Exempting low-income self-employed people from the new micro-levy will help some 30,000 people, Labour, Social Affairs and the Family Minister Erik Tomáš (Hlas-SD) stated on Tuesday in response to the approved legislative change.
He highlighted the fact that the amendment to the Social Insurance Act, as drawn up by a group of MPs from the junior coalition Slovak National Party (SNS) and Hlas-SD, was supported by a constitutional majority in the final vote in Parliament.
According to the amendment, as of 1 July of this year self-employed people with an annual income not exceeding 10.5-times the subsistence minimum, i.e. currently making less than €2,900 a year, will not have to pay the micro-levy of €131 per month.
Tomáš said the change will have a positive impact on some groups of pensioners, individuals with disabilities and parents on parental leave, as well as on professions such as expert assessors, interpreters and authors. It also removes the problem for the self-employed people and tradesmen who are registered but don't carry out any activities, "simply having zero income", explained Tomas.
The expected negative impact on the state budget stands at €21 million this year, and it's estimated at €42 million next year. Tomáš said that the measure will be financially covered thanks to his ministry successfully fighting fictitious sick leave.
"Compared to the legislative changes in 2024, social-insurance provider Socialna poistovna (SP) should relieve the burden on public finances by a total of €300 million over two years, meaning that it won't be necessary to transfer this amount from the state budget to SP. So, we used saved funds to help this category of self-employed people," said Tomáš, adding that the self-employed will save almost €800 this year and €1,675 over the whole of next year.
Source: TASR
