* Reaffirms commitment to below 3 pct/GDP 2011 budget goal
* No need for austerity, sees state savings HUF 150-200 bln
* State plan to help FX borrowers to be ready by mid-Oct
(Adds more detail, comments)
BUDAPEST, Sept 16 (Reuters) - There is no need for austerity steps to cut Hungary's 2011 budget gap below 3 percent of gross domestic product as a bank tax will help the government meet the target, Economy Minister Gyorgy Matolcsy told TV2 on Thursday.
"There won't be (austerity measures next year) as the essence of this is that it's either austerity or bank tax," Matolcsy told TV2.
Matolcsy said the International Monetary Fund (IMF) wanted Hungary to launch a 300 billion forints new austerity package but the government had said this was not possible, and therefore it imposed a tax on the financial sector this year and in 2011.
Hungary's talks with the IMF and EU about a review of the country's existing financing deal had unexpectedly collapsed in July. This deal will run out next month and the government has ruled out a new financing deal.
Matolcsy reiterated that the government was committed to keeping the budget deficit below 3 percent of GDP next year even if the EU does not accept a change in the accounting rules of the costs of pension reform into the deficit and debt numbers.
He said the government would fight for the change that would take into account private pension funds, thus automatically reducing the deficit and debt figures of Hungary.
"It's simply shameless that in the EU they treat countries in two different ways," Matolcsy said.
When asked if the government would consider changing the present Hungarian pension system if Brussels rejects the change in accounting rules Matolcsy said:
"We will think it over, that would be a new situation."
Matolcsy also said the government would introduce a 16 percent flat personal income tax from Jan 1 2011, but it was to be seen whether it can be done in one, two or three stages.
Last week Hungary committed to a below 3 percent budget gap after months of mixed messages by the new centre-right Fidesz government, which wanted to carve out more budget room to kick start the country's recession-hit economy.[ID:nLDE6871V3]
HELPING FX BORROWERS
Speaking about the government's plans to help troubled borrowers who are not able to pay their foreign currency mortgages, Matolcsy said the government by mid-October would put forward the plans for a state firm to help these borrowers.
He said this state asset management company could be set up as a unit of state development bank MFB, and would allow troubled FX borrowers to convert their loans to forints at their own request. If they cannot pay forint repayments either, then they could convert ownership rights to rent, he said.
Matolcsy said the state would only help FX borrowers who are unable to repay their debts, estimating their number at a few tens of thousands. The state-owned firm would have to borrow to cover its own costs, as there is no money for this in the budget, Matolcsy said.
Many Hungarian borrowers who hold Swiss franc mortgages have been facing difficulties in repaying their debts as their repayments have increased sharply due to the Swiss franc's gains versus the forint