Opposition PS Convening Protest against Announced Consolidation for Next Tuesday

Bratislava, 10 September (TASR) - The announced consolidation measures for next year are a declaration of war against working people in Slovakia: their situation is already bad now, and it could even become unbearable, representatives of the opposition Progressive Slovakia (PS) party told a news conference in Parliament on Wednesday. For this reason, PS is convening a protest rally in Bratislava and other towns and cities to take place at 6 p.m. next Tuesday (16 September). PS leader Michal Simecka said that the party has been urging the government to start saving on itself for several months. Instead, it's coming up with measures that will take additional hundreds of euros from the earnings of employees and self-employed people. "This is unbearable. I'm afraid that not only our economy, but also many of our households really cannot take it any more. So, there's a need to send a clear signal that this isn't the way to go and that they cannot impoverish people in Slovakia like this," stated Simecka. Simecka said that his party intends to invite its closest political partners to attend the protest, along with representatives of the civil sector and workers. He identified Freedom and Solidarity (SaS), the Christian Democrats (KDH) and Democrats as PS's closest partners and those with which his party has organised protests in the past. "This is a format that we view both as proven and useful for the future. We have the closest relations with them, and they are our preferred partners for a future coalition," added the PS leader. The package of consolidation measures for next year will include 22 measures totalling €2.7 billion, Finance Minister Ladislav Kamenicky (Smer-SD) announced on Tuesday (9 September), adding that almost half of the amount, €1.3 billion, should be obtained by savings on state spending. The result should be a reduction in the general government deficit and a gradual stabilisation of public debt. Kamenicky blamed the current opposition that governed in Slovakia between 2020 and 2023 for the poor condition of public finances. ko/df