Hungary announces recall of 37 ambassadors in diplomatic overhaul

Hungary has announced the recall of 37 heads of diplomatic missions as part of a broad restructuring of its foreign service, according to Foreign Minister Anita Orbán.

In a video message posted on Facebook, Orbán said the personnel changes were partly due to the expiration of ambassadors’ terms and partly reflect a new foreign policy approach. She said Hungary requires diplomats capable of “effectively and authoritatively representing the country’s interests” in line with updated national priorities, Caliber.Az reports. 

The foreign minister described the move as part of a wider professional renewal within the diplomatic corps. She also said a new state secretariat had been created within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to oversee personnel planning and diplomat training.

Orbán did not specify which countries would be affected. However, Hungarian media outlet Telex reported that the changes may involve ambassadors posted to countries including the United States, the United Kingdom, Italy, Iraq, Colombia, Algeria, South Africa, and New Zealand.

Hungary’s mission in Colombia is currently headed by Zsófia Vitézy, a relative of former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.

Media outlets also noted that the legal mechanism for implementing the recall remains unclear, as ambassadors are formally appointed and recalled by the country’s president.

By Sabina Mammadli