Rail workers strike, firefighters protest over Hungary budget cuts

Budapest - Rail passengers were left stranded across Hungary on Monday morning after rail workers walked out for nine hours over cutbacks, while hundreds of uniformed firefighters demonstrated in front of parliament. Both protests were both sparked by planned cuts in the government's draft 2010 budget.

"The government has so far announced the closure of 1,019 kilometres of railway track, but this would only save one or two billion forints," strike leader Istvan Gasko told reporters.

"However, we can expect the government to close many more lines in order to make the planned saving of 40 billion forints (224 million dollars)," Gasko said.

Gasko, head of the Free Union of Rail Workers, called off the strike, which began at midnight, at 9am (0700 GMT). He said it had achieved its aim of disrupting rail services across the country.

He warned that if talks with the government on Tuesday do not end the cancellation of planned line closures, the union - representing about a quarter of state railway employees - would call further strikes.

Meanwhile, more than 2,000 firefighters marched on Hungary's parliament to demand the cancellation of planned funding cuts.

They were backed up by a convoy of 50 red fire engines from all over the country that arrived with sirens blaring.

Firefighters' unions say planned cutbacks to funding of over 5 per cent would jeopardise their ability to operate safely next year.

Amid a deep recession and unemployment that recently hit 10 per cent, public discontent over successive rounds of cutbacks is being felt across the country.

Hospital directors last month threatened a hunger strike over a dire shortage of funds, while local councillors recently protested planned budget cuts in front of the parliament building.

Public spending cuts are part of an ongoing push by Prime Minister Gordon Bajnai's socialist-backed caretaker government to balance Hungary's books after years of living beyond its means.

In an attempt to keep the central budget deficit within strict limits laid down by the International Monetary Fund and the European Union, the draft budget calls for public spending cuts totalling 400 billion forints (2.24 billion dollars) next year.

This comes hard on the heels of 900 billion forints in cutbacks made this year by Bajnai's government, which slashed pensions and public sector wages.