Coalition Leaders to Discuss Rescue Tender and Regional Reform

Bratislava, 18 August (TASR) – The coalition party leaders are scheduled to meet on Monday for a session of the coalition council. Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD) announced on Friday (15 August) that the talks may include the situation surrounding the tender for ambulance service licences. Discussions are also expected to continue regarding the proposal to reduce the number of self-governing regions. On Monday, the non-parliamentary Countryside Party, led by Tourism and Sport Minister Rudolf Huliak (Independent), joined the proposal initiated by the Slovak National Party (SNS). Last week, the governing coalition parties agreed during a coalition council meeting on compensation measures for household gas, heat and electricity prices for 2026. These measures are expected to apply to 90 percent of Slovak households. "We are a quarter of the way there," said Fico on Friday in relation to talks on fiscal consolidation. Voice-SD announced further negotiations on issues such as extraordinary taxation of banks and defence spending. SNS leader Andrej Danko reiterated on Monday that his party is proposing to reduce the number of self-governing regions from eight to four. According to SNS, the reform would generate savings of over €500 million. The Countryside Party plans to propose the complete abolition of the self-governing regions at Monday's council meeting. "Municipalities, cities and the state should take over the powers of the regional governments, which would save millions of euros," stated Huliak on Monday . On Friday, the Prime Minister said that Smer-SD is ready to support a reduction of the number of the regions. According to Fico, this is one way to save financial resources without jeopardising the functioning of the state. mf/df