BUDAPEST, Reuters – Hungary will try to maintain price caps beyond their imminent expiry in 2022, unless inflation rises substantially, Viktor Orban, the Prime Minister, said Wednesday as he revealed the economic priorities for his new government.

Orban’s government, which has maintained close business relationships with Moscow for more than a decade was elected to power in Sunday’s elections.

After gaining power by a 2010 landslide, Orban stabilized the economy through a variety of tax breaks on banks and retail. This helped to reduce Hungary’s deficit, while also avoiding any austerity measures. It also strengthened Orban’s popularity ratings.

Orban said at a news conference that the European Union’s decision on whether special taxes will be required on multinational businesses or similar to those levied in 2010 would determine the outcome.

We will take measures in Hungary if the EU fails to curb the increase in energy prices. They are taxes on windfall profit, earned in specific sectors. These profits can then be used to help finance policies that protect families.

However, he did not specify which sectors would be affected by the targeted revenue. Orban must also reduce the deficit in his budget.

Confronted with an increase in inflation of near 15 years before the vote, the 58year-old nationalist leader placed caps on food, fuels, mortgages, and extended price limits for household energy bills.

Economists warn that the rise in European gas prices makes the household bill cap unsustainable. Meanwhile, the fuel price cap in effect since November is creating losses for the Hungarian energy company MOL.

Orban stated that the price caps will expire, but they will remain in place for as long as necessary. He also said that he would prefer to see them kept as much later on.