Remisova: Greatest Success in EU Funds Drawing Took Place in 2020-23

Bratislava, 16 February (TASR) – The government is boasting about the work of others, since the biggest leap in the absorption of EU funds was made between 2020 and 2023 [during the governments of Igor Matovic, Eduard Heger and Ludovit Odor—ed.note], but the current government is failing badly in the new EU funding period, MP Veronika Remisova ('Slovakia'-For the People) stated on Monday. Remisova said this in response to information from the Finance Ministry that Slovakia has fully drawn the EU funds in the programming period lasting from 2014 to 2023 at almost 100 percent. "The fact that Slovakia is today officially closing the old EU funds that ended in 2023 with a result of almost 100 percent is excellent news for the country. However, it is dishonest for Robert Fico's government (Smer-SD) to pretend that this is their achievement. The biggest progress in absorption occurred after 2020. In 2020, after seven years, we took over catastrophic absorption at the level of 29 percent and everyone claimed that billions of euros would be lost. In the three years we were in government, we absorbed a record 70 percent and had to make up for years of unprofessionalism and corrupt schemes under Smer governments," she specified. Remisova also pointed out that the government is now using the good results from the old programming period, which ended in 2023, for its marketing, although it did nothing for that outcome apart from endless scandals and various corruption schemes. At the same time, the government is again failing badly in the new programming period. "Fico is taking photos today with the 'success' of the old period, but with the new EU funds and the recovery plan we see the exact opposite – delays, chaos, scandals, cancelled or suspicious tenders and threats to payments for Slovakia due to interference with the rule of law," she stressed. The 'For the People' party chair calls on the government to publish, instead of celebratory posts, a clear and complete overview of which calls for projects are stalled and why, what the risks of losing funds are, and what crisis plan the government has. "If we were able to close the old EU funds that ended in 2023 with absorption at the level of 100 percent, then it is all the more shameful that this government today cannot deliver new money to the regions. The government is squeezing people dry, but from the new EU funds they have absorbed only 12 percent in two and a half years, which is a disgrace and a reflection of their incompetence. At this pace, an EU funds catastrophe awaits us in 2027, which a new government will again have to fix. Slovakia needs results, not amateur management as demonstrated by this governing coalition," said Remisova. Earlier on Monday, the Finance Ministry reported that Slovakia had officially completed the 2014-2020 EU funds programming period. In terms of absorption, it ranked among the more successful countries, having managed to invest more than 99.8 percent of allocated resources, representing a total of €14.5 billion. The ministry sent final accounts for 11 operational programmes to the European Commission. mf