BRATISLAVA, October 11, (WEBNOVINY) — The Trade Unions Confederation (KOZ) SR will organize a public gathering in Bratislava on Tuesday, October 12, to protest against the government’s package of consolidation measures. The protest of trade unionists will start at 4 P.M. in front of the Cabinet Office, from where rally participants will move in front of the building of the Slovak Parliament. KOZ President Miroslav Gazdik stated at a news conference on Monday that they intend to submit a statement to parliament demanding differentiated VAT rate, additional taxation of dividends, capital and the banking sector, introduction of a progressive personal income tax, and reduction in contributions to the second pension pillar. “The bill issued for the crisis cannot be drawn only on common people, employees and citizens,” said Gazdik. He could not assess how many people would take part in the protest but he specified among the participants will also be people from Detva, Martin, Horna Nitra and Kosice.
Gazdik considers the Cabinet’s decision on its package of consolidation measures to be very harsh. “We cannot see space for economic growth and more jobs,” he said. Trade unionists oppose to blanket increase in VAT and excise taxes. KOZ head said that they would only agree with increase in VAT on luxury goods but demand lower tax rate for example on food. KOZ President also slams suggested cancellation of reduced tax rate on so-called red diesel for farmers, which he believes would harm farmers. “If diesel price will be equally expensive for them, they will increase food prices,” he said. He also finds abolishing tax breaks for savers in the third pension pillar to be a dangerous measure. “We are concerned that after these tax breaks are abolished for employers and employees, the third pension pillar will cease to exist as such,” he warned.
Trade unionists call for a decrease in contributions to the second pension pillar. “A nine-percent contribution rate is very high and weakens the pay-as-you go pension pillar,” said the KOZ President. On the other hand, they disapprove of cutting protection period in health insurance from current 42 to 7 days. “Unless we see some attitude toward concessions in parliament that they will seriously deal with these issues, we may have to dust off the scenario of activities that the KOZ undertook in 2003 during the second government of Mikulas Dzurinda,” said Gazdik. Among their protest activities at that time were for example blocking border-crossings or slow driving of trade unionists’ cars on highways.
SITA
