The Foreign Minister has said Western European states want to stifle the competitiveness of Central and Eastern Europe by measures “akin to the Socialist command economies".
According to MTI, Péter Szíjjártó, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, attending the Krynica Economic Forum in Poland, said the proposed tax harmonization and common European debt handling would “effectively annihilate the competitiveness of both the Central European region and at the European Union as a whole”.
“Hungary will fight against tax harmonization to its last breath,” Minister Szíjjártó said. With regard to the plans about common debt handling, the Minister said that would effectively mean that the EU will take over the debt of “certain countries with irresponsible economic policies”. At the same time, Hungary has consistently reduced its public debt in the past few years.
The Minister said that due to previous structural reforms and audacious economic policies the Central European region currently has the lowest taxes and the most attractive conditions for foreign investors.
Minister Szíjjártó also said that the European Union should end its practice of applying double standards, which are mainly aimed at Hungary and Poland.
The Krynica Economic Forum, dubbed the Little Davos of Central Europe, is at its 29th edition this year and hosts some 4,000 politicians, economists and other experts.
Photo credit: Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade