Translated material
Hungary: conversations in the square
Despite the fact that the cabinet of the Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban abandoned the idea of introducing the Internet tax, the protests in the country did not stop. The demonstration on November 18 in Budapest nearly ended in storming the parliament
Star and young went to the streets of Budapest. November 17, 2014
Photo: Laszlo Bologh/Reuters
Demonstrations on the streets of Budapest and other Hungarian cities have been going on for several weeks now, tens of thousands of people gather in front of the parliament in Koshut Square daily. Winter in Budapest has not yet begun, there is neither snow nor rain, but people are warm: they have to stand for a long time. “We cannot pay as many taxes as you are stealing money!”, “We will not pay taxes to the bandits!”, “We still asked, today we decide!” - It is written on posters. "Orban get out!" And "Victator!" - the crowd chants.
Previously, such numerous demonstrations in Budapest were gathered only in support of the ruling Fidesd Lawcentric Party (the Hungarian Civil Union), while as a rule, the Property Public Movement “Forum of Civil Unity” acted as the organizer of the shares. Few came out to protest against high taxes or a rapidly falling standard of living. It was for this reason that the mass of November protests was a surprise even for the Hungarian opposition: most of the demonstrators who went out into the streets have never taken active participation in public life. The defenders of the regime immediately started talking about the “long hand of Brussels”, which does not tire of criticizing the Orban government, but in fact, among the protesters, ordinary Hungarians, which are simply tired of poverty and corruption scandals.
in 2010–2013) - says the poster
*Miklosh Khorty - an authoritarian ruler (regent) of Hungary in 1920-1944, during the Second World War - Hitler's ally.
The last drops
Here, for example, 45-year-old Anna and Laszlo. Anna works on the railway, Laszlo-in the call center of a large company. Their eldest son lives separately, two other children - together with parents, whose salary is barely enough for the most necessary - neither about vacation or any excesses have to be thought, even electricity was disconnected for non -payment a few months ago.
“The eldest son immediately joined the protest movement,” says Laslo. “Otherwise, we can’t return Sveta to the house.” The mother of the family has to spin so that there is always food on the table: “Before you go shopping, you carefully calculate everything and follow the discounts,” Anna admits. On Monday, November 17, the couple first took part in the demonstration. Why didn't you go out before? “We either did not have free time, or to the center where people protest, we came too late,” Laszlo hesitated with the answer. Anna interrupts: “Honestly, I don’t understand why people were so infuriated by people on the Internet. What, there are no other reasons? It was necessary to go out before! " To take part in the demonstration, Anna had to get off the work two hours earlier: "This time I will have to work on the following days, but it is worth it."
But when asked what was the last straw that overwhelmed the cup of popular patience, both spouses were difficult to answer: “All at once. The attitude from politicians who steal, rich, and the country, meanwhile, rolls into the abyss, ”Anna says, thinking. Laszlo adds: “The Hungarian people were obedient, like a sheep, for a long time everyone dutifully paid taxes, believed everything that they got into them. But all, now enough! Our last pants are already worn out, and we also have to pay taxes? Enough! It's time to change something! "
The audience in the Koshut Square is quite motley: youth and pensioners, men in business suits and hippies with plague hairstyles. At one of the intersections, the New Times correspondent talked with 36-year-old Zoltan-now he works at a construction site, he was previously convicted. Zoltan is an ardent supporter of the ultra -right party "Yobbik". He does not make a secret from his views on the situation in the country, is well fed politically, constantly reads several newspapers of different directions. However, despite all this, he, too, had never been to demonstrations before. When asked why today, Zoltan repeats what many Hungarians of different political views say now: “I am fed up with lies and promises, an exploiting attitude from the hypocrite of politicians. And I want them to ultimately answer for being going on in the country for the past 25 years. Perhaps right now we have a chance to lay the foundation of a new political system. ”
Zoltan, however, does not have an answer to the question of how this device should look: “I don’t know this for sure, but as everything is happening now, it cannot continue anymore.”
Like other interlocutors of the magazine, Zoltan and his companion experience financial difficulties. Officially, Zoltan receives the minimum wage - 78 thousand forints (€ 236), but moreover, the employer gives part of the salary in the envelope. In total, 120 thousand forints are released (€ 363). Half of the earnings will go to pay for a small rented apartment in a new building on the outskirts. "We would like a child, but how to afford it?" - the young man shrugs.
Nearby stands a 25-year-old Tamash, a colleague of Zoltan, for him to participate in a demonstration in a novelty. However, the future is seen more positive: with their girlfriend they plan offspring: “That's why I'm here. I love homeland, I like in Hungary. I just want my child to live in the best country. "
Tamash does a lot to make life better. He settled himself as a volunteer in the service of assistance to the homeless, sacrifices money to protect animals and help orphans. Until the last events, he was not politically active: "I was not very interesting for me, I didn’t even go to the polls." This is his girlfriend insisted that he go to the demonstration. After the protest campaign, Zoltan will return home with a good mood: “The demonstration is a success in itself. The people have really come, the government will have to pay attention to this. ”
Pensioners on barricades
The middle is 60 years old, she is an experienced activist, in recent years she took part in countless anti -governmental performances and even organized them herself. Professional playwright, an outline is one of the most recognizable persons in the Hungarian non -play (non -parliamentary) opposition. “We went to the Koshut Square to oppose Orban's regime, demanding his resignation. With his friends, he seeks to create a state with a dictatorship of a fascist sense, mixing the ideology of Horthy* with a frankly Bolshevik approach to state regulation. "
Firstly, the outline is convinced, Orban’s policy puses a threat to democracy as such, and secondly, his economic policy put a huge number of enterprises on the line of bankruptcy-“and all this for the sake of enriching a small group of people”.
The scene has enough experience of clashes with the police. Despite his retirement age, he and her husband often find themselves in the forefront: “Of course, we are walking ahead of the crowd. We want to show that we are not afraid of the police no matter what! ”
Clara stands next to the outline, she went to the protest for the first time, says that she "is calmer next to someone who has experience." Clara is an employee of the social sector, in January of this year she waited for her salary of 100 thousand forints (€ 330) by 5-8 %, but did not wait. Money, however, is not the only reason why it is today in the square. Clara admits to the barricades, it was brought by professional pride: “In the second half of this year, the government decided to include most of the money benefits for the child. This means that only people who have work will now receive benefits. This is absolutely impossible! - claims Clara. “The manual is intended for children, not parents.” This step of the government has already hit many families: “The children seemed to be out of the family budget,” Clara complains.
They are afraid to lose their benefits for children and Rita and Rita: they have three children, the youngest for only a few weeks. Sandor spent more than five years in prison, his wife raised her older girls alone. Now they are together again, but no one knows for a long time, because neither Rita nor Sandor has work: “My wife lost a lot of blood during childbirth, she has not yet recovered, I can’t leave her alone and go to work abroad, as all friends do! Saydor says. - We never felt such hopelessness. We don’t even know how much time we can pay for the apartment, we are afraid, they will soon ask us, but winter is on the nose. ”
Sandor is not alone in his fear. Less and fewer Hungarians, regardless of the profession and level of education, can be confident in their future. For example, 50-year-old Maria is an elementary school teacher, a mother of two children. She has a mortgage for an apartment, issued in Swiss francs, and payments today are almost twice as high as in 2007, when she bought housing. Maria went to anti -government demonstrations before the party of Orban came to power, and today she again could not sit at home: “I have been working as a teacher for almost 30 years, I love this, I like working with children. But Orban’s policy is a kiss of death for future generations. ” Maria may lose work due to a program for reducing the number of seats in secondary schools, due to which Orban’s office wants to expand the vocational school system. “Education is the only way for children to become normal citizens. If we block access to education, who will they turn into? In bandits? "
The question of the “long hand of Brussels” causes Mary’s smile: “And where does Brussels have to do with it? We want our children to study, so that at home they do not depreciate and that you can live on an average salary. ” The people standing around, who now and then slam their hands, confirm her words. Maria says that he will go to protest "as much as it takes." Thousands of other dissatisfied people tired of poverty, the same mood. Today there is no doubt: Hungary decided to tell the government "Enough!"
"Victator!" - the crowd is chanted in the square of Koshut. Victor Orban is not like here. Budapest, November 18, 2014
One of the slogans: Hungary "eaten" by the Party "Fides" Viktor Orban
Most of today's demonstrators took to the streets for the first time. Budapest, November 18, 2014
Photo: bálazs mohai (mti), n`ra hálasz, jános marjai (mti)