Protests continue against Hungarian government cuts

MADRID, 16 Jul. (EUROPA PRESS) -

This Saturday thousands of demonstrators have gathered along the Danube River as it passes through Budapest to protest one more day against the cuts announced by the Government of the Hungarian Prime Minister, Viktor Orbán.

The participants have cut off traffic on one of the city's bridges for the fifth consecutive day since the government announced the 1.4 billion euro austerity measures and tax increases. It has also launched cuts in subsidies for gas and electricity supplies for households.

In addition, Hungary depends on Russia for much of its oil and gas consumption, making it one of the European countries most vulnerable to a possible Russian hydrocarbon cutoff.

As for the currency, the guilder has lost nearly 10 percent of its value against the euro since the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24.