Selected Decisions of the Constitutional Court of Hungary (1998-2001)

"This selection covers the most important decisions from the period of 1998 to 2001. The criterion for our selection of cases was their suitability to present the jurisprudence concerning the protection of fundamental rights (from the aspects of the right to defence, freedom of expression, right to self-determination, right of association etc.). Beyond doubt, the decision on the constitutionality of the Act on the promulgation of the Europe Agreement falls out of the scope specified above. We still hold it justified including that decision in the present selection, as it is important to note how the Constitutional Court interpreted the applicability of the Agreement in Hungary before its accession to the Union [Decision 30/1998 (VI. 25.)AB]. The order on the termination of the proceedings related to the decision is also included [Decision 483/B/1996 AB]. The basic doctrinal principles of the jurisprudence concerning the protection of fundamental rights were essentially elaborated in the early 90s. The decisions published in this volume reflect, on the one hand, acceptance of the stare decisis principle, i.e. the fact that decisions are built upon one another, thus offering access to essential holdings of previous decisions, and, on the other hand, the additions to the interpretations of the Constitution given earlier. This is how - among others - the so-called second decision on abortion [Decision 48/1998 (XI. 23.)AB], the basic decision on interpreting the freedom of expression [Decision 30/1992 (V. 26.)AB], and, in relation to that, the constitutional review of the penalization of the so-called incitement to hatred [Decision 12/1999 (V. 21.) AB] have been included in this volume. There are other decisions, too, relating to the freedom of expression, e.g. the decisions on interpreting the punishment of scare-mongering [Decision 18/2000 (VI. 6.)AB] and the "right of reply" [Decision 57/2001 (XII. 5.)AB]. As an example of additions of substance, the decision giving the interpretation of the interrelation between social rights and the right to human dignity may be mentioned [Decision 32/1998 (VI. 25.)AB], or the exploration of the contents of the right to having a place of residence on the basis of interpreting the right to social security [Decision 42/2000 (XI. 8.)AB]. Finally, one should note the decision on extending the framework of the right to self-determination in healthcare and on the medical treatment of psychiatric patients [Decision 36/2000 (X. 27.)AB], opening new dimensions for the interpretation of the right to human dignity. The editors hope that the decisions selected for publication represent a good cross-section of the Constitutional Court's jurisprudence of four years." A kötet a Magyar Köztársaság Alkotmánybírósága 1998 és 2001 között hozott legfontosabb döntéseit tartalmazza. Jelen válogatásba az emberi alapjogokkal foglalkozó határozatok kerültek. A kötetet dr. Holló András,  az Alkotmánybíróság elnöke és dr. Erdei Árpád az Alkotmánybíróság alelnöke szerkesztette.