Hungary's protests have united the country's opposition against Viktor Orban. By Tara John and Andrea Keleti
Budapest: From the far-right to the
left, opposition parties across Hungary's political spectrum have been showing
unity against what they consider the increasingly authoritarian rule of Prime
Minister Viktor Orban and his ruling Fidesz Party. Thousands of
Hungarians have marched through Budapest -- some chanting
"Vik-ta-tor" (an amalgamation of Viktor and dictator) and waving
pro-democracy placards -- since the government passed several laws on Wednesday
that critics say will tighten Orban's grip on power.
One of the new laws
will allow employers to demand up to 400 hours of overtime annually; critics
have dubbed it the "slave law." Another will create a new
government-controlled court system.
But what began last
week as a rally against the overtime law has expanded into several days of
demonstrations against Orban's government.
On Monday evening,
thousands protested outside the headquarters of Hungary's state-run broadcaster
MTVA, chanting anti-government slogans and shouting "we've had
enough." It was the sixth night
of protests against the government, condemned as "Filthy Fidesz" by
the protesters. Pictures from the scene showed people bringing the
demonstrators hot tea, food and even warm socks. A dozen opposition
members of parliament got into the building before being removed security
guards, CNN affiliate ATV showed.
"I protest
because our parents left a free and democratic country (for) us in 1990 and now
we are at their age and we (are learning) again how to fear," a former
English teacher, who asked not to be named because her current employer relies
on government funding, told CNN on Monday. "I protest
because they stole our past, (our) present and the future of our children. And
I protest because my beloved country lost its freedom."
Experts have said
these protests are different from previous unrest in the country in 2014 and
2016.
"It is the first
time opposition parties, inside and outside parliament, are cooperating and
working together to prevent these laws from taking effect," Bulcsu
Hunyadi, senior analyst at Budapest think tank Political Capital, told CNN... read more:
https://edition.cnn.com/2018/12/18/europe/hungary-protests-orban-intl/index.html
see also
Hitler's
annihilation of the Romanis (the Gypsies of Europe)
"We are Europe's misery" - plight of the Romany people in France
"We are Europe's misery" - plight of the Romany people in France
