THE NATURE OF THE PUBLIC USE CLAUSE AS A FUNDAMENTAL GUARANTEE IN THE PUBLIC TAKING OF PRIVATELY-OWNED LAND IN THE UNITED STATED OF AMERICA
The Hungarian constitutional system has undergone a fundamental transformation in the last three years. Although this change cannot be regarded as systemic as the one in 1989-1990, constitution-making and further legislation provoked heated debates and criticism not only in Hungary but also in Europe. The reforms drew the attention of the European Union, the Council of Europe, and the international community. This paper covers the latest Hungarian constitutional changes, and includes a brief historical review of 1990-2010, as well as the views of the European Union and the Council of Europe. The author focuses on the legal status of state organs and on the latest debates about the Constitution's fourth amendment in 1913. In contemporary Hungary there are keen debates not only about reinterpreting traditional European standards and constitutional principles, but also the problem of state sovereignty within the European Union.