“Top national athletes make efforts to be successful, and they’re then left with little scope to pursue other activities that would bring them financial incomes for their day-to-day lives,” states the proposal.
The law, presented by Smer MPs Anton Martvoň, Oto Brixi, Dusan Čaplovic and Dušan Gális, concerns athletes who have won a medal representing Slovakia or the former Czechoslovakia at Olympic, Paralympic or Deaflympic games or at World or European championships in a sports discipline acknowledged by the International Olympic Committee.
The bonus payments will be calculated so that the pensions of athletes who have won gold reach at least €750 per month. Silver and bronze medalists will receive bonuses to ensure that their pensions reach at least €600 and €500, respectively. Former athletes who have won more than one medal will be given the extra payment in line with the most valuable medal. Those already with a higher monthly pension than the aforementioned sums will be unable to claim any bonus.
A similar bill was submitted by the Opposition Most-Hid party in 2012, albeit based on a progressive multiple of the minimum wage. Smer voted that bill down, pointing to what it called several flaws in the proposal.
15. May 2015 at 6:26 | Compiled by Spectator staff
