Energy Aid: Sensitive Data on Households Won't Be Misused, Says Sakova

Bratislava, 25 September (TASR) - Sensitive data on households collected by the Economy Ministry for the purposes of calculating targeted energy assistance will not be misused, as this information will be deleted automatically after the calculations are made, said Economy Minister Denisa Sakova (Voice-SD) on Thursday during a parliamentary debate on the bill on targeted energy assistance, which is being discussed under a fast-tracked legislative procedure. In Slovakia, there are some two million households. According to Sakova, people won't have to provide the required data to state authorities, as it's already stored in their information systems. The ministry has only verified the quality of data without vetting it in order to be able to configure the scheme for calculating the targeted aid. The information system will be stored in the Interior Ministry's data centre with the same level of protection as that used for the Schengen Information System or document agendas. "On the basis of a regulation, the government will define the income threshold and the scope of targeted aid, which means that it will be able to respond flexibly to the movement of energy prices on the market, as well as the needs of the people and their households," said Sakova, adding that energy assistance will be revisited automatically at least once a year using a formula defining the eligibility of aid beneficiaries. Those who will not be granted energy assistance will be able to lodge an appeal, said Sakova, adding that targeted assistance will be financed from European funds. "This was approved by the European Commission when we requested it, with the only reason being its ideological decision concerning REPowerEU, i.e. halting the supplies of energy carriers including gas from Russia. After Ukraine began purchasing gas within the central European region as of January of this year, central Europe is seeing a 10-percent hike in prices when compared to Western Europe. As this situation is a consequence of the REPowerEU plan, the outcome of the talks with the European Commission was that we can use European funds for energy subsidies even next year," explained Sakova. jrg/df