Fico Says He Received Information on Samsung's Departure as Late as on Wednesday

Bratislava, 1 March (TASR) - Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD) has stated that Samsung's decision to shut down its television manufacturing plant in Galanta (Trnava region) had nothing to do with the business environment in Slovakia, adding that he first received unconfirmed reports as late as on Wednesday (25 February), TASR has learnt from the Prime Minister's video posted on a social network. "Samsung surprised us because even the local trade unionists, who were in the process of negotiating the next collective agreement, were unaware of its intention. I also received unconfirmed information for the first time on Wednesday, while Samsung officially announced its departure on Friday (27 February), clearly stating that it was a global problem, with the television segment falling sharply, while they are facing a typical European problem - high energy prices," Fico said in his video posted on Saturday (28 February). He underscored that Samsung's decision has nothing to do with the payroll burden or the Labour Code and also pointed to low unemployment rate in Galanta. According to him, the government's duty is to ensure above-standard conditions for employees, while triggering special EU financial mechanisms to support those facing redundancy. The government also communicates with companies that are struggling with a labour shortage. "Deputy Prime Minister Denisa Sakova and Labour Minister Erik Tomas (both Voice-SD) know exactly what to do. Everyone who wants to work deserves our attention and support, especially considering that Slovakia is facing a shortfall of 150,000 employees, primarily in the manufacturing industry," added Fico. Samsung Electronics Slovakia confirmed on Friday afternoon that it's decided to close its television manufacturing plant in Galanta. Production will be phased out in several stages by May 2026. This decision reflects broader structural changes in the global TV manufacturing market, as well as the company's current global manufacturing strategy, with one of the reasons being high energy prices in Slovakia. The logistics centre in the village of Gan near Galanta will continue to operate. jrg