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BUDAPEST, Feb. 10-- Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban announced here on Sunday in his annual speech a bold seven-point action plan on helping families with children in order to tackle population decline. According to Orban, whose speech has been broadcast by public television channel M1, the first point of his plan is to support young couples, with each woman under 40 years old to receive a loan of 10 million forints (around 35,000 U.S. dollars). After giving birth to three children, the loan would not have to be paid back, and would become a non-refundable support. The second point aims to expand the beneficiary state-credit scheme set up by the government to help young couples acquire their first apartment. The third point deals with mortgages. The government vows to pay one million forints of the parents' mortgage after the birth of a second child, and 4 million forints after the birth of a third child. The fourth point might be the biggest incentive for larger families. Women giving birth to four children will be exempted for life from the payment of personal income taxes. Orban also announced to launch a large family car purchase program. Accordingly, the government will give 2.5 million forints as a non-refundable grant to new 7-seat cars for families with at least three children. In order to help moms get back to the labor market, Orban promised 21,000 new places in nurseries in the coming three years. Thus, from 2022 onwards, all parents would be able to bring their children to the nursery. | 
