A joint declaration on support for a responsible and ambitious budgetary policy failed to pass at a session of the Economic and Social Council of the Slovak Republic on June 30.
The National Association of Employers (RÚZ) submitted the draft declaration, but representatives of the Trade Unions Confederation (KOZ) rejected it. KOZ Vice President Vladimír Mojš said that the declaration supported more ambitious cuts of the general government deficit and unification of the collection of taxes and social and health insurance payments in the shortest possible time. He pointed to the fact that Slovakia fulfilled the Maastricht criterion with a sufficient reserve compared with the criterion set in the original convergence programme. He also said they saw no space for tighter conditions, especially when Slovakia is entering the Eurozone, which will certainly have an impact on the socially vulnerable.
Mojš said an analysis should be performed on unifying taxes and social insurance payments in the shortest possible period of time. RÚZ Vice President Jaroslav Holeček praised the fact that the declaration was not rejected completely, which meant that there was resolve to continue negotiating it.
The parties will meet again by July 20. SITA
Compiled by Zuzana Vilikovská from press reports
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.
