If the currently governing Smer-SD party remains in power after the March 5 election, it will introduce a third social package. It will not cost €400 million as originally planned, but as much as €1 billion, Prime Minister Robert Fico announced on Saturday. The first measure will be to create 100,000 new jobs by 2020. "It will include a combination of measures aimed at reducing structural unemployment and increasing employment among school graduates. We'll effectively co-ordinate and plan out the economic policies, setting the law on supporting underdeveloped districts to full motion," said Fico, adding that a particular focus will be put on creating jobs in agriculture. Another measure is about reducing health care deductions for people with low salaries. Further, Smer wants to create conditions for local authorities to construct 5,000 flats to rent, which should serve as "starting flats for young people". Meanwhile, teachers should receive flats for free. The package was presented three months ahead of the general, parliamentary election. Smer claims that if it is elected in the new government, 1,000 kilometres of regional roads would be reconstructed, worth approximately €100 million. Another measure would concern bolstering security measures worth another €100 million. The PM claims the third package won't affect the Government's efforts on reducing the public debt; on the contrary, it should boost economic growth and employment.
Opposition parties and MPs call Fico's third social package a populist orgy and propaganda. The Hospodárske Noviny daily quotes Ivan Mikloš an independent MP and former Finance Minister during the reign of Mikuláš Dzurinda saying that if Slovakia were to realise the package, the country would not be going forwards but in fact it'd be heading in Greece's footsteps. He calls the promises impossible. Miroslav Beblavý vice president of the Sieť (Network) party claims Smer's plan is not giving anything of interest to the middle class. The Slovak business community has also voiced their dissatisfaction with the plan, claiming the social package will not help. Instead of this - you should lower taxes, which could trigger the economy, and carry out reforms, say the businessmen. This would be much more effective than selectively helping certain groups of citizens, concluded vice-president of the federation of employers' associations Rastislav Machunka.
