Draft state budget on the table

At its session on Thursday, the Government was dealing with the so-called law of the year - the draft state budget for the next year. At the same time, the general government budget for the upcoming three years is also on the table. In line with the budget draft submitted by the Finance Ministry for the tripartite talks on Wednesday (October 13), Slovakia should show a state budget deficit amounting to 4.94 percent of GDP at the end of 2022. This year, the deficit is expected to reach almost 8 percent of GDP. Social partners failed to agree on the budget, with both local governments and trade unions having objections against it. The coalition is allegedly united about the draft budget. However, Finance Minister Igor Matovic (OLaNO) stressed in advance that the final version of the 2022 budget was conditional on the approval of several important laws, particularly the law on pension reform, on spending limits and on the debt brake.