According to János Fónagy, state secretary at the National Economy Ministry, who responded to a query by opposition Együtt (Together) politician Szabolcs Szabó, the losses were chiefly caused by the government’s utility fee reduction and taxes levied on the sector, the daily reported. 

Népszabadság added, based on the state secretaryʼs answer, that Hungarian water companies asked for and received state aid amounting to more than their operational losses in general, however, Együtt politician Viktor Szigetváry says it is unclear how these funds were transferred to the companies, as the EU prohibits indirect aid from the state.