Budapest's District V bans begging, littering

The body of representatives of Pest's inner district, District V, has passed a regulation that bans aggressive panhandling, begging with children, littering, smoking at playgrounds and throwing away cigarette stubs in public, reports fn.hu. The regulation was initiated by District V Mayor Antal Rogán (Fidesz) and passed unanimously.

A volunteer organization called Man of the Street (Utca Embere) attended the vote to protest against the new regulations. Rogán and the representatives listened to their points during a break in the session. Bálint Misetics, spokesman of the organization, said that similar regulations - one is already in effect in District XIII - serve to criminalize poverty. He thinks that despite what Rogán claims, the regulation is not in the interest of the homeless but serves the "sense of beauty" of local residents.

Rogán said: "If I expect any downtown resident not to litter, then I should expect the same from the homeless," added that political correctness should not include letting people freeze to death in the street in the name of human rights.

The regulation will become effective January 1, 2008.

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