INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Thousands of people have marched through Budapest in protest at new laws that threaten labour rights and the independence of the judiciary
Marchers carrying signs that read "All I Want For Christmas Is Democracy" and against Prime Minister Victor Orban thronged the city's
freezing streets, in the fourth consecutive night of protest after the government approved revised rules on overtime.The changes, made amid
widespread labour shortages, increase the maximum amount of overtime workers be made to do every year from 250 to 400 hours, and triples the
amount of time employers can settle payments for extra work to three years.They have been dubbed "slave laws"."They don't negotiate with
anyone," Zoli, a transport worker on the protest only identified by one name, said of the government
"They just do whatever they want
It cannot go on."Image:Police fired tear gas at protestersDemonstrators lit flares and police responded with tear gas, as speeches in the
city's symbolic Free Press Road turned into a march toward the state television building, while other crowds blocked two roads near the
Danube river.The changes are the latest authoritarian measures to be introduced by Mr Orban, Hungary's far-right leader who won a third term
in government in April, with a large majority for his party Fidesz and its Christian Democrat ally.In another bill passed on Wednesday, the
government created a separate administrative court system to handle cases such as elections, rights to asylum and assembly, and complaints
of police violence.Image:Around 10,000 people are thought to have attendedRights groups warn the arrangement leaves courts at risk of
political interference, because the minister of justice will be able to pick judges and decide on court budgets in the new court, with no
judicial oversight."The fact that a politician, who is part of the executive branch, will select all judges in a court system responsible
for holding the administration and the executive to account makes a mockery of the separation of powers and rule of law," said Lydia Gall,
Eastern Europe researcher at Human Rights Watch.Protesters on Sunday included groups from across the political spectrum.Image:The protesters
say the changes will restrict workers' rightsMembers of Jobbik, which began as a radical right movement but has reframed itself as a
"people's party", were joined by trade unions, left and liberal opposition groups, and supporters of The Central European University.The
institution, founded by Hungarian-American philanthropist George Soros, announced this month it would leave Hungary for Austria, saying it
had been "chased out" by Mr Orban's crackdowns.The prime minister, who frames himself as a saviour of Hungary's Christian culture, has
accused the billionaire of orchestrating a campaign to bring migrants to the country
Mr Soros says he is being used as a scapegoat outsider to whip up an exclusionary nationalism.Allies of Orban and his ruling party Fidesz
accuse liberal organisations financed by Soros of financing the protests, with they frame as criminal riots.
