Sutaj Estok: Merger of Anti-Monopoly and Public Procurement Offices Discussed(2)

Bratislava, 9 January (TASR) - Interior Minister Matus Sutaj Estok (Voice-SD) sees the potential for optimising several agencies within public administration and central government as part of consolidation efforts, adding that discussions are underway regarding merging the Anti-monopoly Office (PMU) and the Public Procurement Office (UVO) into a single new authority, TASR learnt from the interior minister before the government session held on Friday. "We signalled as early as last year that there's potential, as part of the consolidation efforts, to optimise several agencies within public administration and central government. It's no secret that the discussion has primarily focused on UVO and PMU," said the minister, adding that "it makes sense to me that they could possibly be merged into a single independent authority". There's a similar Office for the Protection of Competition in the Czech Republic, stated Sutaj Estok. He noted that the issue of optimising state agencies will be subject to coalition negotiations. "If we want to speak about cuts to create a leaner state, there are institutions that make space for such a debate," added Sutaj Estok. Agriculture and Rural Development Minister Richard Takac (Smer-SD) described the plan to merge several state agencies as a correct one. Such a move would save funds, as there's a high number of institutions in Slovakia at present. According to Takac, his ministry will probably merge several institutions in 2026 as well. "This means that the work previously done by two or three institutions will be done by one," he said. Environment Minister Tomas Taraba (a Slovak National Party/SNS nominee) also supported the idea, stating that merging agencies with identical agendas would be a sensible step in terms of consolidation efforts and making savings. He also announced that the Slovak Environmental Inspectorate (SIZP) will be merged with the State Nature Conservancy (SOP). NOTE: This story has been extended to include the final three paragraphs. jrg/df