RTL has not made a deal with the Hungarian government over the controversial ad tax introduced last year, according to Andreas Rudas, the interim CEO of RTL Hungary.
In a wide-ranging interview with Népszabadság, also reported by BBJ, Rudas said that RTL had only offered its views on the tax, which it sees as discriminatory to the broadcaster RTL Klub.
He also confirmed that although Thomas Rabe, the head of Bertelsmann Group, had met Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orbán last month, they had not entered into any agreement.
Rudas in addition said that RTL would wait for a final ruling from the EC and an amendment to the law on the ad tax before deciding whether or not to take legal action.
Significantly, Rudas revealed that there have not been many talks with the Hungarian authorities, with no session lasting longer than half an hour.
He also said that Jáno Lázár has never spoke with RTL officials in Luxembourg. Nor has Lázár negotiated with Rudas in Berlin.
The EC opened an investigation into the ad tax last week and prohibited Hungary from applying the progressive rates until it is over.
