Hungary’s government plans to start discussing the draft 2010 budget at a special session on September 1, Socialist officials told MTI on Tuesday.
The government is expected to approve the bill on September 9 and submit it to Parliament on September 11.
Socialist MPs who asked not to be named said the single figure which is sacrosanct is the planned budget deficit, corresponding to 3.8 percent of GDP.
In line with a declaration of intent sent to the International Monetary Fund, the government plans to cut local government spending and that of public transport and ministries.
The government plans to earmark more funds for law and order and job creation, and revise the “Road to Work” programme for people on welfare.
The parliamentary leader of the liberal Free Democrats, Janos Koka, told a news conference on Tuesday that he has asked the government to include tax cuts for 2010 and 2011 in the bill.
The Socialist minority government relies on the votes of Free Democrats, its former ally, to pass legislation.
These tax cuts should be “carved in stone,” Koka said. The plan is to introduce a single income tax set at 17 percent with upper limits set at 5 million forints in 2010 and 15 million in 2011, he said.
Hungary’s government plans to start discussing the draft 2010 budget at a special session on September 1, Socialist officials told MTI on Tuesday.