Hungary’s homeless told to move along – from everywhere

A proposed law passed in Hungary forbids the homeless from staying in public spaces where tourists could see them. Civil society groups say the government looks to criminalize homeless rather than cope with the problem.

Some say Hungary’s conservative government under Prime Minister Viktor Orban has been waging war with the country’s homeless since being elected in 2010. On a number of occasions it has run afoul of the constitutional court. The court overturned a ban on sifting through dumpsters, as well as a law on rough sleeping that targeted the homeless, which was later amended and reinstated.

Earlier this week, Hungary’s parliament in Budapest signed off on the reissuing of a law forbidding the homeless from loitering in specific public spaces in a manner deemed “living-oriented.” The criteria for that term are at this point very vague. The ban affects all of Hungary’s World Heritage sites but may also include any areas declared by municipal officials to be off-limits to the homeless. Those in breach of the ban can be fined, sentenced to community service or even imprisoned.

more: DW