BRATISLAVA, November 29, (WEBNOVINY) — At the 9th parliamentary session of this election term, beginning on Tuesday, November 30, the MPs will deal with the most important law of the year: the 2011 state budget. The Cabinet estimates a 3.8 billion euro deficit. Budget revenues are planned at 13.1 billion euro and expenses 16.9 billion euro. The general government deficit, which in addition to the state administration also includes the budgets of health insurance companies, universities, municipal administration and the Social Insurance Agency should reach 4.9 percent GDP in 2011. The Cabinet’s 2011 state budget draft and the draft of general government budget for the years 2010-2013 will be discussed in parliament without being approved by the social partners. Before discussing the budget, the MPs will decide on several tax bills, which are connected with the Cabinet’s consolidation package of public finances. They will decide on the final shape of the draft amendment to the law on VAT, income tax, excise tax on tobacco products and on beer. Parliament will also have to decide on the revision of the 2010 budget. The reason is the incoherence between budget approved by the Robert Fico Cabinet and economic reality. The planned general government deficit of 5.5 percent GDP in 2010 has shown as unrealistic. The recent estimated deficit is 7.84 percent GDP.
The assembly will also decide on the government’s consolidation package — economic amendments connected to the budget and changes of the excise tax on tobacco, beer or mineral oils. An amendment to the law on social insurance, changing the system of pension valorization is also waiting for an approval. The amount paid as parental benefit will also change, it should be unified to 190 euro per month. The MPs will vote on reducing their salaries as well.
Parliament will again try to elect a new prosecutor general. The term of Dobroslav Trnka, the incumbent Prosecutor General will be over at the beginning of 2011. Except him, the Prosecutor Jozef Centes, nominated by all four ruling coalition parties, is a candidate in the election to take place on December 2. The deputies will also hold a secret ballot on the candidates for judges of the Disciplinary Court.
Parliament will further debate a bill merging the public Slovak Television and the Slovak Radio into one public broadcaster, the Radio and Television of Slovakia.
SITA