Hungary’s Opposition Warns Against Ad Tax

  • 4 Mar 2015 8:00 AM
Hungary’s Opposition Warns Against Ad Tax
The proposed general 5% tax on advertising revenue will wipe out small media outlets, opposition parties warned yesterday. Socialist MP Ágnes Kunhalmi described the tax as a politically motivated tool for destroying independent media.

In a similar vein, Dialogue for Hungary MP Tímea Szabó said the tax has political aims, and will “strangle” most media companies.

While large media companies such as RTL Klub and TV2 will pay less than under the graduated tax in effect at present, a flat tax will hit small companies that do not pay any tax on ad revenue.

HírTV will have to pay more tax, while Népszabadság’s bill will rise from Ft 35 million to Ft 198 million, Világgazdaság reported earlier.

The publishers of HVG, Magyar Hírlap, Népszava, which now pay little or no tax, will have to pay Ft 14-50 million, while popular news websites Index and Origo will each have to pay Ft 120-140 million.

Source: Hungary Around the Clock

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