THE PRICE Council, an advisory authority to the Slovak Cabinet to monitor the development of prices prior to the introduction of the euro, held its first session on October 29.
Its members defined three sectors that require more attention due to recent price increases. Council head Peter Mihók declared that the Finance Ministry’s report on inflation hinted at unusual price development in dental services, charges for driving courses and parking fees, the SITA newswire wrote.
The council asked the appropriate ministers and the head of the Association of Slovak Towns and Villages (ZMOS) to draw up analyses for an investigation into this development.
The council will discuss any specific reasons for the increases at its next session in late November.
Prices in these segments rose by more than 18 percent year-on-year and the council intends to examine whether there is any link to euro adoption. The situation may also reflect certain objective facts, such as that these prices were significantly below levels in surrounding countries. Mihók evaluated the overall development of inflation in Slovakia as average. He clarified that the council’s activities are preventative.
The Finance Ministry stated that dental services have been on an upward trend for months, with prices rising 18.5 percent year-on-year. The prices of driving courses jumped 19.3 percent year-on-year, showing no response to the falling cost of motor fuels. The rise in parking fees is probably linked to the growing demand for parking and the small selection of parking lots.
