Hungary plans to introduce a new tax next year aimed specifically at ISPs, according to Mihály Varga, the country’s National Economy Minister.
Portfolio reports that this is likely to place an even heavier burden on the incumbent Magyar Telekom, which has already paid between HUF25 billion (€81.4 million) and HUF35 billion in special taxes in the last few years.
It adds that local telcos in Hungary have been paying a special sectoral tax since 2010, telecom tax since 2012 a levy on their utility network since the start of last year.
The planned tax seems to go against the government’s stated objective to make broadband internet services available to every household in Hungary.
To this effect, it signed an agreement with Magyar Telekom in February this year.
