Smer-SD: Current Opposition to Blame for Chaos in Economy

Bratislava, 16 April (TASR) – The largest coalition party Smer-SD rejects criticism from the opposition's Freedom and Solidarity (SaS), which claims that a poor business environment and failed public finance consolidation are driving companies out of Slovakia. The latest case cited is the gradual relocation of production from the Figaro plant in Trnava to Rohatec in the Czech Republic. According to Smer-SD MPs, the blame lies with the current opposition, which handed over government in 2023 with the worst public finances in the EU. "To begin with, I would like to say that today the loudest critics are people like Branislav Groehling or Marian Viskupic (both SaS), who chaired the parliamentary committee for budget and finance in the previous government. They caused this chaos in the first place. Today they are obscuring their own problems and trying to create the impression that this government is responsible for all the chaos," said Smer-SD MP Daniel Karas. According to Karas, the government is currently working to rectify the situation and stabilise the economy. As an example of success, he cited food inflation in 2025, which, excluding sweetened beverages, stood at 1.7 percent, the fourth lowest in the EU. He compared this with food inflation approaching 20 percent in 2022, when the COVID-19 pandemic was subsiding and the war in Ukraine began. Average overall inflation in 2025 was 4 percent. Parliamentary vice-chair Tibor Gaspar (Smer-SD) added that unemployment in Slovakia remains close to historic lows and there is a high number of job vacancies on the market. He attributed company departures to high energy prices, which he said are a result of the Green Deal. Electricity prices for Slovakia stood at 104.81 euros per megawatt hour (MWh) on the Prague exchange on Thursday. In the Czech Republic, the price was nine euros lower, in Poland 102.14 euros/MWh, while in neighbouring Hungary it reached 107.98 euros/MWh. Significantly lower prices, roughly half, are seen in countries such as France and Spain. mf