“Here is the final question of the Hungarian government's five-question national consultation:
Do you agree with raising the corporate tax paid by companies?”
said Balazs Hidveghi, Parliamentary State Secretary of the Prime Minister’s Cabinet Office, in a video posted on the government’s social media page.
Hidveghi reminded viewers that:
Hungary has the lowest corporate tax rate in the European Union.
The 9% corporate tax, introduced by the Fidesz–KDNP government, was 19% back in 2010 and before.
The Hungarian government’s key goal is to continuously reduce the burdens on businesses and thereby increase the competitiveness of Hungarian companies,
the state secretary said. He continued: “The result is clear: record investment, one million new jobs, and record-low unemployment. But Brussels wants us to raise the tax paid by companies. They are demanding that Hungarian small businesses also pay corporate taxes similar to Western European firms – even up to 30%. But this would disadvantage hundreds of thousands of Hungarian companies. Wages would fall, and firms would be forced to lay off employees.”
According to Hidveghi, Hungary has the right to keep corporate taxes low and the right to bolster the competitiveness of Hungarian companies.
“If the domestic opposition, which wants to implement Brussels’s plans, came to power, all this would be at risk. The decision before us is clear: we either continue the Hungarian path – tax cuts, family tax benefits, tax exemptions for young people and mothers
– or we give in to Brussels and its local allies, who would raise taxes, abolish family tax benefits, and end the household utility cost cuts.”
He added that the national consultation provides an opportunity for everyone to express a clear opinion on these issues that affect all.
“There are those who don’t want this. There are those [politicians -ed.] who try to hide what they are really planning. Let’s not allow them to deceive us,” the state secretary said.
The final, complete list of national consultation questions:
