“Since the economy performed well, despite some shadows in the last quarter ... it is possible to responsibly amend the 2016 budget, and we can therefore increase the money spent on education,” he said.

Commenting on proposed VAT cuts on food products in the 2017 budget, he said this will mostly help people with moderate means because they spend the largest part of their income on basic foodstuffs.

He also commented on the planned drop in the VAT of catering services to 18%, which he said was necessary because the sector cannot generate enough revenue to pay the current tax burdens.

The possibility of further reduction in 2018 will be examined in the future, he added. He praised the Hungarian winner of the Bocuse d’Or European finals, the Hungarian ice-hockey team and the performance of Hungarian swimmers at the European championships in London.

“There are Hungarians who are talented, hard-working, persistent and can increasingly make use of the expanding opportunities ... This is not politics, it is not about the government but about what Hungary is capable of,” he said.

Source: www.hungarymatters.hu
Republished with permission of Hungary Matters, MTI’s daily newsletter.