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Slovakia approves tax on

Russian oil

SLOVAKIA THE Slovak National Council approved a new government, which is in fact led by Igor Matovic.
anti-inflation package worth €1bn in the form of His style of politics is leading to the disruption of
a special tax on Russian oil, which is processed public finances, to debt for generations to come,
in the country by the refiner Slovnaft, owned by to the destruction of local governments, to the
Hungary’s MOL. violation of the legislative process, as well as of
The bill, aiming to tax the differential in the constitution of the Slovak Republic,” said
prices between cheaper Russian crude and Brent Simecka, as quoted by the Slovak News Agency.
crude with a 30% tax rate, was proposed by Igor Simecka noted that the state cannot be run
Matovic, chair of the ruling government party as if it were a vaccination lottery, referring to
OLaNO and finance minister. Matovic’s other project during the coronavirus
The package, which has drawn a lot of contro- epidemic. “Today he got away with this, nobody
versy in the past week, was okayed with the help knows what will happen in a month’s time, six
of deputies of the far-right People’s Party Our months from now. The risk really is too great.
Slovakia (LSNS) when members of the coalition Every additional day of Igor Matovic’s circus
Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) party refused to show rehabilitates [head of Smer-SD] Robert
back the proposal. Fico and increases the risk of his return,” stressed
“It has a lot of mistakes, it goes the wrong way, Simecka, adding that PS has so far been a con-
it will increase inflation and put a strain on pub- structive opposition party, supporting key coa-
lic finances,” said Marian Viskupiv from SaS, as lition reforms through independent MP Tomas
quoted by Euractive. Valasek, who’s affiliated with the party, according
In Justice Minister Maria Kolikova’s (SaS) to the news agency.
view, Matovic’s bill contains several factual PS vice-chair Michal Truban said that
shortcomings. She stressed that there will be “Matovic and Fico are in fact the same. They
consequences for self-governing regions and are both destroying the Slovak economy, our
municipalities in particular. The city of Bratislava country, destroying democracy, overstepping
has already asked President Zuzana Caputova and destroying the rule of law, and voting with
not to sign it, calling on the government to con- fascists. I am 100-percent convinced that even
sult the proposal with local governments before Matovic’s anti-graft line isn’t sincere, that it too
re-debating it. is a sham.”
According to the Bratislava representatives, Former premier Peter Pellegrini, leader of
the anti-inflation package is to be financed by a the Voice-SD party, said Matovic’s package can
fundamental limiting of services and infrastruc- be called pro-family but certainly not anti-infla-
ture development in towns and villages. tion. According to him, it won’t resolve the acute
Kolikova said that the proposal isn’t targeted current situation in Slovakia. “Time will show
enough to benefit those who really need it. “I that for many types of specific families, the new-
don’t want to go on the barricades. I’m not happy ly-set conditions can cause some families to lose
with the situation within the coalition, either. out,” he said, stressing the measures didn’t take
We’ll wait to see what happens next,” she added. pensioners into account.
Also the extra-parliamentary Progressive As reported by the news agency, Valeria Poko-
Slovakia (PS) party head and European Parlia- rna from the Slovak Pensioners Union said
ment Vice-chair Michal Simecka does not agree the 1.3% increase in pensions is no more than
with the bill. He said that following the parlia- alms in light of the sharp growth in energy
mentary decision PS will no longer support the and food prices. “The elderly buy only the
government. essentials with the minimum pension. Fruit
“Parliament approved another megaloma- and vegetables are taboo for them because
niacal idea by Igor Matovic, this time for over they can’t afford them,” she was quoted by the
€1bn a year. For us, Progressive Slovakia, this is news agency as saying.
truly a turning point. From this moment on we Asked by Euractive.sk, the European Com-
will no longer support the continuation of this mission said it had no comments on the bill. ™

P12 www. NEWSBASE .com Week 21 27•May•2022