Protesters rally for 3rd night

BUDAPEST- Police fired tear gas early yesterday to disperse hundreds of demonstrators demanding the prime minister’s resignation over his admission on a leaked tape that he lied about the dismal state of the economy.

The protesters were part of a much larger group that had gathered Wednesday evening in a fourth straight day of demonstrations against Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsany’s government, growing to 15 000 on Kossuth Square. Police, outfitted with stronger riot gear after previous clashes left dozens of officers injured, mobilised to disperse hundreds of demonstrators who rioted for several hours early yesterday.Fifteen protesters were injured, including two seriously hurt by tear gas canisters, authorities said.The calls for Gyurcsany’s resignation came after leaks of his taped comments that he had “lied morning, evening and night” about the economy.The tape was made at a closed-door meeting in late May, weeks after Gyurcsany’s government became the first in post-communist Hungary to win re-election.Gyurcsany has stood his ground since the protests began Sunday evening, insisting that his government intended to press ahead with economic reforms.”The policy of raw emotions and radicalism are in no way a viable path,” he said Wednesday, adding: “The government doesn’t want to change its policy.”He called for talks Thursday with parliamentary leaders in what would be his first face-to-face meeting with the opposition since the rioting began.Nampa-APPolice, outfitted with stronger riot gear after previous clashes left dozens of officers injured, mobilised to disperse hundreds of demonstrators who rioted for several hours early yesterday.Fifteen protesters were injured, including two seriously hurt by tear gas canisters, authorities said.The calls for Gyurcsany’s resignation came after leaks of his taped comments that he had “lied morning, evening and night” about the economy.The tape was made at a closed-door meeting in late May, weeks after Gyurcsany’s government became the first in post-communist Hungary to win re-election.Gyurcsany has stood his ground since the protests began Sunday evening, insisting that his government intended to press ahead with economic reforms.”The policy of raw emotions and radicalism are in no way a viable path,” he said Wednesday, adding: “The government doesn’t want to change its policy.”He called for talks Thursday with parliamentary leaders in what would be his first face-to-face meeting with the opposition since the rioting began.Nampa-AP