Gov't: Regions and Municipalities Important Partners, Heger Ready to Help

Bratislava, August 16 (TASR) - The Finance Ministry repeatedly reached out to the Association of Slovak Towns and Villages (ZMOS), the Association of Self-governing Regions SK8 and the Union of Slovak Towns in the past and is ready to discuss a systematic approach to the financing of regions and municipalities, the ministry press department told TASR on Tuesday. Earlier in the day, mayors from eight regional associations in the Banska Bystrica region held a protest meeting against the Government's inaction in the face of urgent problems faced by the regions. "Prime Minister Eduard Heger perceives the regions and municipalities as partners of the state administration in the provision of services to citizens. That's why he said also at an extraordinary session of the Economic and Social Council back in June that he will regularly attend sessions with representatives of ZMOS in the following months in order to discuss challenges they face together," claimed Heger's spokesperson Lubica Janikova. Janikova pointed out that the next meeting with the ZMOS representatives is scheduled at Government Office on August 22. mf