Hungary dissolves Sovereignty Protection Office, leaders lose severance

Hungary’s parliamentary law‑making committee approved a constitutional amendment that will terminate the Sovereignty Protection Office (Szuverenitásvédelmi Hivatal) and merge its functions into the Ministry of Justice, which is headed by the justice minister. The amendment stipulates that the office’s president and deputy heads will lose any right to a severance payment, while other employees will receive the statutory gratuity defined for special‑status civil servants. All ongoing proceedings under the former agency’s mandate will cease on the date the law takes effect, and the data and cases handled by the office will be transferred to the justice ministry. The change also requires the departing senior officials to submit a final wealth statement within fifteen days of the law’s entry into force.