Cabinet to Discuss State Aid Report and Country's Competitiveness at Its Session

Bratislava, 10 June (TASR) - At its regular session on Wednesday, the government is set to discuss Slovakia's competitiveness, the report on state aid for 2025, as well as the remuneration for personal assistance and the care allowance amount. Robert Fico's (Smer-SD) cabinet is also expected to take note of information regarding the renovation of Krasna Horka Castle. According to the 2024 competitiveness report by the Institute for Economic Analysis, Slovakia placed 23rd among the 27 EU member states, up one position compared to 2022, with the weakest performance seen in the labour market, human capital, innovation and entrepreneurship. Ministers are also expected to discuss last year's report on state aid, the volume of which stood at €775.23 million in 2025, down by €83 million compared to 2024. More than half of the volume (55.48 percent) came from national funding, with the remainder funded by the EU. The largest share of aid was directed towards environmental protection (€191.84 million), agriculture (€99.73 million) and employment (€98.34 million). The cabinet should also approve two regulations prepared by the Labour, Social Affairs and the Family Ministry regarding the hourly rate for personal assistance and the amount of the care allowance, both of which are expected to increase as of 1 July. The financial contribution for the provision of social services in certain types of facilities will also rise as of 1 January 2027. These changes are based on a rise in the minimum wage. As regards the renovation of Krasna Horka Castle, the preparation process for the public procurement to select a contractor should be completed in June or July, with the deadline for completing the renovation work to be specified once the public procurement process has been concluded. jrg