The protesters, organised by the “60,000 for private pensions” Facebook group, gathered in the square to hear Zoltán Vajda, the group’s lead organiser, declare that the budget was a “moment of truth” and the “budget will reveal the will of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán”.

He insisted that another million people would join the already four million poor in the country once the budget is approved.

He added that regular social benefits would be scrapped and food would become more expensive with the passing of the 2015 budget. “This is not the budget of Hungary, but of a banana republic,” Vajda said.

Emilia Nagy, a school teacher and activist of the Teaching Network, said they would not allow the budget to drive the future of Hungarian society into danger.

She said the government wanted to squeeze the masses out of a quality education. Nagy added that getting into a grammar school would become a privilege and only lucky students would be assured a higher education.

Source www.hungarymatters.hu

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MTI photo Illyés Tibor