Protesters demand withdrawal of proposed internet tax
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Budapest, October 26 (MTI) – Thousands of demonstrators gathered in downtown Budapest on Sunday evening to protest against the government’s plan to impose a tax on internet use.
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Balázs Gulyás, founder of a Hungarian Facebook page “One hundred thousand against the internet tax” attracting over 200,000 supporters, called on the government to withdraw the bill.
Fidesz is imposing more and more new taxes on people and deceiving even its own voters because the party itself was also opposing the idea of an internet tax back in 2008, the speaker told the crowd, which filled the square in front of the Economy Ministry building on József Nádor Square.
Gulyás 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 Orbán quit.
With the introduction of the internet tax, the government will “cut Hungary off from the world”, “shoot the economy in the foot”, and jeopardise thousands of jobs, he said.
Gulyas said the government dislikes the internet because people using it can see more of the world.
Several protesters held flags depicting Orbán and Russian President Putin, and one poster showing the inscription “we shall not pay tax to criminals”.
The crowd then moved to Budapest’s Heroes’ Square where Gulyás thanked for their presence and bid farewell to the demonstrators.
Some protesters, however, 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”.
