Sunday’s protest has been the forth day of the demonstrations against the so-called “slave law” made by the Hungarian government.
On Wednesday, right-wing nationalist prime minister Viktor Orban has promoted a new labour law that allows employers to request workers for 400 hours of overtime a year.
A previous Hungarian law had permitted employers to ask for up to 250 hours of overtime each year. And now, these digits have increased majorly.
Leftist opposition parties, student groups and civilians protest on the streets of Budapest against Orban’s government and call the new legislation a “slave law”.
The government has told CNN: “The voluntary changes to working hours were in the interest of the workers and would allow people to work and earn more”.
Reuters has reported that the parliament has passed another law that will aim to develop a new system of courts in Budapest. The justice minister will examine these and handle cases concerning “government business, such as tax and elections”.
A government spokesperson has added that “the new courts which are set to begin operating next year, will be independent and in line with current European approaches and standards”.
The demonstrations are now becoming more violent. Protesters had reached the headquarters of the local television station MTVA and attempted to storm the building. There had been a major clash between them and the police.
Footage posted by ATV Hungary has shown officers firing tear gas into the crowd. People had crouched on the ground as they were temporarily blinded by the tear gas.
On Thursday, protestors were said to have thrown bottles and smoke bombs at officers that were guarding the neo-Gothic parliament building.
The “slave law” protests are attracting more civilians from across the cities of Budapest.
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