THOUSANDS OF Hungarians and Czechs have marched in protest at cost-cutting measures their governments say are vital to bolster their economies and avert future crises.
Some 10,000 Hungarians, most of them police officers, fire-fighters and soldiers, rallied in central Budapest and cast fake ballots in mock voting booths against the country’s conservative government, which is using its stranglehold on power to push through controversial reforms.
Many of the demonstrators wore multicoloured wigs, face paint and outlandish costumes, in reference to reports that prime minister Viktor Orban had refused to talk directly to protesters and offered to send his “under-secretary for clown affairs” instead.
Most of those at the “Clown Revolution” rallied against state plans to no longer pay pensions to people younger than the general retirement age of 65. Until now, emergency and security service workers have been able to retire at 45. Other workers joined the march to protest against moves to scrap the system of government negotiation with employers and unions.
“I worked as a policeman all my life and for 25 years I thought I could retire,” said Attila Bogdan (49) who is set to lose his pension.
Mr Orban insists boosting unemployment will help fuel Hungary’s economic recovery, but his government appears to be losing the popularity that swept it to a crushing election victory last year. Critics have accused him of an erroneous economic policy.
In the Czech Republic, a strike of transport workers paralysed much of the rail and road network and halted the Prague metro for the first time in its history. More than 1,000 marched through the city. Czech unions demanded the cabinet resign over plans to raise the retirement age, increase taxes and reduce welfare benefits – measures the centre-right government insists are crucial to modernising and stabilising the economy.