Groehling: We Want to Shake Gov't, Organise General Strike on 17 November

Bratislava, 26 September (TASR) – The 17th of November [The Velvet Revolution anniversary, marking the end of totalitarian regime in erstwhile Czechoslovakia-ed.note], a symbol of the fight for freedom and democracy, should be the day when opposition political parties shake the government by launching a general strike, said Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) chairman Branislav Groehling in an interview with TASR TV. According to Groehling, the government has become accustomed to opposition sympathisers protesting in public squares. „Even when protests are organised, they no longer have any effect on this government,” stated the SaS chair. While acknowledging that a general strike is an extremely powerful tool for expressing dissatisfaction, Groehling stressed that it should not be viewed as the sole domain of trade unions. „We can either remain stuck in 1989 or move forward,” he declared, adding that there are still two months left to prepare for 17 November. Support for the strike, Groehling added, can also be expressed symbolically, such as by closing a business for an hour during the lunch break or displaying flyers and other visual materials. Commenting on the decision not to invite the 'Slovakia' party to the recent protest in Bratislava against the government's public finance consolidation, Groehling said the main organiser – Progressive Slovakia – made that call. Personally, he views 'Slovakia' led by Igor Matovic as a successful opposition party capable of engaging voters but not a suitable governing partner. „Such a government would be chaotic and extremely difficult again,” he argued. Groehling criticised the fiscal consolidation plan presented by the government of Robert Fico (Smer-SD), saying it is poorly structured. „It will absolutely destroy economic growth, lower the standard of living, suppress sole traders and small businesses, and stifle the entire economy,” he warned. SaS continues to support the idea of a flat tax, which Groehling claims proved effective in the past and helped kick-start the economy. The party is also considering a gradual alignment of VAT rates, arguing that the current variety of rates reduces transparency and creates space for financial leaks. „If a system is introduced to gradually align VAT rates and possibly unify them again within one or two election terms, it will help the system,” said Groehling. SaS is also prepared to take unpopular social measures, Groehling added. For instance, he believes the state cannot afford to maintain the current form of the 13th pension payment. „We need to restart the economy so the state has the resources to provide targeted support to those who truly need it,” he said. Groehling criticised the way Parliament handled the debate on the consolidation bill, saying it was inadequate given the importance of the measures. Although the debate lasted several days, he claims SaS was given less than an hour to speak. „They cut the debate short. They are going to impoverish people, lower the standard of living for the third time, increase taxes, raise fees – and we get 50 minutes to respond,” Groehling concluded. mf