Tomas: Social Services Reform to Increase Consolidation Next Year

(STVR, 'O 5 minut 12', March 2) The consolidation, which is expected to reach €2 billion next year, will be increased by the reform of social services financing, said Labour Minister Erik Tomas (Voice-SD) on STVR's discussion programme 'O 5 minut 12' (Five Minutes to Twelve) on Sunday. "We're preparing the reform of social services financing, which is linked to the recovery plan. The reform will cost hundreds of millions of euros," stated Tomas. Opposition MP Martina Bajo Holeckova (Freedom and Solidarity/SaS), also on the show, criticised the government for the way it is doing consolidation, distributing the money it doesn't have for 13th pensions, thereby putting social-insurance provider Socialna poistovna (SP) in debt. According to Bajo Holeckova, the consolidation will cost every Slovak €800 per year, while pensioners will get a 13th pension amounting to €660 and thus remain in the red. The state should chiefly save money on itself and scrap unnecessary ministries, such as the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, she said. Tomas argued that Slovakia has the money to pay the 13th pensions to pensioners and that SP's debt hasn't been caused solely by them, but also by outflow of €1.2 billion to the second (capitalisation) pension pillar last year. "The more people leave for the second pillar, the less money Socialna poistovna has," stated the minister. Bajo Holeckova stressed that the second pillar should be preserved and the state shouldn't touch on people's savings for future pensions. Concerning single-parent households, Tomas and Bajo Holeckova concurred on the need to address the critical situation of this group of people who are most threatened by poverty. The labour minister said that he will present measures to help single parents in the upcoming weeks. These will include, for example, a family card, through which they will be able to claim discounts on childcare-related goods and services. ko