The coalition council on Monday advanced talks on public finance consolidation for 2026, with Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD) stressing that the burden must be shared equally by the state, businesses, and citizens. Finance Minister Ladislav Kamenický (Smer-SD) said partners have agreed on around 20 measures and are “roughly halfway” to the required savings, but no proposals will be submitted to the government this week. The deficit currently stands at 4.1% of GDP, requiring consolidation worth about €2 billion.
Based on statements by coalition partners ahead of the meeting, discussions may also have covered controversial topics such as the ambulance service tender and the SNS proposal to reduce the number of self-governing regions (VÚC) from eight to four. SNS leader Andrej Danko argues the reform could save over €500 million, but municipal and regional associations strongly oppose it, warning it would undermine decentralization without immediate fiscal benefits. Talks will continue Wednesday, with details to be announced only after a full coalition agreement is reached.
Source: TASR, STVR
