Hungary's plan to tax Internet use draws criticism

BUDAPEST, Hungary, Oct. 22 (UPI) -- Anger over a plan in Hungary to tax Internet use has led to 15,000 signatures by Wednesday on a petition opposing it, and a rally in Budapest Sunday.

In a draft of the 2015 federal budget, submitted to Parliament Tuesday, the Hungarian government intends a tax of 150 floint ($.62) on every gigabyte of Internet use, paid by the service provider. The proposed tax has no cap or ceiling, unlike a current tax on each minute of a telephone call or on every text message.

Industry trade groups have criticized the new law, as has the 40,000-member teacher's union, NSZ.

"This measure seriously undermines the operation of public education, limits the freedom of information, of education and the right to learn," the union said in a statement.

Hungary's alliance of opposition political parties, E-PM, said service providers would pass the cost of the tax to users, and make Internet use so expensive the country would return to the slow pace of the Internet in the 1990s.

"It is especially noxious that the government, which has continually campaigned over the last two years for cuts in utility bills, is now preparing to levy this tax," the alliance statement added.