Government caveat threatens Hungary's private pension schemes - fund operator

Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban arrives at an European Union leaders summit in Brussels October 24, 2014. REUTERS/Francois Lenoir

BUDAPEST (Reuters) - Hungary's mandatory private pension funds could be eliminated by the end of this year if a new government measure that requires a highly active membership is passed, the largest fund's operator told Reuters.

The government has already been tapping the private schemes since 2010 for 360 billion forints (0.96 billion pounds) a year to cut the state budget deficit.