SNS Wants Coalition to Consider Reducing Number of Regions, Critical of Rasi

Bratislava, 20 August (TASR) - The coalition Slovak National Party (SNS) will do its best to ensure that the coalition council considers reducing the number of self-governing regions to half the current number, TASR learnt on Monday. The party considers statements by Parliamentary Chair Richard Rasi and Interior Ministry State Secretary Michal Kalinak (both Voice-SD) that the proposal could lead to the loss of EU funds to be unfortunate. "The Slovak National Party is convinced that merging the regions can't endanger the drawing of EU funds. When merging, there's always a successor organisation. It is therefore illogical and unfortunate for the House chair to scare the public with the loss of EU funds. At the same time, the absorption of EU funds is at one of the lowest levels ever," said the party in a statement sent to TASR by head of the SNS chairman's office Zuzana Skopcova. SNS also drew attention to the need for systemic changes in the law on public procurement and a subsequent simplification of the rules for drawing of EU funds for self-governing regions. Rasi and Kalinak said in a joint statement earlier in the day that reducing the number of self-governing regions could negatively affect regional development, territorial cooperation and the drawing of EU resources. In their view, a reform of self-governing regions should be carried out only after 2027 to minimise the risk of losing EU funds. SNS proposed at last week's coalition council session to reduce the number of self-governing regions from eight to four, arguing it would save over €500 million by cutting offices and eliminating duplication. The senior coalition Smer-SD party, according to its leader and Prime Minister Robert Fico, is ready to vote for such a proposal. Voice-SD chair and Interior Minister Matus Sutaj Estok said that his party is open to discussions on reducing the number of regions, but only after an expert debate. am/df