Greetings from Bratislava — where the finance minister finally hit his oft-missed deadline. Sort of. Welcome to your Tuesday, 9 September edition of Today in Slovakia.
Fiscal consolidation may have dominated headlines on Tuesday, but the country also paused to commemorate victims of the Holocaust and racial violence. Prime Minister Robert Fico used the occasion to warn that hatred and racism are “growing stronger”, seeping into daily language and becoming disturbingly normalised. Coming from a man who survived an assassination attempt — and who rarely misses a chance to attack his critics — the warning carried both weight and irony.
Public Defender of Rights Róbert Dobrovodský struck a steadier note: “The reminder of these events obliges us to protect the dignity of every person without distinction.” If only some MPs — and the prime minister himself — took that message to heart instead of pushing constitutional changes to score cheap points, erecting rhetorical “walls against progressivism”, and targeting vulnerable groups such as LGBT+ citizens or Roma people.
Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities Zuzana Stavrovská reminded the country that thousands of people with disabilities were also among the victims: “Let this day remind us that humanity and respect must always prevail over prejudice and hatred.” That group, too, deserves more attention — and more chances to live their lives fully in Slovakia.
Across the country, names of victims were read aloud. Perhaps the most striking scene came in Humenné, once home to one of Slovakia’s largest Jewish communities. Female students in period clothing, carrying old-style suitcases, walked from the museum to the railway station, where a wooden wagon stood as a grim reminder. The first deportation from Humenné took place on 12 March 1942, when 17 young women were sent away.
The poignancy of that moment is hard to miss at a time when the far-right party Republika is polling strongly — and when some of the government representatives fail to distance themselves from notorious far-right agitator and disinformation face Daniel Bombic, a hater par excellence.
Meanwhile on Tuesday, the finance minister staged his own performance for the nation. Unlike the students in Humenné, he drew no applause.
16 Wednesdays till Christmas … and the minister delivers Grinch’s gift
Finance Minister Ladislav Kamenický announces the third consolidation package on 9 September 2025. (source: TASR - Martin Baumann)
The Smer heavyweight, Ladislav Kamenický, finally rolled out his third consolidation package — 22 measures worth €2.7 billion (the previous two totalled €4.7 billion). The aim: cut Slovakia’s deficit from roughly 5 percent of GDP this year to 4.1–4.3 percent in 2026.
WHO PAYS:
Self-employed: higher minimum contributions (assessment base up from 50 to 60 percent of average wages), “holidays” cut from 12 to six months, tougher rules against bogus freelancing.
Employees: health contributions up by 1 percentage point; sick leave on the boss for 14 days instead of 10.
High earners: new tax bands up to 35 percent above €75k; constitutional officials pay 10 points more — a top rate of 45 percent.
Business: minimum tax licences raised for big players; new 15 percent levy on collective investment funds.
Consumers: VAT on salty and sugary foods up from 19 to 23 percent; higher levies on gambling, insurance and even gravel.
HOLIDAYS AXED: 17 November - Struggle for Freedom and Democracy Day - becomes a permanent working day, while Epiphany (6 January) and Victory Day (8 May) are suspended in 2026. The Sunday and holiday retail ban is scrapped. The Finance Ministry expects €230 million.
THE STATE CUTS TOO: Public-sector pay frozen next year (exceptions: teachers, doctors, nurses). Ministries have until the end of the week to file savings tables. Kamenický wants a 10 percent cut in wage costs — one example: shutting down the gambling regulator. Local government will chip in too: municipalities and regions together must save €130 million.
OTHER TRICKS:
The 13th pension frozen at €667.13 until 2028.
Jobless benefits fall 10 percent a month after the third month.
A half-year tax amnesty in 2026 to raise €81 million.
QR code payments to improve compliance.
Insurance tax up from 8 to 10 percent.
THE POLITICS: The package landed the same day parliament opened its September session — a move that minimises debate but maximises pressure. The coalition wants the package rushed through in a fast-track procedure — a method under fire at home and abroad. MPs will open debate on Wednesday. The government needs it passed by 22 November to dodge debt-brake sanctions, and the full budget must also be approved by then.
WARNING SIGNS: Slovakia’s fiscal council says it is impossible to judge if the plan is realistic: €1.3 billion of savings are unspecified. Many measures are one-off or temporary, raising doubts about long-term sustainability. The council warns of “consolidation fatigue”, and notes that half the revenue-side measures directly hit economic activity, chiefly via higher labour taxes.
THE OPTICS NOT SO GREAT: Last year’s second package saw the whole government on stage; this time Kamenický stood alone — not even the PM at his side.
In 2024, several figures — including the prime minister and his coalition partners — unveiled the second consolidation package. This time, they left the finance minister to present the next wave of belt-tightening alone. (source: TASR)
MORE STORIES FROM THE SLOVAK SPECTATOR WEBSITE
Soaring bills: Slovak households say costs are up since last year’s austerity drive — with families with young children feeling it most.
Slovakia divided: A new political compass shows that Slovakia’s splits run deeper than a simple left–right divide.
Drones with a difference: From securing NATO comms to monitoring Rammstein gigs and helping the elderly, Slovak firm Aliter Technologies shows how drones can do far more than fly.
Grim growth: Slovakia’s economy is slowing as weak consumption, one-off investment bumps and looming fiscal tightening darken the outlook.
Slovakia’s oldest floodplain trail: A nature path in the High Tatras is being reinforced after years of mountain weather battered its wooden walkways.
Ryanair flight: Passengers flying from Poland to Slovakia were diverted to Vienna after GPS interference crippled navigation systems.
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FILM
Nepela unmasked
Josef Trojan in Nepela (source: CINEMART)
Olympic champion Ondrej Nepela won adoration on the ice but struggled for freedom off it. A new film by Gregor Valentovič peels back the Cold War gloss to show the figure-skating hero’s private battles and his dream of living openly in the West. The biopic, starring Josef Trojan, premieres in Slovak cinemas on 30 October — with a rival Nepela film also in the works.
Arms boom
Zuzana 2 howitzers (source: TASR)
Slovakia’s defence industry is firing on all cylinders. In June alone, arms and ammo exports hit €233.8 million, pushing the first-half total past €1 billion — already almost as much as in the whole of 2024.
The economist’s take: ČSOB’s Marek Gábriš says exports are running 2.5 times higher than last year. Keep up this pace, and the industry could hit €3 billion by New Year’s Eve.
The bigger picture: Weapons now make up nearly 2 percent of Slovak exports — still miles behind cars at 36 percent, but a huge jump from 0.8 percent a year ago. The sector also added almost €500 million to the trade surplus in the first half, technically half of Slovakia’s positive balance.
Where it all goes: Mostly bullets, bombs and grenades, with about 80 percent shipped to the Czech Republic and Ukraine.
Why it matters: As Europe rearms, Slovakia’s arms makers are cashing in. What used to be a niche sector is suddenly one of the country’s fastest-growing export engines. Funny thing — back in 2023, Robert Fico campaigned on not sending “a single bullet” to Kyiv. Fast-forward two years, and the reality looks rather different.
IN OTHER NEWS
Slovakia ranks 58th out of 69 countries in a new talent-attraction index — and dead last for brain drain. The Institute of Freedom and Entrepreneurship says economies that fail to adapt risk falling further behind as talent grows ever more mobile. (TASR)
At the September opening of parliament, Igor Dušenka and Gréta Gregorová took their oaths. Dušenka replaces the late Anna Záborská and joins the Slovensko, Za ľudí, KÚ caucus. Gregorová steps in for Viera Kalmárová, who resigned for personal reasons, and will sit with Progressive Slovakia.
Slovakia’s youth unemployment stands at 15.6 percent — above the EU average — with 21,000 under-25s jobless in July. The east suffers most, and 9,000 graduates remain unemployed even two years after finishing school. Experts say the fix lies in internships. (SITA)
Next year’s consolidation plan may land in parliament in two parts: the first covering broader economic tweaks, the second targeting cuts in state administration and individual ministries. (TASR)
Researchers from the Slovak Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Experimental Psychology have published a brochure summing up four years of work on conspiracy theories and disinformation.
Slovak defenceman Michal Sersen has officially called time on his playing career. The former national team player and Slovan Bratislava captain told STVR he is moving into coaching in Finland — joined by his 14-year-old son.
Slovakia’s under-21s made it two wins from two in Euro 2027 qualifying, edging Moldova 3:2 in Nisporeni. Goals from Mário Sauer, Jakub Jakubko and sub Karol Blaško sealed the points, while Moldova’s Vladislav Costin struck twice for the hosts. (TASR)
On 9 September 2025 in Humenné, female students in period dress staged a historical procession — retracing the deportation route from the museum to the railway station, ending at a vintage wagon. (source: TASR - Roman Hanc)
WEDNESDAY WEATHER BRIEFING: Cloudy to overcast, with showers and storms mainly in the west. Lows 16°C–8°C, highs 21°C–26°C. (SHMÚ)
NAME DAY: All the best to Olegs marking their nameday in Slovakia on Wednesday.
BEFORE WE GO: For almost 400 years, Banská Bystrica’s signature fair (Radvanský jarmok) has drawn crowds. It is back 11–14 September.
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