Matovic Ready to Resign If OLaNO's Energy Measures Are Approved

Bratislava, August 31 (TASR) – If the measures proposed by OLaNO to deal with the energy crisis and protect public finances are approved by the Government with the help of Freedom and Solidarity (SaS), Finance Minister and OLaNO leader Igor Matovic is ready to leave the Cabinet along with Economy Minister Richard Sulik (SaS), Prime Minister Eduard Heger (OLaNO) reported before the Government session on Wednesday.

“We have come up with proposals for very concrete measures to help people to cope with the upcoming period, which we are tabling especially in front of the SaS party, but also in front of our other coalition partners. We need a solid coalition, we need the measures to be approved by both the Government and Parliament. If these measures are approved, Igor Matovic will accept Richard Sulik’s demand and will quit to become an MP along with him,” explained Heger.

The proposals tabled by OLaNO include increasing the tax bonus and bonus for children’s leisure-time activities so that parents will obtain €200 per child per month, approving the 2023 budget, adopting a constitutional law on budgetary responsibility and adopting a constitutional law on the stability of the pension system, a condition that SaS won’t submit proposals with an impact on public finances that have not been approved by the coalition council, and measures introducing new sources of state revenue, such as new tax rates on alcohol and gambling and extra taxation on Russian oil. Furthermore, OLaNO wants the prices of electricity to be frozen for all households, to introduce favourable gas contracts for all households, contributions for gas and heating amounting to €250 million and contributions for pensioners amounting to €150 million.

On this note, Heger claimed that SaS’s arguments that Matovic’s recent proposals would have a disruptive effect on public finances if implemented and that they are in breach of the coalition agreement aren’t true.