The government of Robert Fico adopted its programme for the years 2012 to 2016 during its session held on April 27. The main priority is an attempt to temper the effects of economic crisis on the lives of people and to strengthen common welfare, the SITA newswire reported.
The government prepared a list of 10 priorities. In addition to tempering the negative effects of the economic crisis it wants to consolidate public finances and reduce the state budget deficit below 3 percent of GDP by 2013, support economic growth and price stability, decrease the jobless rate of young people and find solutions to extremely high long-term and regional unemployment.
In the area of law and judiciary the government wants to focus on better enforceability of laws and fighting corruption.
In the health-care sector the government plans to improve health care and its financial stability. In the area of foreign policy the government plans to strengthen joint liability for meeting the requirements of the European Union as well as supporting the interests of Slovakia within the EU.
The government would also like to make drawing EU structural funds more focused on modernisation and more effective development of the state and society while improving the standards of living in the country.
Political scientist Michal Horský commented that the government’s programme statement has an abstract character and it will be “extremely difficult for the opposition to monitor whether it is being met”, the TASR newswire reported.
Horský also highlighted social dialogue as a key element for implementing the document.
“This is a programme for dialogue that simply says that the specific content, figures and facts will be gradually negotiated via social dialogue with other partners over the next few years,” he said, as quoted by TASR.
Source: SITA, TASR
Compiled by Radka Minarechová from press reports
