Hungarian Protesters Demand Withdrawal Of Proposed Internet Tax

  • 27 Oct 2014 8:02 AM
Hungarian Protesters Demand Withdrawal Of Proposed Internet Tax
Thousands of demonstrators gathered in downtown Budapest on Sunday evening to protest against the government’s plan to impose a tax on internet use. Balázs Gulyás, founder of a Hungarian Facebook page “100,000 against the internet tax”, called on the government to withdraw the bill.

He said that if the government fails to withdraw the bill within 48 hours, the opponents of the tax will be demonstrating again on Tuesday.

Gulyás said “we shall not pay internet tax to the corrupt tax authority and to [Prime Minister] Viktor Orbán”.

He said there certainly would not be an internet tax if Orban quit. The crowd then moved to Budapest’s Heroes’ Square then some protesters marched to the Fidesz party headquarters in nearby Lendvay Street and threw used computer parts at the building, damaging windows and shutters.

Several demonstrators climbed onto the balcony of the headquarters, where they hung two European Union flags. The protesters chanted “Viktator”, “We want democracy”, “Europe” and “VAT fraudsters”.

In a statement, the ruling Fidesz party voiced consternation over the Sunday demonstration “degenerating into vandalism”. Fidesz said it was open to arguments and prepared to submit an amendment proposal to the bill but held “violence totally inacceptable”.

The demonstration was supported by the opposition LMP, Socialist, E-PM, DK and Jobbik parties as well as the Liga Trade Unions, the Teachers’ Trade Union and industry associations.

Source www.hungarymatters.hu

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MTI photo: Beliczay László

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