BRATISLAVA, July 28, (WEBNOVINY) — The new center-right Cabinet has approved its Program Statement with some recommendations. The four-party coalition plans to reform the education system and the judiciary, preserve the ratio of contributions transferred to the first and second pension pillars, and unify the collection of taxes and social and health insurance contributions. The coalition partners also agreed not to privatize strategic companies over the next four years.
Prior the Cabinet’s session, the quartet of parties the SKDU-DS, SaS, KDH, and MOST-HID agreed on not increasing the current 10 percent reduced value-added tax rate on medications, books, and food products sold directly at farms. The Cabinet wants to continue the construction of the highway from Bratislava to Kosice, which should preferably be financed from EU funds, state and private sources, and a second pension pillar. The coalition also plans to simplify the system of social and health insurance contributions through a merger of taxes and contributions into a super gross wage and unify the calculation base. The proportion of contributions to the first and second pension pillars will not be changed, not even temporarily; the government does intend to increase the retirement age for now. Strategic companies will not be privatized, but strategic investors will be allowed to enter the railway company Cargo and the Bratislava Airport. Another step planned is the introduction of electronic public procurement and the posting of contracts awarded by the state onto the Internet.
Prime Minister Iveta Radicova should meet coalition deputies for SDKU-DS, SaS, KDH and MOST-HID on August 2, and the Government Program will be discussed in Parliament on August 3.
SITA
