The opposition Democratic Coalition (DK) on Thursday called for a parliamentary committee to be set up to investigate police actions during demonstrations against Wednesday’s amendments to the labour code.
On Wednesday, parliament voted to raise the upper threshold for annual overtime from 250 to 400 hours. The opposition blocked the house speaker’s dais and obstructed proceedings with loud whistling and jeering in an attempt to thwart the vote. Later that day, demonstrators against the regulation clashed with police on Kossuth Square near Parliament.
Fire, Aggression and Tear Gas: Demonstration Against “Slave Law” Got Out of Hand
Deputy DK head Ágnes Vadai told a press conference that during the opposition’ protest at the parliamentary session, “people in suits” entered the assembly hall and called themselves members of the Parliamentary Guard but bore no appropriate identification. Members of the Hungarian counterterrorism centre (TEK) also appeared, she said.
During protests outside the building later on Wednesday, police used tear gas and pepper spray against the protesters several times without a loud and clear warning which would be their duty, she said.
The public has the right to know who ordered these moves, Vadai said.
Answering a question concerning two of Viktor Orban’s body guards entering parliament’s assembly hall on Wednesday, Gergely Gulyás, the Prime Minister’s Office chief, told a press conference that the prime minister is a “highly protected dignitary” and “since he was put in physical danger by the opposition it would be difficult to condemn the behaviour of those protecting him”.
via MTI