Monitor: Danko: Certain Groups of People Could Be Exempt from Higher Levies

(STVR, 'O 5 minut 12', 7 December) Starting from 1 July next year, certain groups of people could be exempt from paying higher levies; limits on levies could be set for pensioners, sole traders, and people who have regular employment but also earn extra income from other work, leader of the coalition Slovak National Party (SNS) Andrej Danko stated on STVR's discussion programme 'O 5 minut 12' (Five Minutes to Twelve) on Sunday, adding that he's discussing this issue with Labour, Social Affairs and the Family Minister Erik Tomas (Voice-SD). "Yes, it will be approved in the spring. Minister Erik Tomas has already set it up so that we can set limits for people who won't pay those levies, that is, as of 1 July, so that they aren't burdened with these higher levies," said Danko. Another topic of the discussion was energy assistance, with chairman of the opposition Christian Democrats (KDH) Milan Majersky emphasising the apparent absence of an energy poverty law that would provide targeted assistance to the poorest people who are dependent on help with high energy costs. He criticised the government-approved energy assistance for 90 percent of the population, amounting to almost €400 million, which he said isn't targeted. Danko's problem with the law is that even those with high salaries will receive energy assistance, specifying that the limits on who receives it should be clearly defined and that the state could use data from social-insurance provider Socialna poistovna, which has information on people's salaries. He believes that this would have made it possible to determine which Slovaks are and aren't eligible for energy assistance. "I'd look for a solution in Socialna poistovna, which would identify not only energy poverty but also overall poverty in Slovakia," said Danko, adding that it's important that the state still helps people with energy prices and that 90 percent of households will get this support. am