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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/oct/31/hungary-prime-minister-viktor-orban-scraps-draft-internet-tax-law
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| Hungary’s prime minister scraps draft law taxing internet use | |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Hungary’s prime minister, Viktor Orbán, has said he will scrap a draft internet tax law that has sparked mass demonstrations. “The internet tax cannot be introduced in its current form,” Orbán said in a radio interview. | |
| The proposed legislation was seen by critics as another attempt by the rightwing prime minister to silence dissent in the country and had led tens of thousands of demonstrators to take to the streets twice this week in protest. | The proposed legislation was seen by critics as another attempt by the rightwing prime minister to silence dissent in the country and had led tens of thousands of demonstrators to take to the streets twice this week in protest. |
| Orbán said the tax law needed to be amended and that a national consultation on the internet and taxes would be organised in January. | Orbán said the tax law needed to be amended and that a national consultation on the internet and taxes would be organised in January. |
| “My problem is not that people oppose a tax,” Orbán said. “Here people question the rationale of the issue. Nothing can be introduced in these circumstances. This debate is derailed.” He added that the government sees the tax as a technical issue. | “My problem is not that people oppose a tax,” Orbán said. “Here people question the rationale of the issue. Nothing can be introduced in these circumstances. This debate is derailed.” He added that the government sees the tax as a technical issue. |
| The proposed tax – criticised by the EU – would have forced internet service providers to pay up to 700 forints (£1.80) per individual subscriber a month and 5,000 forints per business subscriber. | |
| Opponents of the internet tax have called for a “celebratory” demonstration on Facebook for Friday evening. | Opponents of the internet tax have called for a “celebratory” demonstration on Facebook for Friday evening. |