Opposition: Is 2019 Budget Really Balanced? There's Lack of Investment

Bratislava, December 5 (TASR) – Although the 2019 state budget approved by Parliament on Wednesday is balanced, the Opposition parties remain sceptical towards it, as they believe that it fails to cut the tax-levy burden or prepare Slovakia for the future.

“A balanced budget is not a reality, only a pledge, a pledge that we can’t rely on in light of history,” said Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) MP Eugen Jurzyca, who added that the country should save money in favourable times, but the coalition doesn’t embrace such an approach.

A similar view is held by Ordinary People (OLaNO) MP Eduard Heger. “This budget doesn’t bring quality services to people and doesn’t prepare us for the future. What’s more, when the fact that Slovakia is enjoying its best times economy-wise is taken into account, such a budget indicates the great failure of the incumbent Government,” claimed Heger, who is convinced that the expenditures structure is all wrong.

Doubts that the 2019 budget will actually be balanced are also held by Independent MP Miroslav Beblavy, who wondered when taxes for working people will see any cuts and when any investments in Slovakia’s future will be made, as “only European Union money is being funnelled into infrastructure and no significant investments have been earmarked for education”.

The passing of a balanced budget was welcomed by the non-parliamentary Christian Democratic Movement (KDH). Nonetheless, KDH is convinced that this commitment could have been met a long time ago if the Government had governed responsibly. “In the budget the Government allocated reserves of a few hundred million euros to inefficient social packages instead of working on scrunching down the tax and levy burden for people and companies,” stated KDH MEP Ivan Stefanec.