#student contract

[studentprotesthungary-blog]

Sharing Students' Personal Information

Apparently, the newly introduced law finalising the student contract will make it possible for the state security services to gain access to the personal information of students who signed said contract. While the police, the judiciary or other state bodies can only access the data if it is related to a particular case, no such restrictions will exist for the state security services.

[eduline]

[studentprotesthungary-blog]

Government Backs Down on Student Contract (sort of)

While the discussions with HÖOK are still ongoing, now it seems that the government will not require students to sign a contract before starting their university education. They will still be forced to stay or pay, though, so not much has actually changed. 

HÖOK recently announced that it abandoned its anti-student contract position and was willing to make concessions towards the government. HAHA is still opposed to the government's so-called reforms.

[Index]

[studentprotesthungary-blog]

Press Release from the FIDESZ HQ Protesters (rough translation)

FIDESZ-KDNP is building an oppressive regime. After their three-year rampage, the most basic tenets of the rule of law, constitutionality and social solidarity are in tatters. Resisting this government has become a matter of conscience. This is why we resorted to civil disobedience. Our protest is peaceful and it is independent of all political parties, we ask for the solidarity of all our democratically minded fellow citizens.

We are protesting the destruction of the constitutional order of the Hungarian Republic!

We are protesting against the FIDESZ-KDNP members of parliament amending the "Basic Law" [the most recent constitution of Hungary] with provisions that have been deemed unconstitutional by the Constitutional Court.

We protest against the elimination of the financial autonomy of the universities and against the student contract!

We are protesting against the persecution of homeless people. We are protesting against excluding childless and same-sex couples and those living in registered partnerships from the legal category of a family. 

We are protesting against curbing the freedom of speech.

We are protesting against any further limitations of the independent judiciary.

We are protesting against the discrimination between churches.

We are protesting against restricting the freedom of elections.

We are protesting against restricting the authority of the Constitutional Court and against the annulment of 22 years of its decisions.

From the FIDESZ headquarters, we have a message for our fellow citizens:

A government, which abuses its mandate to achieve exclusive authority is not legitimate.

 The unilaterally worded "Basic Law" is not the legitimate constitution of Hungary, because it serves the authority of FIDESZ-KDNP, disempowerment and discrimination instead of protecting constitutional order and human rights!

We demand that the FIDESZ-KDNP members of parliament withdraw their proposal "On the Fourth Amendment of the Basic Law". The new constitution of Hungary should be created through broad public participation and it should be ratified with a referendum.

We have to stand up for our rights and for each other: we have to get organised, we have to protest, we have to strike.

Long live the republic!

[studentprotesthungary-blog]

Protesters Occupy FIDESZ Headquarters

A group of protesters entered the headquarters of the governing FIDESZ party this morning to protest against the coming changes to the constitution, which would include the crippling of the Constitutional Court, the student contract (forcing state-funded university graduates to stay in Hungary for many years or pay the cost of their education) and the criminalization of homelessness.

[HVG]

EDIT: it seems the protesters did not enter the building, they are just in the courtyard/driveway, but still within the premises of the building.

[studentprotesthungary-blog]

National Student Council May Protest

Dávid Nagy, the president of HÖOK (Hallgatói Önkormányzatok Országos Konferenciája, the national-level student council) made a number of statements at a student forum in Pécs, organised by the University of Pécs student council. 

He stated that the discussions between HÖOK and the government collapsed when the government broke its word and started the process to add the student contracts to the Constitution (despite the practice having been ruled unconstitutional). Furthermore, the government has failed to address any of the six demands raised by the student movements. 

Nagy pointed out that, while the government has been busy courting easy votes, it has completely neglected the young voters, who, contrary to government propaganda, want to stay, live and work in Hungary. The official line is that the student contract, which would force students to either stay in Hungary or pay back the costs of their education is necessary because the Hungarian taxpayers shouldn't pay for the workforce of other nations. Nagy said that, putting aside the fact that the contracts are not compatible with EU regulations, this argument is "bullshit", as a significantly higher percent of emigrants are without university degrees.

Furthermore, he stated that since discussions with the government are seemingly futile, the HÖOK will organise protests and seek help from the European Institutions.

[Magyar Narancs]