Hungarian Government To Forego Internet Tax In Wake Of Mass Protests
Thousands of Hungarian citizens took to the streets in Budapest to protest against the pending Internet tax that was being debated by the established regime. As a result of the protests, Prime Minister Viktor Orban told the Hungarian media that the internet tax will be removed from the country’s budget.
"This tax in its current form cannot be introduced because the government wanted to extend a telecommunications tax, but the people see an internet tax," Orban said on public radio. "If the people not only dislike something but also consider it unreasonable then it should not be done.”
However, the internet tax will not be shelved forever. Orban went on to say that the government would revisit the issue next year as well as internet regulation.
The proposed internet tax would have charged internet service providers 150 forints (about $.62 USD) per gigabyte of data traffic. Fearing that internet service providers would pass on the additional cost to consumers, and growing dissatisfaction with the Orban administration, it is estimated that 100,000 people participated in the protests..
"This tax in its current form cannot be introduced because the government wanted to extend a telecommunications tax, but the people see an internet tax," Orban said on public radio. "If the people not only dislike something but also consider it unreasonable then it should not be done.”
However, the internet tax will not be shelved forever. Orban went on to say that the government would revisit the issue next year as well as internet regulation.
The proposed internet tax would have charged internet service providers 150 forints (about $.62 USD) per gigabyte of data traffic. Fearing that internet service providers would pass on the additional cost to consumers, and growing dissatisfaction with the Orban administration, it is estimated that 100,000 people participated in the protests..
