Hungary opposition dismantles barriers at parliament

By Staff
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Google Oneindia News

BUDAPEST, Feb 2 (Reuters) The leaders of Hungary's main opposition party Fidesz today dismantled barriers outside parliament which police had erected to keep anti-government protesters out.

Police did not stop the leaders and members of the Fidesz parliamentary group, but riot police later appeared on the square outside the huge, neo-gothic parliament.

Fidesz called the operation an act of ''civil disobedience''.

The square was the scene of mass protests last year, sometimes violent, against Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsany, after he admitted in a leaked tape to lying about the economy to win April's parliamentary elections.

Fidesz's leaders interrupted their caucus meeting today and personally moved the metal barriers which they said unlawfully prevented people from exercising their right to demonstrate.

''It is an impossible situation that the police take an unconstitutional measure with the government's support and this remains in force for months,'' Fidesz chief Viktor Orban said after giving instructions to his MPs to move the barriers.

A few dozen far-right protesters also later appeared at the scene.

''The government's stance is that everyone, including MPs, must obey the law,'' government spokeswoman Emese Danks said.

Orban said Fidesz would take responsibility for its actions but it would keep removing the barriers every day if police put them back.

REUTERS AB HS1706

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