Lithuania cracks down on beggars and almsgivers

[Bosonic]

Source: AP

VILNIUS, Lithuania (AP) -- A coin tossed into a beggar's hat in Vilnius can be costly charity.

Lithuania's capital recently introduced a ban on panhandling that not only punishes those who beg but those who give, with fines of up to 2,000 litas ($770).

Outraged rights groups say the ban spells misery for the needy in one of Europe's poorest countries, as winter kicks in and economic turmoil spreads across the continent. Like other European Union nations, Lithuania has been implementing severe welfare cuts that promise to hit the homeless hard.

"Begging is a human right," said Linas Kukuraitis, director of the Lithuanian chapter of Catholic charity group Caritas. "It was there long before cities emerged. There have always been those who begged and those who helped them."

Read more: http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/E/EU_LITHUANIA_PANHANDLERS?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2011-12-05-13-25-43

[sam11111]

1. primitive place. BTW... india has beggars' unions and MINIMUM donations. Not sure how that works.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

2. err. no.

or at least not all over india.

[sam11111]

4. a native confirmed it ten yrs ago.

[limpyhobbler]

3. seems to be a trend

Hungary outlaws homeless in move condemned by charities

A new legal regulation has come into force in Hungary making homelessness punishable by a fine of around $600 (£384) or prison.

MPs from the ruling conservative party proposed the regulation, on the grounds that Budapest could not cope with the large number of people on the streets.

Critics, including charities for the homeless, say it is unenforceable and that hostels lack sufficient places.

The Hungarian capital is said to have some 10,000 homeless people.

According to an amendment to the local government act, passed by a strong majority in parliament last month, those found sleeping on the streets will first receive a warning.

They can subsequently be imprisoned or ordered to pay the fine.

'Stretched to the limits'
The move has provoked widespread criticism, including from Hungary's human rights ombudsman, the BBC's Nick Thorpe reports.

Miklos Vecsei, deputy head of the Hungarian Maltese Charity Service, said the law had not been passed on the basis of any rational or professional criteria but because the public were fed up with the homeless.

Budapest's capacity had been stretched to the limits but deep poverty needed to be cured, not banned, he argued.

The author of the law, Mate Kocsis, is an MP from the ruling Fidesz party and a district mayor in the city.

He argues that local councils should take responsibility for tackling homelessness, and points to new schemes and places in homeless hostels.

Homeless charities argue that this will still leave between 1,000 and 3,000 homeless people without shelter.

A series of demonstrations against the new law is planned.

from
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-15982882