What Slovakia Is Writing About: Budget Heads to Wednesday's Vote, Fiscal Council Warns of Bankruptcy. Taraba Founds His Own Party, Dispute Over Environment Ministry Continues

The 2027 budget heads to a final vote on Wednesday: the Council for Budget Responsibility warns that public finances, instead of recovering, are further deteriorating, and the growing deficit and debt could bring the country to the question of state bankruptcy, yet Finance Minister Kamenický still speaks of a "social reconciliation" and SNS chairman Danko believes the necessary 76 votes will be found. The day's second thread is new: former minister Tomáš Taraba announced the founding of his own party, Taraba – Development of Slovakia, and has begun collecting signatures for its registration. Alongside this, the dispute over the environment ministry continues around the nomination of state secretary Kuffa, and the Office for the Protection of Whistleblowers criticized Interior Minister Šutaj Eštok for his words about withdrawing protection from the police officers known as the "čurillovci." During the decisive day in parliament, the opposition nicknamed the budget "the budget of horror," Taraba's new party was hit by an initial critical commentary reaction, and Minister Blanár, amid criticism from expatriates in Sydney, also paid tribute to the victims of the Bondi Beach attack and announced nuclear cooperation with Australia. People around Taraba are also on the move: his former top civil servant at the Environment Ministry has moved to Investment Minister Migaľ, and a former head of the state company Vodohospodárska výstavba has become Taraba's parliamentary assistant on €3,615 a month.

2027 Budget: Fiscal Council Warns of Bankruptcy, Danko Believes in 76 Votes

Finance Minister Kamenický defends the draft 2027 budget by claiming that the government is delivering a "social reconciliation" through it; according to him, spending on social affairs increased by 3.2 billion euros between 2023 and 2027. Hospodárske noviny ↗ The opposition sees it differently: MP Remišová (Za ľudí) demands that the government "stop squandering" and rework the budget TASR ↗, PS chairman Šimečka calls it "unsustainable" without real savings or pro-growth measures Hospodárske noviny ↗, and Denník N describes how Prime Minister Fico, during the budget debate, "attacks, doesn't answer, and avoids parliament." Denník N ↗ The independent Council for Budget Responsibility adds, according to SME, that the growing deficit and debt could bring the country to the question of state bankruptcy. SME ↗

Despite the criticism, SNS chairman Danko believes the coalition will find the necessary 76 votes to pass the budget on Wednesday, even though he himself calls the budget a "necessary evil." Aktuality.sk ↗ He also repeated that the coalition will abolish the transaction tax from 2028, through an amendment to the income tax act drafted by SNS. TASR ↗

Aktuality.sk summarized Wednesday as the "decisive day" in parliament — the budget debate dragged on for five days before the vote, and the opposition nicknamed it "the budget of horror." Aktuality.sk ↗ STVR ↗ Denník N, in its Economic Newsfilter, adds that the government promises projects worth billions of euros for which it has no money. Denník N ↗

Taraba Founds His Own Party — Plans to Travel to 2,700 Towns and Villages

Former Environment Minister and current independent MP Tomáš Taraba announced the founding of his own political party, which, according to Denník N, will bear his surname in its name and plans to travel to all municipalities in Slovakia. Denník N ↗ He announced its founding beneath Devín Castle, accompanied by MP Slyško and a former member of the Republika party Postoj ↗, and also introduced the closest members of his team. SITA ↗ According to SME, besides Peter Slyško, who left Hlas, the team includes Peter Molda, former director of Vodohospodárska výstavba, Juraj Moravčík, former head of the Slovak Environment Agency, and Marek Géci, a former member of the Republika presidium. SME ↗ According to STVR, the party will be named Taraba – Development of Slovakia and needs at least 10,000 signatures for registration. STVR ↗ In the video beneath Devín, he spoke of the need for a strong social state and investments in hospitals and highways, building the project on regional development, economic growth, and an end to party conflicts. Aktuality.sk ↗ This is his next step after parliament dismissed him two weeks ago with votes from the ruling SNS and opposition parties; he returned to the chamber as an independent MP. Martin Behul reacted critically to the founding of the party in a commentary for Aktuality.sk: a better party than Taraba's, he says, "could have been invented even by ChatGPT," since as a politician he "achieved nothing on his own." Aktuality.sk ↗

Molda is also Taraba's only parliamentary assistant. According to SITA, his contract pays him €3,615 a month, and he was dismissed as head of Vodohospodárska výstavba in early October, shortly after Taraba. SITA ↗ Other people close to the former minister have found jobs with Investment Minister Samuel Migaľ. SME confirmed that Marek Chovan, until now secretary general of the Environment Ministry's civil service office, whose dismissal Danko had demanded along with Taraba's, has become his director of innovation and strategic development. Less than a month ago Migaľ, together with Taraba, was open to abolishing his own ministry, and a few weeks ago he called it a "sinecure" created by the previous government. Now he writes that he is glad "these people accepted our offer." PS MP Tamara Stohlová called it "tidying away his people at the state's expense" and sees in it a shared political future for Taraba and Migaľ in one party. SME ↗ SNS MP Roman Michelko said even before the party was announced that Taraba was left in parliament with only Slyško, so the coalition did not have to meet his budget demands. Aktuality.sk ↗

Battle Over the Environment Ministry: SaS Asks SNS to Withdraw Kuffa

The opposition party SaS has called on SNS to reconsider the nomination of state secretary Kuffa as head of the environment ministry. TASR ↗ SaS MP Hlina speaks of "weakness and experiments" and tells SNS that "anyone else but Kuffa" would be suitable for the post. Pravda ↗ SNS chairman Danko continues to insist on the nomination, though the final decision rests with President Pellegrini. TA3 ↗ Pellegrini has already indicated several times that he may have a problem with Kuffa's appointment. Refresher ↗

Šutaj Eštok Under Criticism: ÚOO Defends Protection for the Čurillovci

The Office for the Protection of Whistleblowers (ÚOO) criticized Interior Minister Šutaj Eštok for his statements about possibly withdrawing protection from the group of police officers known as the čurillovci — according to the office, it cannot be withdrawn merely on the basis of political stance. TA3 ↗ It also repeated, in a separate response, that whistleblower protection cannot be withdrawn unlawfully. SITA ↗ SME notes that the dispute began precisely with the minister's statements about withdrawing protection from the čurillovci. SME ↗

Municipal Elections: Close Contests in Trnava and Bardejov

With less than two weeks remaining before the municipal and regional elections on October 24, candidate lists are being finalized and the contests are intensifying. In Bardejov, according to Denník N, the chances of defeating the long-serving mayor Hanuščák, who has held the post since 1998, are increasing — this time KDH will not split the vote. Denník N ↗ This was helped by the withdrawal of candidate Šimec, who did not want to stand in the way of the necessary change. SITA ↗ Trnava also reports a close contest, where according to a poll the race between Baroš and Nemčovská will be decided within the margin of statistical error. SITA ↗ In the combined municipal and regional elections, voters must also pay attention to the correct color of the envelope and the number of marked candidates — a mistake can invalidate the vote. Startitup ↗

Under the Radar

During a visit to Australia, Foreign Minister Blanár and Culture Minister Šimkovičová heard harsh criticism of government policy from some expatriates in Sydney; the minister responded to the complaints. TA3 ↗ Amid the criticism, Blanár also paid tribute in Sydney to the victims of last year's terrorist attack at Bondi Beach, stating that Slovakia rejects antisemitism and terrorism. Aktuality.sk ↗ During the trip, he also announced that Slovakia wants to cooperate with Australia on civilian nuclear research. TASR ↗ Meanwhile, Aktuality.sk reported that a public opinion poll on Fico's visit to Moscow likely did not please the minister. Aktuality.sk ↗ In Bojnice, police are investigating the damage to a campaign billboard and the posting of anti-candidate flyers ahead of the municipal elections. Pluska ↗

What hotinfo Is Following

• Wednesday, October 14: the final vote on the 2027 budget. We're watching whether the coalition musters the necessary 76 votes.
• Environment minister nomination: SaS continues to push SNS to withdraw Kuffa, with the final word resting with President Pellegrini.
• Taraba and his party: by what deadline he manages to collect the 10,000 signatures needed for registration.
• Šutaj Eštok and the čurillovci: how the interior minister responds to the ÚOO's criticism and whether the General Prosecutor's Office withdraws the officers' protection, as the minister has requested.
• October 24: municipal and regional elections — close contests in Trnava and Bardejov, a new map of candidate lists after withdrawals.