What Slovakia Is Writing About: Government Approves Budget Without Union Agreement; Taraba Wants Transaction Tax Scrapped Sooner in Exchange for Support

The government on Monday, 5 October, approved the draft budget for 2027 to 2029 with a deficit of almost 5% of GDP, even though it did not reach agreement with employers or trade unions in the Economic and Social Council, and the Constitutional Court may have the final say. Dismissed minister Taraba ties his support for the budget to an early abolition of the transaction tax and is collecting signatures to found his own party, while Danko accuses him, according to ta3, of blackmailing the government. Meanwhile the opposition is working out whether and how to unite: SaS presented a programme with more than 400 measures, and according to Gubík, Gröhling wants to exclude the Hungarian Alliance from the unification. Since then, three bigger things have come up: Huliak talks about taxing online casinos and ending some VAT refunds, the head of the Supreme Audit Office (NKÚ) warns in an interview against legalising dirty money through Arab investors, and teachers from Staškov asked police for help five days before the tragedy.

Budget: Approved Without Agreement, With the Constitutional Court in the Background

The government approved the draft budget, but the Economic and Social Council did not agree on it, as both employers and trade unions oppose it. STVR ↗ The Association of Towns and Municipalities of Slovakia (ZMOS) described the way it was discussed as unacceptable. According to ZMOS, municipalities received the material for assessment only a few hours before. Hospodárske noviny ↗

Trend quotes ZMOS, according to which the budget should not be negotiated this way. Trend ↗ Refresher writes about the most important law of the year in chaos: according to it, no one has seen the budget, and employers are boycotting the government. Refresher ↗ For readers, this means that the draft is on the table, but its further fate depends on the coalition, where the dispute over Taraba is currently being settled.

Other outlets emphasise different things. Denník N writes that Fico brought "good news" in the budget and that net public debt will rise by €30 billion under the current government. Denník N ↗ SME claims that pro-growth measures have disappeared and that the deficit has not been reduced. SME ↗ Startitup writes that experts warn of a serious problem and that the budget may conflict with the constitution. Startitup ↗

The SME commentary goes further and agrees with Taraba that the budget is immoral and dangerous. SME ↗ This is an opinion, not a finding, but it shows where the budget dispute is shifting: from the numbers to the question of who can change it. The government relies on an exception from the debt brake for a deficit budget, and the opposition parties have turned to the Constitutional Court to have its application binding interpreted. Aktuality.sk ↗ The statutory deadline for submitting the draft to parliament is 15 October, as we wrote in our previous issue.

In a commentary, Postoj.sk argues why the opposition should help Fico with the budget. (postoj.sk ↗)

Taraba and Danko: A Dispute Conducted Through the Media

Taraba conditions his support for the state budget on the early abolition of the transaction tax and claims that the money for it exists. STVR ↗ According to Hospodárske noviny, Danko explained why he wanted Taraba's exit from the environment ministry, and Taraba responded that governing with the SNS chairman is impossible. Hospodárske noviny ↗ The SNS chairman responded to Taraba's words on TA3 with a video from Prague, accusing him of blackmailing the government "until the last moment" with the threat that Šalitroš and Migaľ would also leave. In the same programme, Taraba said he had informed the prime minister before his dismissal that he did not want to remain in the government and wanted to leave on his own. TA3 ↗

Aktuality write that after leaving the ministry, Taraba sets conditions for saving: halved MPs' salaries and the end of the transaction tax. Aktuality.sk ↗ Standard writes that Taraba does not promise his vote on the budget and is starting to collect signatures to found a party. Standard ↗ According to Standard, in parliament he wants to vote law by law, as he is not a member of any coalition party. .týždeň writes that he wants to found his own party. .týždeň ↗

Pluska raises the question of whether Taraba's fall will lead to early elections and brings sharp remarks from politicians. Pluska ↗ Taraba called Michal Šimečka a "raised Smer-ite", and the PS leader replied with a question about how it feels to be the first minister dismissed in 30 years. TA3 ↗

Pellegrini and the Trump Model: A Dispute with a Markíza Reporter

Denník N writes that Pellegrini did not pose with a model of Trump, but criticised a Markíza reporter for doing her job. Denník N ↗ As we wrote on 2 October, the president published a photo with the American president on social media. TA3 puts forward his own wording: asked whether he had been photographed with Trump or with his model, he answered "The peak of Slovak journalism". TA3 ↗ Denník N thus emphasises the dispute with the media outlet, while TA3 focuses on the photo itself.

Elections: Citizens of Serbia and a Dispute over Voting in Bratislava

The dispute concerns citizens of Serbia living in Slovakia. Denník N writes that more than 500 of them may be left without the possibility to vote. Denník N ↗ Aktuality give the same number and add that these are parliamentary elections in Serbia. Aktuality.sk ↗ SME describes the dispute from the other side: an initiative of Serbs in Slovakia complains that they will not be able to vote in Bratislava. SME ↗

Opposition: Programme, Meeting and the Hungarian Alliance

SaS presented the programme "Reštart Slovenska – Deň po Ficovi" (Restart Slovakia – The Day After Fico) with more than 400 measures. Hospodárske noviny ↗ The chairman of the Hungarian Alliance, László Gubík, rejects Gröhling's words and claims that the SaS chairman wants to exclude his party from the opposition unification. TASR ↗ In the Politika 24 programme on JOJ 24, Gröhling said he wants a meeting with Matovič and is not afraid that Matovič will use it for his own benefit. Standard ↗

Matovič meanwhile reserved squares in all regional cities except Bratislava for 17 November and invited PS, SaS, KDH and Demokrati to them. Žilinak ↗ Aktuality ask whether KDH will lose an MP. According to them, a transfer is being negotiated behind the scenes, from which the opposition partner is expected to benefit. Aktuality.sk ↗

Staškov: Compensation and Safety

The government set aside €240,000 in compensation for the relatives of the dead and the injured after the tragedies in Staškov and Spišská Stará Ves. STVR ↗ After the attack in Staškov, Šutaj Eštok said we cannot afford for this to happen again and outlined how he intends to act. TA3 ↗ On Tuesday, 6 October, parliament is due to continue its 61st session and also vote on the government's draft act on protecting young people from radicalisation. Aktuality.sk ↗ Opposition female politicians described it as insufficient. Hospodárske noviny ↗

Nový Čas writes that teachers from Staškov asked police for help five days before the tragedy; according to this outlet, these are new facts about the case. (Nový Čas ↗)

NKÚ Chair: Arab Investors in Irrigation and Dirty Money

In an interview for Aktuality, the head of the Supreme Audit Office speaks about Arab investors in irrigation and the threat of legalising dirty money. Aktuality also link the topic to Prime Minister Fico. (Aktuality.sk ↗)

Under the Radar

In Slovakia, catarrhal fever in sheep has been confirmed in cattle, so far in two cases. SME ↗ Meanwhile, parliament approved the new Civil Code. Inheritance, contracts and limitation periods are changing; Bratislavský kuriér warns that the changes will also affect property and families. Bratislavský kuriér ↗ The rush of Slovaks to cheaper petrol in Poland did not happen; according to STVR, many people did not know about the price caps. One of the drivers approached summed it up by saying that "a few cents don't solve it". STVR ↗

Nový Čas writes that Huliak talks about taxing online casinos and ending some VAT refunds; according to the headline, gambling will pay more. (Nový Čas ↗)

Refresher writes that the minimum wage will rise again in 2027 and improve for all difficulty levels. (Refresher ↗)

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