PHOTOS: Opposition Momentum painted red and blocked the Sovereignty Protection Office in Budapest
The opposition Momentum party held a protest dubbed “Free home country, free press, free election!” against the approval of a bill on the transparency of public life at the Sovereignty Protection Office’s headquarters on Friday.
Party leader Márton Tompos told the event from a stage set up in front of the building’s entrance that the bill was not only about the press and NGOs. “From now on any of us could be a target”.
Anyone criticising the government in a Facebook post could be branded a foreign agent, whether it is a business receiving European Union support or selling exports abroad, or even someone whose relative sends them money from abroad, he added.
Tompos said those in power “are running down and descending along the Putin path”. “The next step on the Russian path will be the banning of parties and party politicians. The aim is to have an opposition in parliament that has been invented by them, created by them and placed there by them,” he added.
Group leader Dávid Bedő said that the bill aimed at “silencing everyone that does not agree with the state party”. They first restricted the freedom of assembly, “now they come for whatever is left of the freedom of the press and the freedom of speech, and who knows what comes next”.
Police formed a line to close off the building from the protesters, and the area between Sánc street, Hegyalja road and Mihály street was closed off during the demonstration.
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