SaS: Updated Version of Agenda 2020 to Boost Business Environment
Bratislava, February 19 (TASR) – Slovakia’s economic policy has been damaging, and one day the country will pay for it, stated Opposition Freedom and Solidarity party head (SaS) Richard Sulik at a press conference on Monday, adding that Slovakia has once again seen its ranking in terms of economic freedom worsen.
Unveiling SaS’s updated version of Agenda 2020, which is aimed at boosting the business environment in the country, Sulik said that the Government’s investment incentives have been allocated to districts with below-average unemployment. At the same time, the Cabinet has been tackling the lack of labour by importing cheap labour from abroad. “Both of these measures are bad,” said Sulik, adding that boosting economic freedom, improving the economic environment and scrapping pointless regulations that hinder entrepreneurs would help Slovakia much more than the Government’s measures.
According to SaS Vice-chair and author of Agenda 2020 Jana Kissova, Robert Fico’s governments have been promoting a high tax-levy burden. “We claim that what would help is returning to a 19-percent flat tax so that people will receive more in net terms,” said Kissova, adding that SaS has also drawn up a list of rules that damage the business environment and should be scrapped.
Kissova further pointed out that subsidies and investment incentives for a select few are negatively affecting the business environment. “They are distorting the market and at the same time interfering with society in a way that creates property disparities and reduces the prosperity of both individuals and companies, while damaging society as a whole,” she said, noting that SaS is in favour of scrapping the investment incentives.
The SaS vice-chair went on to say that Slovakia’s competitiveness is also being hindered by a high level of red tape and a lack of ability to enforce the law.
According to Sulik, more than 40 measures in the Agenda won’t cause any losses to the state budget. “If it forms part of a government, SaS will seek to ensure that these measures, which are free of charge, will be implemented as soon as the future government is set up,” said the SaS head, adding that the measures are ready to be put into practice immediately.
