Hungarian Politics

[Tamas]

Nobody seems to give much fucks about this here. International reporting is dominated by the Brussels anti-immigration protests and the aftermath of the Strasbourg attack. Plus Brexit.

Truth be said, we rarely get much reporting from anything in Eastern Europe unless it's a massive crisis.

Just read up on the "slave law" that has seemingly instigated this. Orban is a fan of Dickensian dystopias, too?

Over the last year or so I have noticed multiple times Orban is having more and more trouble hiding how much he is enjoying being an autocratic dick. Little smiles he tries to push down, body language. He is just having too good a time.

[celedhring]

Generally, authoritarians try to at least put on a veneer of "working for the people", though. Even Franco started Spain's public health care. The reason being that many people tend to get riled up more about their personal standards of living than their political freedoms.

That law, if the reporting I'm reading is honest (10 weeks of mandatory overtime with pay delayed up to 3 years) would make Ebenezer Scrooge blush.

[Tamas]

Yes' that's exactly how it works.

[garbon]

FWIW, made it this morning to top spot on Guardian homepage.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/dec/17/hungary-opposition-mps-attack-viktor-orban-slave-law-during-state-tv-protest

Hungary MPs attack Orbán's 'slave law' during state TV protest

Opposition seeks changes from the government, including an independent judiciary

[Tamas]

5 times have opposition MPs has talked to the police requesting protection as it is their right. No police officer has arrived.

Who has arrived is a notary allegedly carrying the TV president's message, but she is taking instructions on what to say from the security chief present in the room.

[Tamas]

Notary is there because the TV claims the MPs are "tresspassing" 

[Tamas]

BTW news are getting in to the press from people who has already received new contract "offers" from their employers to adapt the 400 hour overtimet hing. The wife of a friend of mine included. Even though the law won't come into effect until 1st of January.

[Syt]

Austria recently changed the law (government used a special - legal - process to bypass parliamentary discussion/review) to make it easier to work 60 hours/week for longer periods of time (max. half a year, I think, previously, 48 was the limit, with 40 per week remaining regular max.) After complaints, the government added that these working hours would be "voluntary" and that employees would be in their right to refuse them (because we all know that employer/employee have equal amounts of leverage ).

Of course cases have now surfaced where people were let go for refusing to work 60 hours, and some employers trying to bake the 60 hours into employment contracts ("Employee declares that they're willing and willing to work 60 hours if business requires."). Government has said they would harshly punish offenders and don't yet see a need to change the law.

It's sparked some of the largest demonstrations in a long time, but it looks like the bottom line is nothing much has really changed in real life. Some jobs who (secretly) worked 60 hours (tourism, hotels, restaurants ...) can now openly do so, while those who previously didn't work 60 hours still don't do so ... but more evaluation is required IMHO.

[The Larch]

Nobody seems to give much fucks about this here. International reporting is dominated by the Brussels anti-immigration protests and the aftermath of the Strasbourg attack. Plus Brexit.

Truth be said, we rarely get much reporting from anything in Eastern Europe unless it's a massive crisis.

There was a (short) clip today about the protests during the daily news on national TV.

[Habbaku]

I just caught up on this thread. That law sounds like a return to feudalism. Productivity is at record levels in Western- (and even Hungarian-)style countries, and the answer is more working hours? And they can defer the compensation (essentially, an interest-free loan, with seemingly no guarantee of payment in event of the company's bankruptcy) up to 3 years?

Sounds like you got out at a good time, Tamas.

[Syt]

I just caught up on this thread. That law sounds like a return to feudalism. Productivity is at record levels in Western- (and even Hungarian-)style countries, and the answer is more working hours?

Austrian politicians (and their business clientele) say it's required to remain competitive in aggressive markets.

[Tamas]

This is a disgrace.

The whole day the MPs in the TV HQ kept calling the police emergency line, explaining they are MPs being restricted in their duties and requesting police assistance. NOBODY showed up for 10 hours or more.

Then the TV found a notary, she went in, declared its tresspassing (again, MPs are legally allowed to enter all public buildings). Basically within an hour of the issue of this the police has shown up and are now about the remove the MPs from the building because a notary said so.

Also, an army of police is now around the building, and they are slowly pushing out the politicians and civilians around. First from the yard of the building, now from the street. In anticipation of the announced protest that's due to start soon.

I don't know how big a news it will make in the EU, I expect little, but this is the death of Hungarian democracy and rule of law. This is Erdogan level shit.

[Tamas]

The two MPs thrown out in the morning ended up being locked in the courtyard the police didn't let them enter the building and didn't let them leave the yard. The guy started climbing through the fence, after that the officer in charge decided fine you can leave.

One MP in the building got injured, his leg is probably broken but not confirmed yet. They called an ambulance but they were not let in for quite a while, they ended up climbing in via the fence.

[Tamas]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/world-europe-46595903/hungary-mps-protest-over-slave-law?fbclid=IwAR0bbFlhN8GUnnLf3qiI0L3lH7WS8vf9SY_0uYipmyLUH6_BuVD7wmis0nI

[The Brain]

If you outlaw slavery only outlaws will be slaves.