SaS: President Co-responsible for Price Hikes

Bratislava, October 18 (TASR) - By signing the consolidation package, President Peter Pellegrini has become co-responsible for the biggest price increase that people in Slovakia are facing, head of the opposition Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) party Branislav Groehling said on Friday. According to the SaS leader, the facts that the package wasn't discussed by the Social and Economic Council and the lack of social dialogue on it could have been Pellegrni's arguments for vetoing the package. Groehling also reproached the president for signing a bill introducing a transaction tax. According to SaS, the tax will burden not only companies, but also ordinary people and will damage non-profit organisations. Earlier in the day, Pellegrini signed the consolidation package, which is expected to bring about a recovery of public finances. He made the decision after his condition to reach a compromise solution on the issue of health workers' salaries was met. On the same day, Pellegrini also signed a bill introducing the new transaction tax, which he called a necessary part of the consolidation measures. However, he also called on the government to consider adjusting any unintended negative consequences of the tax by April next year, when the bill enters into force. zel/mcs