Minimum Wage to Increase 3.5 Times Since Our First Gov't, says PM Fico

Bratislava, 18 August (TASR) – Since the beginning of the first government led by Smer-SD, when the minimum wage stood at €256 [in 2006-ed.note], it is set to rise to €915 in 2026, which represents an increase of more than 3.5 times, Prime Minister and Smer-SD chair Robert Fico stated in his social media post on Monday. The Prime Minister added that a sharp increase in the minimum wage also means higher bonuses for night and weekend work. „We are gradually approaching a 1,000-euro minimum wage and we are pleased with historically low unemployment,” the prime minister remarked. According to him, fears voiced by right-wing politicians and economists – that raising the minimum wage would increase unemployment, especially in economically less-developed regions – have never materialised. „We will continue with this policy, and I would like to thank our coalition partners, especially Labour Minister Erik Tomas (Voice-SD), for fully supporting the philosophy of minimum wage growth,” Fico added. mf