Hungarian President Tamás Sulyok must sign the 17th amendment to the constitution adopted by parliament by July 18 at the latest, which provides for his removal from office. Prime Minister Péter Magyar said that otherwise impeachment proceedings could be initiated against the head of state.

"The five-day period allotted to him to sign the 17th amendment to the Basic Law expires on Saturday evening," Magyar said at a press conference in Budapest. He recalled that lawmakers approved the document on July 13, and under the law the president has five days either to sign it or to reject it.

The president may refer it, together with his comments, to the Constitutional Court if he finds any procedural violations in the course of its passage through parliament (objections to the substance of the amendment are not accepted). Magyar believes there are no grounds for such a development. "I hope he will not do that," the prime minister said.

"If, however, this undesirable scenario is carried out, we will take the necessary steps at the proper time and in the proper manner," the prime minister warned. Earlier he had openly threatened to initiate in parliament a "procedure for removal from office" against Sulyok, that is, impeachment. The government had indicated that the president's refusal to sign the 17th amendment and its groundless referral to the Constitutional Court could be regarded as a serious violation of the law.