Danko Regrets That Police Have Organised Rally in Front of Parliament

Bratislava, 17 September (TASR) - I regret that the police trade union has organised a rally in front of Parliament, said Parliamentary Vice-chair and leader of the Slovak National Party (SNS) Andrej Danko on Wednesday, adding that the situation requires dialogue. However, he expressed his support for the trade unionists. "I regret that they aren't at work and are here. Of course, I want to express my support and I always express my support for anyone who expresses their dissatisfaction in society. As a parliamentary chair, I always met everyone who demonstrated in front of Parliament, and I very much regret that this situation has come about," said Danko. A rally of police trade unionists 'for a fair salary increase' is being held in front of Parliament on Wednesday. They were joined by the firefighters union and members of the Prison and Justice Guard Corps. This is a reaction to the third consolidation package currently being discussed in Parliament. One of the points in the package is to freeze civil servants' salaries next year. The trade unions fear a weakening of the "already disrupted functioning of the Fire and Rescue Corps and the Police Corps", pointing out that they have long struggled with staff shortages. The police union also noted that there is an agreement between unions, employers and the government to increase salaries by 5 percent in 2026. The opposition is supporting the rally. tim/df/am