Tolna County Government Office appointed independent MP Ákos Hadházy to unskilled horticultural work, the lawmaker announced on social media, after he was fined for organizing anti-government ‘car-honking’ protests last year. Instead of paying the fine, he decided on doing community service.
During the state-of-emergency and the lockdown imposed due to the first wave of the coronavirus, opposition Momentum, jointly with independent MPs Bernadett Szél, and Ákos Hadházy, organized several ’car-honking’ demonstrations in Budapest to protest against the hospital evacuations ordered by the government at the time.
Police officers handed out hefty fines to protesters, including the organizers, for “making sounds without reason.”
The second instance court later remitted the penalties for the offenses, except for the two organizers Szél and Hadházy, who were sentenced to pay HUF 100,000 (EUR 277) each.
Not long after, the two independent MPs announced they would not pay, but instead work off the fines with community service.
On Tuesday, Ákos Hadházy, a veterinary by profession, shared on Facebook that the government office eventually obliged him to unskilled horticultural or farmhand work. He needs to work a total of 228 hours.
“I was never afraid of agriculture labor, I worked quite a bit in my dad’s vineyard and I think I will even like it. But I find it deeply outrageous that they are not letting me near a health institution even as a public worker,” Hadházy wrote.
According to Hadházy, the government office is required to take into account his professional qualifications when appointing him to a job, and he also indicated that he is a veterinarian. He believes he could help at least as much as an unqualified auxiliary nurse in the busy hospitals.
“But instead they sent me to hoe,” he added.
Bernadett Szél had already applied to the government office in April in her own constituency, Budaörs, and has to work 120 hours.
In an update post on social media last week, the independent lawmaker reported that she had undergone a mandatory medical examination before community service.
“Many of you are asking where I will work – mostly where I am allowed to, and I will proudly do any work,” the MP wrote.
Many have told me that they will laugh at me because I will be cleaning – but excuse me, why not?! What kind of mentality is this, why and who and with what right do they look down on certain jobs?”, Szél added.
According to the MP, those mocking her should note that she is willing “to clean up the country on all levels.”
Featured photo by Attila Kovács/MTI
