Monitor: Government Will Also Freeze Its Flat-Rate Allowances, Says Kamenicky

(TA3,'V politike', 21 September) In addition to members of Parliament, the government will also freeze its flat-rate allowances as part of the consolidation of public finances, Finance Minister Ladislav Kamenicky (Smer-SD) said on TA3's discussion programme 'V politike' (In Politics) on Sunday. Opposition Progressive Slovakia (PS) leader Michal Simecka believes the government should reduce their salaries rather than just freezing them. "We, as ministers, will freeze our flat-rate expenses. This has been agreed already," Kamenicky said, referring to an arrangement between him and Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD). Last week, lawmakers announced the freezing of their flat-rate allowances and, after an increase in wage tax, MPs will be receiving €220 less per month. According to Simecka, this is not enough. "Even though they knew that we are going to face difficult economic times, knowing that consolidation is needed and that it will hurt, they doubled their flat-rate allowances, which basically means doubling their salaries. And now they're telling us that they will freeze those doubled salaries. So everyone else will suffer – the self-employed will work more, employees will work more – but ministers will continue to enjoy their doubled salaries, with just freezing them at that level," said Simecka. The discussion revolved mainly around the issue of consolidation, with Kamenicky reiterating that it was necessary due to the poor condition of public finances inherited from previous governments, as well as the legislation spree ahead of the 2023 elections. Simecka argued that it was the-then opposition MPs of Smer-SD who supported some of those laws and, if they did not agree with them, they should have repealed them in 2024. According to Simecka, the deficit remains at the same level even after years of consolidation effort. Rejecting the opposition's criticism that the government still does not know where the cuts in its own expenditure will be made, Kamenicky explained that, without detailed data on cost-saving measures at individual ministries, he wouldn't have been able to draw up the 2026 state budget. The consolidation effort is quantified at €2.7 billion, of which €1.3 billion accounts for government-side measures. This amount includes a €130 million reduction in municipalities and self-governing regions, as well as €450 million in energy subsidies for households which, according to Kamenicky, will be achieved by using EU funds to cover high energy costs. At the beginning, however, the discussion focused on the issue of alleged misuse of funds by Simecka's family which Fico raised at a press conference on Saturday (20 September). According to Simecka, Fico did this in an attempt to divert attention from high prices and problems of the country, which Kamenicky rejected. jrg