KDH: Gov't Foists Consolidation Burden on People, Doesn't Curb its Own Spending

Bratislava, October 17 (TASR) - The 2025 public administration budget, approved on Tuesday (October 15) by the Government, will foist the burden of consolidation upon the shoulders of the people, local and regional authorities, businesses, employers and employees, who will all face steeply increased costs of living, but the Government plans to introduce only minimal austerity cuts to itself, MP Jozef Hajko (KDH) declared on Thursday. "It's mostly common people who will feel the increased living costs the worst. Next year, Slovakia is going to experience an inflation shock. The Council for Budgetary Responsibility expects the prices to ratchet up by 5 percent in the wake of tax and fee hikes," claimed Hajko. Hajko pointed out that the Government has also failed to address the growing Slovak debt, with the gross debt expected to increase from €77 billion in 2023 to €92 billion by 2027, according to the approved motion. "Such a development is unacceptable all the more in the face of the fact that the Government is forming its own cushion for arbitrary expenditure at the expense of the people and businesses, instead of putting a stop to the indebting of the state," he underlined. mf