Voice: New EU Emissions Scheme Could Cost Slovak Households €3,000 per Year (2)

Bratislava, 24 October (TASR) – The new EU emissions trading system ETS 2, set to be introduced as of 2027, will mean an average annual burden of €3,000 for every Slovak household, warned Voice-SD leader Matus Sutaj Estok at a press conference on Friday, describing the system as a "social massacre". The party is calling for the system to be completely scrapped, or, at a minimum, postponed. ETS 2 allowances will raise the prices of gas, coal and fuels. The revenue from the allowances will flow into a special fund intended to finance energy-saving measures. Analysts have noted that even though the system hasn't yet started, traders have already secured purchases at more than twice the planned price of 45 euros per tonne of carbon dioxide (CO2). The Voice-SD chair said that Parliament on Friday will discuss a resolution authorising the Slovak government to request a revision of this regulation at the EU level. "The regulation should be changed and its implementation postponed," stressed Sutaj Estok, adding that a government including Voice-SD will never support such a measure. Sutaj Estok also welcomed the conclusions of Thursday's (23 October) European Council summit. "The summit's conclusions clearly state that the ETS 2 system will be reassessed and that the European Union is to seek solutions, as pressure from member states continues to grow. It started with Slovakia and Hungary, and more and more countries are joining," he said. His party colleague Peter Kalivoda explained that the price of ETS 2 emission allowances would increase household expenditures due to higher energy costs. "Emission allowances will affect everyone. They will raise the costs of production, transport and energy distribution, increase public transport fares and increase prices in shops, supermarkets and restaurants. Simply put, all these prices will inevitably go up," underlined Kalivoda. According to him, the new system will thus affect not only households' direct energy expenditures but also the overall price level in Slovakia's economy. ETS 2 is a separate system within the European Green Deal regulating carbon-dioxide emissions from fuel combustion in buildings, road transport and other sectors. Trading in emission allowances is expected to start in 2027. Meanwhile, the Climate Coalition considers the estimated amount of €3,000 per year to be excessive and is calling on members of Parliament not to approve the proposal. "Climate change is a real and serious threat and could have a severe impact especially on the most vulnerable groups of the population. We must do everything we can to protect them — not through nonsensical resolutions, but through sound mechanisms and the use of the EU funds available to us," said Zuzana Fialova of the Climate Coalition. Opposition MP Karol Galek (Freedom and Solidarity) also commented on the calculated figure, describing it as excessively high and as an attempt by Sutaj Estok to frighten the public. He also pointed out that the Freedom and Solidarity party doesn't agree with the current proposal for setting up the emissions permit system for households and transport. "If it is ever introduced at all, it must definitely be accompanied by some form of compensation; for example via reduced tax burdens," added Galek. NOTE: This story has been extended to include paragraphs 8-10 mf/df