SaS: Coalition to Spend on its Priorities, People to Pay the Bill

Bratislava, 21 September (TASR) - The governing coalition might initially argue over the next year's budget but will eventually reach an agreement, spend heavily on each party's priorities and leave people in Slovakia to pay the bill, opposition's SaS leader Branislav Groehling declared on Monday. The liberal party was responding to a session of the coalition council, which revolved around the draft budget. SaS called on the government to start cutting its own spending instead of further raising taxes and increasing expenditure. "First they will argue, then each of them will lobby for their ministries, purchases, nominees and priorities. In the end, they will add it all up and once again send one big bill to citizens. People have been paying for this government for three years, and the result is higher taxes, higher contributions and an economy that's not growing," added Groehling. He claimed that the solution rested on three basic principles: "The state must save money, the economy must grow and people must have more money left in their wallets. The state should save, not families. Fico, Estok, Danko and Kamenicky should have this carved into the walls of their offices." SaS is calling for a leaner state, the abolition of unnecessary offices and spending, the scrapping of the transaction tax and a more stable business environment. He also called on the government to fulfil its obligation under Slovakia's debt brake and submit a balanced budget. "If the ruling coalition really thinks it can circumvent the constitutional law and does not submit a balanced budget to Parliament, we're saying in advance that we'll take it to the Constitutional Court," Groehling added. He said he believed other opposition parties would join the legal challenge. SaS vice-chair Marian Viskupic warned that public finances remained in a serious state despite three consolidation packages. He noted that, according to the Council for Budget Responsibility (RRZ), the deficit would exceed 5 percent of gross domestic product in 2027 without new measures, while public debt is set to continue to rise. The opposition party therefore wants the government, when drawing up the 2027 budget, to stop looking for more money in the pockets of citizens and businesses and start making savings instead. "Administration needs to be reduced, unnecessary structures, offices and ministries abolished, and the creation of new permanent spending without funding must be stopped. Every new permanent expenditure must be covered by abolishing another expenditure. Slovakia does not need a fourth Kamenicky consolidation package. It needs a budget that finally consolidates the state, not the people," Viskupic said. mf/mcs