Hungary shelves Internet tax after mass protests
- 10 years ago
They took to the streets in their tens of thousands and their voice has been heard.
Hungary has dropped plans to introduce a tax on internet use that has generated big protests in Budapest and other cities across the country over the past week
The European Commission also criticised the proposed levy which would have made users pay for each gigabyte of online data transferred.
Prime Minister Viktor Orban conceded that the tax in its current form can’t be introduced, saying: “If the people not only dislike something but also consider it unreasonable then it should not be done”.
But protesters should be wary of celebrating too early. In January, the centre-right leader plans a ‘national consultation’ into online regulation and financial questions surrounding the internet.
Hungary has dropped plans to introduce a tax on internet use that has generated big protests in Budapest and other cities across the country over the past week
The European Commission also criticised the proposed levy which would have made users pay for each gigabyte of online data transferred.
Prime Minister Viktor Orban conceded that the tax in its current form can’t be introduced, saying: “If the people not only dislike something but also consider it unreasonable then it should not be done”.
But protesters should be wary of celebrating too early. In January, the centre-right leader plans a ‘national consultation’ into online regulation and financial questions surrounding the internet.