PM flags single-digit income tax

No one likes paying tax and income tax should be below 10% by 2018, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has said. Reducing the tax from 16% by the end of the current governing cycle would be possible were the economy to grow by a “feasible” 4-6%, he claimed. Speaking about the new ad tax, Orbán told public radio that the advertisement sector must take its share of public burden as “a matter of fairness”. Commenting on objections from the media, he said: “Bankers also protested… nobody likes paying tax.” After the introduction of the banking levy, “bankers said it would put a freeze on lending… yet the bank sector is operating well in Hungary”. Orbán said sectoral taxes will remain as long as Fidesz is in power. He underlined the goal of full employment and said more public work opportunities would be offered. “Instead of rewarding people for not working, we want to create job opportunities.” Addressing European affairs, Orbán said the EU is legislating “by stealth” through incremental treaty changes. Brussels was trying to curb the powers of member states. This must be prevented “by bringing up constitutional arguments”.