Hauliers will pay signifcantly higher highway toll rates in Slovakia under plans approived by the cabinet this week. (source: Sme)
By increasing freight transport toll rates for trucks using its highways by 40 percent, Slovakia will avoid becoming a transit country for the rest of the European Union, Transport Minister Jozef Ráž (Smer nominee) said after the cabinet voted to hike the rates at its session on Wednesday, August 21. Parliament must still pass a bill to transpose the European directive on Eurovignettes and change its toll collection system. The junior party in the ruling coalition, the far-right Slovak National Party (SNS), is opposed to the move.
“The increase by this amount, 40 percent of the toll, makes sense and has the consequence that Slovakia will not become a so-called transit country,” said Ráž.
The cabinet chose to offset the increase for Slovak hauliers by reducing the tax on other motor vehicles to the minimum level allowed by the European directive. Proposed tax relief for Slovak truckers will cost the state budget approximately €32 million, but increased revenues from tolls, which apply to all carriers using the Slovak highway network, should bring almost €100 million extra to the budget of the National Highway Company (NDS), the government estimates.
Ráž noted that an agreement was reached with the hauliers’ trade unions before the cabinet approved the increased toll rates.
“Within the framework of the inter-ministerial comment procedure and within the framework of the creation of these values, there was a discussion with the trade unions and we reached an agreement,” said Ráž. “I do not expect any disagreements.”
CO2 as well as air pollution addressed
Under the new toll rates, hauliers will pay charges not only for the use of road infrastructure, but also for their carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and external costs associated with air pollution.
The proposal also includes a reduction in vehicle tax for trucks over 12 tons. The main reason for adjusting the annual rates of motor vehicle tax is to support road hauliers in replacing tachographs. Tax rates for vehicles over 3.5 tons should also be reduced accordingly.
The law is proposed to take effect from January 1, 2025, except for provisions on the changes in toll collection, which should only apply from 1 July 2025.
SNS is against
Representatives of the SNS party said they would not support the bill in parliament.
“SNS repeatedly declares that despite the fact that the government has approved a 40 percent increase in highway toll rates, it will not support this bill in parliament,” party leader Andrej Danko said in a statement posted on social networks.
The party has informed Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer) of its position, adding that it was unchangeable. It says it does not agree with a 40-percent increase in toll rates without the completion of Slovakia's road infrastructure.
