The opposition Democratic Coalition (DK) has proposed allowing employers to provide employees with a utility bill benefit that would be exempt from taxes and contributions. The benefit that would be made available to full-time employees would be maximised at a monthly 50,000 forints (EUR 121), DK lawmaker Ferenc Dávid told an online press conference. Under the proposal, companies that require their employees to work from home would be mandated to provide the benefit in proportion to the duration of work shifts, Dávid, DK’s shadow economy minister, said. The scheme would have to remain in place until March 31 next year, he said.
Ruling Fidesz said in response that DK leader Ferenc Gyurcsány and his team are “amazing when they do brainstorming in the shadow” but they have never voted in favour of utility support or utility cut and they have been demanding the cancellation of the utility cut scheme for nine years. “The left wing has been fully supporting Brussels’ sanctions which caused the explosion of energy prices and they would be willing to switch off Russian gas for Hungarian families, pensioners and businesses in exchange for foreign campaign funding,” the party said in a statement.