Bozik: ZMOS Can't Guarantee They'll Be Able to Increase Teachers' Salaries

Kosice, February 24 (TASR) - At present, municipalities can't guarantee that they'll be able to take care of the announced salary increases in the education sector or the payment of bonuses, chairman of the Slovak Towns and Villages Association (ZMOS) Jozef Bozik said at a press conference in Kosice on Monday, adding that this would mean €160 million for the budgets of local authorities. According to him the ZMOS is communicating with trade unionists and with the Education Ministry, stressing that towns and municipalities need help. "If we were to pay €800 bonuses and levies for all employees - not just education employees, and at the same time guarantee a 7-percent salary increase this year and then as of January next year, it would mean €160 million for the budgets of towns and municipalities. That is a staggering amount," he said. "Today, towns and municipalities are in such a difficult situation that we can't generate resources and guarantee that if the government ordered us to increase salaries by a decree, we would be able to carry it out within the original powers. It is a fundamental problem," he added. The Education Ministry is proposing to increase salaries for teachers and professional staff by 7 percent as of September 1, 2025 and by an additional 5 percent as of January 1, 2026, along with a new non-tariff system that will raise salaries by an average of 2 percent. The government approved the plan to increase salaries at its meeting last week, along with the condition of submitting a proposal for financial coverage and of signing a memorandum of cooperation and social reconciliation in the education sector with the Slovak Education and Science Employees Trade Union. am/mcs