Tax office to be overhauled, says Varga

Budapest, September 29 (MTI) – Hungary’s tax and customs authority (NAV) will be overhauled, and its work overseen by a state secretary in the future, Mihaly Varga, the economy minister, said in an interview to Magyar Idok.

Further, its central operations will be folded into the economy ministry, he said in the interview published on Tuesday. In parallel, the authority’s seven regional directorates will be abolished and their functions incorporated into the administrative structure of the counties, he said, adding that its workforce of 23,000 was likely to be streamlined.

The changes are expected to be enforced on January 1 next year.

The leftist opposition Democratic Coalition (DK) said in reaction that tax and customs affairs would operate under political influence. This is clear from the appointment of Andras Tallai as deputy minister in charge of tax affairs, the party’s spokesman Zsolt Greczy said in a statement, adding that the office was sure to remain “a hotbed of corruption” and would protect tax fraudsters and businesses close to the government and ruling Fidesz.

Source: http://mtva.hu/hu/hungary-matters