The brilliant move of Hungary lawmakers to criminalize the act of being a homeless person comes as a surprise to some. But this innovative solution to such a complex problem should certainly be known to the world. After all, this effectively makes all the homeless people – and the problems that come with them – disappear. From sight, that is. In fact, from the goodness of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s heart, these people will be given a home for free… in the form of a jail cell.
In 2011, Hungary started with their major anti-homeless laws. Homeless people were given warnings for their first offence (i.e., being caught without a house). Subsequently, they have been forced to pay the fine or be imprisoned. This is not news to the UN, who heard the following statements in a report presented at a UN General Assembly in 2011, regarding the laws.