Jesko von Puttkamer-Gabriele Schubert(Hrsg.): Kulturelle
Orientierungen und gesellschaftliche Ordnungsstrukturen in Südosteuropa. Harrassowitz Verlag,
Wiesbaden, 2010. 221-239.
Ungarn hat gewahlt – aber wie? In: Berliner Debatte/Initial 2010/2. 67–73. (– Sziklay Julia): Die
Institution des Ombudsmanns in den deutschssprachigen; LanderHumboldt-Nachrichten, 2010. No.
32. 11–20.
3) Studies in Journals
Legal and Political Environment of NGO's in Hungary , in: : Annales Universitatis Scientarium
Budapestinensis de Rolando Eötvös Nominate . Sectio Iuridica. Vol. XLIX.2008.23-55.o.
Civil and Uncivil Society in Hungary, in: Central European Political Science Review 2008./33.66-87.
A Transnational Civil Society in Europe: from the point of view of the new post-communist EU-
members, in: Central European Political Science Review Vol. 9. No. 34.2008. 61-94.
Urbanisten versus Populisten in Ungarn, in: Berliner Debatte/Initial 2009/3. 67-74.o.
Disobedience and Criticism. in: Jura 2009/2. 175-185.
Unprotected? Who guards the guardians, in: European Ombudsman Newsletter 2009/12. 58-61.o.
Related to the Tradition of the Extreme Right- Down by Law in the Post-Communist Democracy, in:
Annales 2009/253-277.
The Ethos of Ombudsman's Institution, in: Journal für Rechtspolitik 2010/1. 12-21.o.
Press releases
null Joint Statement of the Commissioner for Fundamental Rights and the Ombudsman for Future Generations on the Occasion of Earth Day
Joint Statement of the Commissioner for Fundamental Rights and the Ombudsman for Future Generations on the Occasion of Earth Day
In their joint statement published on the occasion of Earth Day, Dr. Ákos Kozma, Commissioner for Fundamental Rights and Dr. Gyula Bándi, Deputy Commissioner, Ombudsman for Future Generations call attention to the protection of wildlife and our natural treasures, as well as to our collective duty to preserve them for future generations.
Earth Day was first held on 22 April 1970 in the United States, with the participation of more than twenty million people nationwide. The organisation of the event was triggered by the oil spill around Santa Barbara, which was one of the largest environmental disasters in the United States, and which practically served as a driving force towards environmental legislation and an ecologically more sensitive lifestyle. Twenty years later, Earth Day events went global with the aim of bringing environmental protection issues into the focus of attention and action all around the world. Last year, the 50th anniversary of Earth Day mobilised more than a billion people from nearly two hundred countries through the involvement of as many as 75,000 participating organisations. It is currently the only event in the world that is celebrated by people of different origins, religions and nationalities. The slogan of Earth Day, which revolves around a different theme each year, is the following: “Who says you can't change the world?”
This year, Earth Day events will focus on the restoration of the world’s ecosystems and global environmental processes. Many different reports have been published on the natural environment, both in Hungary and abroad, which all warn us that we are on a path leading to ecological collapse, hence, to the end of our current social structure and consumer society. In its monitoring report on the National Framework Strategy on Sustainable Development issued in December 2019, the National Council for Sustainable Development of Hungary calls attention to the fact that “we cannot be sufficiently innovative, competitive and cannot become a European society offering the best quality of life without taking care of the human, social and natural resources to the required extent”. Furthermore, as pointed out by the Council’s Action Plan Proposal of 30 May 2019 that examines the state of natural resources in Hungary, the key objectives of the current government term cannot be achieved without environmental sustainability. Pursuant to Article P) of the Fundamental Law of Hungary, it is our collective responsibility to protect our natural resources.
The Commissioner for Fundamental Rights and his Deputy remind that according to the ruling of the Constitutional Court of Hungary, the State – acting as a sort of trustee for future generations as beneficiaries, ensuring the protection of their hypothetical heritage – may allow the use and exploitation of natural and cultural treasures only to the extent that does not jeopardize the long-term sustainability of these assets. In line with the above, the State must take into account the interests of both present and future generations when managing these assets and creating the relevant regulations.
In the course of their activities, the Ombudsman and his Deputy monitor the state of our environmental values that form part of the common heritage of our nation, as well as the development of the respective legal regulations, and, if needed, they take the necessary steps with the instruments at their disposal.
Although it has been half a century now that the Earth Day initiative urges for active involvement, the state of our environment is continuously deteriorating. However, instead of pointing fingers, we must take meaningful actions in order to protect our planet, both individually and collectively, at all levels ranging from individual to global responses. Be well-informed and act, this is the responsibility that lies with us. There are numerous environmental civil society organisations, economic associations and scientific organisations in Hungary that strive to provide the necessary information and encourage active involvement, not only on this day of the year, but all year around.
On the occasion of Earth Day, the Commissioner for Fundamental Rights and his Deputy spur each and every one of us to contribute to the protection of our environmental heritage and its preservation for future generations also at the individual level – by fulfilling our constitutional obligations and doing our best to seize our opportunities.