Hajko: EU Funds Should Be Directed to Investments, Not to Subsidising Energy Aid

Bratislava, 21 July (TASR) - Instead of across-the-board energy subsidies, the government should launch a broad programme to insulate and modify houses so that energy consumption in them will decrease, opposition MP Jozef Hajko (Christian Democrats/KDH) stated on Monday in response to comments made by Economy Minister Denisa Sakova (Voice-SD) on Sunday (20 July). The opposition party is appealing for money from EU funds to be used purposefully, for investments. "Economy Minister Denisa Sakova admitted on Sunday that unspent billions of euros from EU funds could be used next year for energy support for households, but this will be targeted. Sakova spoke about targeted aid at the parliamentary economic committee last year, but then came the end of the year, and [Robert] Fico's [Smer-SD] government decided to continue the across-the-board subsidies, which this year may amount to a billion euros," pointed out Hajko. The MP fears that spending money on across-the-board energy price subsidies won't stop. "After all, there will be something to pay for it because Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD) has negotiated concessions in Brussels," he said. am/df