Simecka: Fico Partially Capitulates on Transaction Tax

Bratislava, 2 June (TASR) - Opposition pressure for changes to the transaction tax is working, and Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD) partially capitulated, opposition leader Michal Simecka (Progressive Slovakia/PS) responded this way to the agreement forged among coalition parties Smer-SD, Voice-SD, and SNS to support the SNS proposal in the first reading during Tuesday’s (June 3) session of Parliament. However, according to Simecka, the transaction tax should be completely scrapped, as it stifles the economy, small sole traders, and large businesses alike, while being chaotic and nonsensical. „Robert Fico has now admitted partial surrender. And yet, he still couldn’t suppress his authoritarian instincts — he wants to compensate for the lost revenue by cancelling a public holiday, and unsurprisingly, he chose November 17 [marking the Velvet Revolution, which ended the communist rule in Slovakia - ed.note],” Simecka added, saying that Fico refuses to cut government spending and instead takes money from citizens while denying the legacy of democracy and freedom. mf