Slovakia’s governing coalition is moving towards an agreement on next year’s state budget, according to SMER-SD parliamentary caucus leader Ján Richter. He said the government could discuss the draft as early as next week, or within two weeks at the latest.
Richter expects the government to present a realistic budget rather than a balanced one. The issue is politically contested, as opposition parties plan to challenge the government’s position at the Constitutional Court over its obligation under the debt-brake rules to prepare a balanced budget. The government argues it is exempt because spending linked to international treaties exceeds three percent of GDP, while the opposition disputes this interpretation.
The coalition is also still discussing whether to scrap the controversial financial transaction tax and how to offset the resulting loss of revenue.
Source: TASR
