Fiscal analysis requires a set of indicators. For calculating the structural deficit, it is examined whether measures have permanent or temporary budgetary impacts, if any (creative accounting). For measuring fiscal impulse, it is examined when a given measure has a ‘true’ economic impact,...

Cyclically adjusted budget deficit (CAB) is a widely cited and used concept in the evaluation of fiscal situation. The key idea behind it is to separate temporary and/or non-discretionary effects on budget deficit from the underlying balance and/or effects of discretionary measures of fiscal...

Tax evasion reduces the efficiency of the economy as unequal opportunities of tax evasion leads to an inefficient distribution of resources. In Hungary, based on data for 2005–2006, tax evasion resulted in a transfer of 7.9 per cent of GDP from taxpayers to tax evaders. Following measures...

I study the short-term impact of surprise inflation on the primary balance by separating those budgetary items which immediately respond to inflation from non-responding ones. I assume a passive fiscal policy in a one-year horizon; therefore items fully controlled by the central government are...

This article gives an overview of the national fiscal rules in force or recommended for introduction in the Visegrád countries. In the article, we review the various potential elements of the regulation framework, in particular the debt rule as a limit, the balance target, the expenditure rule...

Our study aims to compare the level of redistribution, and expenditure structure of the Visegrád countries in the period between 1995–2010. For the purpose of comparability, the new methodology presented in the study filters out those components of total expenditures, which are exogenous in...

This study defines various fiscal indicators for different analytical purposes, adjusting for the distorting effect of creative accounting. It presents these indicators using the example of Hungary. The study abandons the general view that an identical balance is produced from the two...

The private pension pillar established in 1998 has generated equally important short-, medium- and long-term effects. This article addresses the short- and medium-term time horizons, which differ from one another. In the short term, the government lost contribution revenues, while its pension...

The economic recession dampened tax revenues, causing deterioration – partly temporary, partly permanent – in the general government balance. The fiscal position can be assessed realistically if we can determine the level of revenue and deficit in the medium run. In order to do this, we...

This study defines various fiscal indicators for different analytical purposes, adjusting for the distorting effect of creative accounting. It presents these indicators using the example of Hungary. The study abandons the general view that an identical balance is produced from the two...