Manka: Lack of Money Linked to Difficulties in Getting Involved in Projects

Zvolen, October 14 (TASR) - The financial problems of towns and municipalities in Slovakia are reflected in their normal functioning, but they also have a significant impact on new projects, said Zvolen mayor Vladimir Manka on Monday in reaction to the recently announced €50 million from the government for local governments, noting that the lack of money is linked to the difficulty of engaging in new projects where co-financing is needed. Manka at the same time warned that that regions could lose hundreds of millions of euros of investments from EU funds, which, according to him, will damage the whole of Slovakia. In Manka's opinion, the promised €50 million will only offset the forecast based on which municipalities approved their budgets for this year. According to Manka, local governments have been demanding €500 million since the beginning of the year and have been expecting to receive part of it all year. "Even before the consolidation, municipalities lost a billion euros, so they feel it's unfair that the government didn't take this into account," he remarked. Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD) announced last week that the government will provide €50 million to towns and municipalities, adding that €20 million in loans to local governments will be forgiven. The premier stated that the governing coalition is ready to help next year as well, but he stressed that it has to be the Slovak Towns and Village Association (ZMOS) that will come up with the concept for municipal reform. ZMOS head Jozef Bozik said that the announced money from the government in November and December of this year will be useful, and that towns and municipalities will survive until the end of the year. "However, we have to start talking seriously about what will happen in the next calendar year," he remarked. zel/df