Protests staged against labour changes in Pécs, Szombathely

Opposition parties and civil groups staged demonstrations to protest against recent changes to the labour code in Pécs (S) and Szombathely (W) on Friday evening.

In Pécs, LMP co-leader László Lóránt Keresztes said that “the ruling parties have now rejected all they used to promote… and have sold out the country’s independence to the Russians”.

The protesters demanded that the government should be ousted, and marched to the city centre carrying the national colours, the flag of the European Union as well as the red and white stripes associated with the extreme right.

In Széchenyi Square, Balázs Nemes, local leader of the Momentum Movement, told some 500 participants that “this is our homeland and we won’t let them steal it… 2019 will be a year for resistance”.

Some 250 people demonstrated in Szombathely, where LMP’s Gábor Vágó spoke in his address about “unprecedented corruption” in government circles.

Local Democratic Coalition deputy Tímea Glázer said that “they should have spent a lot more money on hospitals rather than on sports stadiums”.

The protesters walked to the local office of ruling Fidesz, and left a large sign that read “We are not slaves” across its windows.

As we wrote, opposition parties, civil organisations and trade unions held an anti-government protest in Szeged, in southern Hungary, on Thursday. Read more details HERE.

EXTRAORDINARY PARLIAMENT SESSION LACKED QUORUM

A special session of parliament lacked quorum on Thursday because ruling party Fidesz lawmakers stayed away from it, read more HERE.

Source: MTI