The advertising tax will stay, the most important objective of the government is to maintain the system of special taxes – Minister of the Prime Minister’s Office János Lázár said in an interview given to the public broadcaster Kossuth Rádió.

The Minister pointed out that the agreement signed with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and Erste Bank sets out that the bank tax will remain, its rate, however, will be reduced. The same applies to the tax on advertising revenues. In accordance with the instructions of the European Commission, the government will consider the rate of the tax, not however the existence of it: “The advertising tax will remain, the question is only how much the companies will have to pay” – the Minister said.

He also added that it is currently Austria, who has the highest advertising tax of a standard rate of five per-cent. Based on the mandate received from the Prime Minister and Fidesz, the Minister’s task is to lead negotiations with those subject to the advertising tax – among others with Bertelsmann Group, the owner of RTL Klub – in order to prevent procedures of foreseeably negative impact considered by the European Commission. The Prime Minister will hold talks with the Head of the Group on 24 February, until then, the Minister cannot talk about any concrete facts. According to Mr Lázár, both the Prime Minister’s Office and the Bertelsmann Group have prepared proposals, and the negotiations will soon come to an end.

(Prime Minister's Office, MTI)