Monitor: Groehling Criticises 2027 Budget, Kalinak Governance by Previous Gov't

(STVR, 'Sobotne dialogy', 17 October) Speaking on STVR's politics programme 'Sobotne dialogy' (Saturday Dialogues), opposition's Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) leader and MP Branislav Groehling criticised the state budget for 2027, approved by Parliament this week, describing it as poor and warning that it may be unconstitutional, calling on President Peter Pellegrini not to sign it into law. Defence Minister Robert Kalinak (Smer-SD), also on the show, meanwhile criticised the poor fiscal management of governments between 2020 and 2023. Kalinak argued that they left the current government with a high deficit, which the coalition is trying to reduce while minimising the impact on the public. Kalinak claimed that Groehling's comments on the budget showed that he was deeply embarrassed by the performance of the governments led by Igor Matovic, Eduard Heger and Ludovit Odor, in which Groehling had served as a minister. The defence minister argued that those governments had increased the deficit, while the current coalition has pledged to reduce it in a way that would cause people as little hardship as possible. "We proceeded in increments of exactly half a percentage point, and we're now at 4.9 percent. So we have kept our word," Kalinak said. He added that consolidation could also be carried out more aggressively, for example by taking away the 13th-month pension, as he said SaS wanted to do. Groehling rejected Kalinak's arguments, saying the current government is incapable of consolidating public finances. "Over three years, there have been three consolidation packages, and the debt stood at €66 billion in October 2023. By October 2027, it will be between €97 billion and €99 billion. So they are accumulating debt faster than the much-mentioned Matovic, Heger and Odor. They're also managing the economy worse than any government in history," he stated. Groehling described the 2027 budget approved by Parliament as poor and warned that it could be unconstitutional. "It is clearly stated that, at this level of the debt brake, the government must submit a balanced budget. It did not do so. That's why we filed a petition with the Constitutional Court," he said. He also urged President Pellegrini not to sign the legislation on the budget or the law on provisional budget arrangements, adding that the next steps should depend on the Constitutional Court's ruling. The politicians also discussed developments in Slovakia's political scene. Groehling commented on SaS MP Alojz Hlina's criticism this week of colleagues from Progressive Slovakia (PS), the Christian Democratic Movement (KDH) and the extra-parliamentary Democrats for declining to join an announced joint press conference ahead of a planned joint rally. Groehling said he understood Hlina's frustration, as he wanted the opposition to demonstrate that it could work together. However, representatives of the parties will all stand on the same stage at the rally, he added. "That is very important. It sends the public a signal that we can work together in this way," he said. Kalinak argued that the episode confirmed that the current opposition was not a credible alternative to the government, saying that it was incapable of reaching agreement or governing. In response, Groehling pointed to disputes within the governing coalition, as well as personnel changes in the government and MPs switching their allegiance. mf