MORNING NEWS HIGHLIGHTS - Thursday, 28 August 2025 - 9 a.m.

TASR brings a quick morning overview of the most important events seen in Slovakia on the previous day (Wednesday, 27 August): BRATISLAVA – People are paying increasingly higher taxes and fees, life is becoming more difficult, the government is spending more than ever, and the Slovak economy is sinking into stagnation, the opposition's Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) party stated on Wednesday. The SaS party criticised the government for delaying the presentation of next year's fiscal consolidation plan while simultaneously preparing measures that could further worsen the situation. „Let us therefore call on the government to immediately start consolidating, but to consolidate on its own side – the side of the state, the government – to stop throwing away public finances, the money of all of us, and to immediately present what impoverishment of citizens they're planning in the coming months," said SaS chair Branislav Groehling at a Wednesday press conference. He described the current fiscal consolidation efforts as a failure. Despite measures worth billions, the public finance deficit is not decreasing, the economy is declining, and inflation remains among the highest in the EU, Groehling noted. „New consolidation plans should have been presented long ago. 'Consolidation' is a nice word, but under this government, it really means the impoverishment of citizens. What have they been doing the last two months? Holidaying, ignoring what's happening in Slovakia," he added. Marian Viskupic, the vice-chair of both SaS and the parliamentary Finance Committee, also criticised the government and the Finance Minister for failing to learn from past mistakes. „I am convinced they are about to repeat the same errors again this year. Once again, they believe the burden should fall on the citizens, on the productive part of the economy," he said. According to Viskupic, several proposed measures could lead to higher prices. He expects, for example, that certain food items may be moved from the reduced 19 percent VAT rate to the standard 23 percent rate. „Another key issue under government consideration – and we know this from discussions within the food industry – is the introduction of a special levy on retail chains, similar to those in regulated sectors," Viskupic explained, calling it an absurd measure that would go against EU rules. There are also talks about raising land and property taxes for retail chains. Viskupic warned that increasing taxes in sectors such as banking or defence manufacturing would be ill-advised. „Nothing shows the flawed economic thinking of the Finance Minister and the entire government more clearly than wanting to additionally tax the very sectors that are performing well," he concluded. In his view, the government should instead implement measures that support the economy and the business environment. BRATISLAVA – The State Electoral Commission has initiated proceedings to impose a fine on the Voice–Social Democracy party over its delayed disclosure of a loan used to fund the presidential campaign of current head of state and former Voice-SD leader Peter Pellegrini, the Interior Ministry's press department confirmed for TASR on Wednesday. The decision to begin proceedings was made by the State Commission for Elections and the Supervision of Political Party Financing at its session on Tuesday (26 August). The proceedings concern the suspected failure to fulfil obligations under the Political Parties Act. Under this law, a party is required to publish details of any received loan on its website within 30 days of signing the loan agreement. "The State Commission, at its session yesterday, adopted a resolution to initiate administrative proceedings against the political party Voice–Social Democracy over an administrative offence concerning its failure to publish on its website, by 31 March at the latest, information about a donation of €300,000 from Ms. E. Pellegrini," commission member Ladislav Orosz confirmed to TASR. He added that a fine of €5,000 may be imposed for this administrative offence. According to Voice-SD's annual report, the party recorded one loan in 2024 from the creditor Element Business amounting to €300,000. The loan was received on 26 January 2024 and repaid on 8 October 2024. The managing director of the company is Eva Pellegrini, the president's sister. Voice-SD claimed that the loan information was added to its website "immediately after an internal audit revealed the obligation had not been met". According to party leader and Interior Minister Matus Sutaj Estok, the party is ready to accept responsibility for administrative errors related to the financing of Pellegrini's presidential campaign. Sutaj Estok also emphasised that Pellegrini's entire campaign was funded by donations from members and supporters of Voice-SD. BRATISLAVA – The ongoing consolidation will not affect the second pension pillar in any way, shape or form, and contributions to it won't be reduced, Labour, Social Affairs and Family Minister Erik Tomas (Voice-SD) declared at a press conference on Wednesday. Tomas confirmed that no further changes to the second pillar are going to be included in the next consolidation package. „Despite fearmongering from the opposition, contributions to the second pillar will not be reduced – for the second year in a row. I am pleased that our coalition partners, particularly Prime Minister Robert Fico and Finance Minister Ladislav Kamenicky (both Smer-SD), have listened to and accepted our rational and expert arguments," said Tomas. The minister recalled that his goal had been to maintain the current contribution levels, although in May he had acknowledged a discussion on whether staying in the second pillar was worthwhile for individuals. Despite several negotiations with the opposition, Tomas criticised its representatives for launching what he called a hoax campaign, spreading claims about so-called pension theft by the state and suggesting that contributions would be slashed from four to two percent. To counter such narratives, the minister plans to create an official working group focused on the second pillar, which is going to operate without time limits or consolidation-related constraints. He intends to invite representatives of pension management companies as well as opposition members to participate. The working group will discuss the constitutional enshrinement of a minimum contribution level to the second pillar, giving individuals the freedom to decide whether to remain in the system, and the choice between automatic or voluntary entry. According to Tomas, voluntary entry would significantly stabilise Slovakia's pension system in the eyes of the European Commission. Another discussion point will be the investment of a portion of the second pillar's savings into Slovak projects. „The current second pillar system is not well designed and has become overly complex due to interventions by both left- and right-wing governments," Tomas concluded. The opposition's Progressive Slovakia (PS) welcomed the decision. „I am glad to hear that minister Tomas has backed down under our pressure and has now publicly promised that the second pillar will remain untouched for the time being," said MP Simona Petrik (PS). She emphasised that constitutionally securing a minimum four-percent contribution is an essential starting point. In the future, she added, this percentage should be gradually increased. BRATISLAVA - Opposition MP Oskar Dvorak (Progressive Slovakia/PS) has voiced harsh criticism of Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD) over Fico's declaration of continued support for Government Proxy for Investigation into the COVID-19 Pandemic Management Peter Kotlar despite the results of an analysis into mRNA vaccine safety by the Slovak Academy of Sciences (SAV) that has refuted Kotlar's claims, TASR learnt on Wednesday. Dvorak pointed out that Fico earlier claimed that Kotlar would be removed "only over his dead body". "He clearly cares less about public health than about keeping a lucrative post for his court conspiracy theorist," said Dvorak, who warned that the purchase of vaccines against new COVID-19 variants remains blocked due to Kotlar's actions. In addition, Dvorak criticised the passivity of Health Minister Kamil Sasko (Voice-SD). "If even a clear rebuttal of Kotlar's fantastical delusions by Slovakia's highest scientific authority is not enough for him to stand up for Slovak patients, then he has no business being in his post," he stated. Another opposition MP and former health minister (2020-21) Marek Krajci ('Slovakia'-For the People- Christian Union alliance), also questioned the prime minister’s conduct. "Robert Fico paid €350,000 from public money for an analysis by scientists from the Slovak Academy of Sciences, and now he isn't interested in it because it didn't turn out the way he wanted. Why didn't he order such an analysis from a certified EU laboratory instead, which would have been cheaper?" asked Krajci. The Christian Democratic Movement (KDH) likewise criticised the government for ignoring the Slovak Academy of Sciences' report and demanded Kotlar's dismissal. "The analysis of the safety of COVID-19 vaccines by the Slovak Academy of Sciences was once again not discussed by the government. It isn't even scheduled for next week's cabinet session. What is the government waiting for? What is it trying to achieve?," asked KDH leader Milan Majersky. Majersky added that by continuing to pander to Kotlar, the government led by Fico is becoming fully complicit in spreading disinformation and in the serious consequences that will follow. According to KDH MP Frantisek Majersky, the prime minister is defending the government proxy solely to maintain his parliamentary majority. BRATISLAVA – The opposition Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) party has criticised the government for failing to discuss the Slovak Academy of Sciences' (SAV) report on COVID-19 vaccine safety during its away-from-home session on Wednesday, party leader Branislav Groehling stated on the same day. According to Groehling, the first demand of coalition party Voice–SD should have been the dismissal of Government Proxy for Investigating the COVID-19 Pandemic Management Peter Kotlar. According to Grohling, Voice-SD ministers are more concerned with holding onto their government posts. "This was a regular government session with a scheduled agenda to be discussed, but it's a problem because they don't know how to handle it," said Groehling regarding the absence of any discussion of the SAV analysis. He expressed concern that the document may ultimately not be made public. "Of course, it should have been included on the agenda, and at the same time, Kotlar should have been removed from his post," said Groehling at a press conference. He added that Health Minister Kamil Sasko (Voice-SD) should clearly state that Kotlar has no place in his current post. Groehling believes that the governing coalition needs Kotlar for the sake of political stability, which is why Voice-SD continues to tolerate him. Opposition MP Veronika Remisova ('Slovakia'-For the People- Christian Union alliance) also called on Sasko and Education Minister Tomas Drucker (Voice-SD) to publicly condemn attacks by Kotlar and Smer-SD MEP Lubos Blaha on SAS scientists and to push for Kotlar’s dismissal. If they fail to do so, she said, they should resign. „I expect ministers Sasko and Drucker to find the courage to clearly distance themselves from the insane and socially dangerous behaviour of their political allies. If they are unable to do so and continue to tolerate Kotlar in his role, they will become complicit in the continued moral decay of the state and should immediately resign," said Remisova in a statement. According to Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD), the SAS analysis will not be included in next week’s cabinet agenda either. He said he did not want to burden Wednesday’s session in Senica with other issues. Fico reiterated full support for Kotlar and declared that he would not allow any pressure for his resignation. The SAV analysis established that mRNA vaccines contain only trace amounts of DNA molecules, far below approved limits. The risks Kotlar pointed to were not confirmed, and SAV argued that claims of high DNA content were based on incorrect methods or misinterpreted results. They labelled such claims as erroneous and misleading. mf