December 23, 2011

Hungary police detain opposition MPs in chain protest



Opposition MPs chained up in parliament protest, Budapest, 23 Dec 11Protesting MPs formed a human chain at the parliament entrance
Hungarian police have broken up a demonstration by green liberal opposition MPs who chained themselves together outside parliament.
Former Socialist Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsany was among several MPs detained by police at the scene in Budapest, Reuters news agency says.
The LMP party activists were blocking the parliament's car park, trying to prevent MPs entering, reports say.
Key laws on elections, taxation and the central bank are set to be adopted.
The parliament is dominated by Prime Minister Viktor Orban's ruling centre-right Fidesz party.
The European Commission, European Central Bank and credit rating agency Standard & Poor's (S&P) have voiced fears that Mr Orban's planned reforms of the Hungarian central bank could undermine its independence.
The parliament approved several government-proposed changes to the central bank bill on Friday to address the criticisms, Reuters reports. It is set to become law next week.
S&P downgraded the country's debt to junk status on Thursday.
The LMP protesters are also angry about Mr Orban's new election law, which they say will give Fidesz an advantage.

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