PM: State Will Help Local Governments to Pay €800 Bonuses to Their Employees

Bratislava, 28 May (TASR) - The government will help local governments to pay €800 bonuses to their employees, with municipalities and self-governing regions receiving more than €100 million for this purpose, Premier Robert Fico (Smer-SD) announced following the government session on Wednesday. A small part of the money will provided to local governments in the form of forgiven loans, while the state will give them some €95 million in cash, specified the premier. Fico explained that the government decided to pay one-off bonuses amounting to €800 to every employee in state administration in the past. However, its decision didn't apply to local governments employees at that time. "Therefore, following an agreement that we reached during our meeting on Sunday (25 May), I can announce that the finance minister submitted a respective proposal to the government session today, and the government will help towns, villages and regions to pay the same €800 bonuses to their employees so that they will receive it, if possible, with their May salaries, i.e. in June," said the premier. "I'm pleased that the government is demonstrating its interest in the dignified survival of local governments in demanding conditions in this way," stated Fico. ko/df