Internet Tax Scrapped In Hungary After Protests

A controversial proposal for an internet tax in Hungary has been scrapped following mass demonstrations.

Prime Minister Viktor Orban said he was dropping a draft internet tax law that would have seen service providers charged by the gigabyte.

Mr Orban said in a radio interview: "The internet tax cannot be introduced in its current form."

He added that the demonstrations meant the introduction of the planned tax was now "impossible".

He said a "national consultation" would instead take place next year on whether the internet should be taxed, which would take "a long time".

On Sunday evening, more than 10,000 people marched through the centre of Budapest while chanting and waving signs.

Members of the crowd held up banners outside the economy ministry with messages including: "Free Wifi! Free internet! Free Hungary!"

Earlier this month economy minister Mihaly Varga announced a proposed tax of 150 forints (38 pence) for every gigabyte of traffic handled by internet service providers.

But within hours thousands of people had signed petitions demanding the plan be scrapped.