"Történeti alkotmányunk vívmányai" : az új Alaptörvény egyes rendelkezéseinek jogértelmezései próbája

The present paper is aiming to give an overview on the interpretation of „the achievements of our historical constitution” in the new Fundamental Law of Hungary in effect from 1st January 2012. The new Fundamental Law mentions „the achievements of our historical constitution” twice. At first, it is the National Avowal that emphasizes the honor for the achievements, then the so-called Foundation part of the Fundamental Law tackles down that provisions of the Law must be interpreted in accordance with „the achievements of our historical constitution”. Both the National Avowal and the Foundation part raise questions about the content of „the achievements of our historical constitution”. No exact definition has been created for the content of the phrase so far, so, in general, the secondary sources of law can be called for an answer. In the first part of the paper, critical aspects of the initiative and the legislation of the new Fundamental Law are observed, while in the second part, sources of legal history and legal theory, and also decisions of the Constitutional Court are evoked in order to give the possible and acceptable interpretation of what is considered to be „the achievements of our historical constitution.