PVV does not reflect problems, employers claim

According to employers and entrepreneurs, the government’s program statement (PVV), which was approved by the government on Monday, does not sufficiently reflect their needs. This was expressed by representatives of employers’ and trade unions.

Missing aspects

The Secretary General of the Slovak Trade Union (SŽZ), Miriam Bellušová, stated that the PVV reflects several areas that the SŽZ named as priorities in its main intentions. “Primarily adjustments in the area of ​​income tax and value added, but also support for businesses in the form of advice and improved access to financing. It will be important that the priorities defined in the PVV are fulfilled by measures that take into account the possibilities and needs of entrepreneurs, small and medium-sized enterprises and contribute to their economic growth,” she added.

The president of the Slovak Chamber of Commerce, Oldřich Holiš, does not mention in the PVV the increase in the competitiveness of business entities, the elimination of bureaucracy for self-employed people, or predictable legislation. “At the moment, we consider the proposals for individual measures to be framework, and their detailed setting needs to be discussed at expert meetings,” he added. SŽZ also declares its interest in a professional discussion with representatives of ministries about the implementation of measures.

Education hindered by bureaucracy

According to the spokeswoman of the Association of Employers’ Unions and Associations of the Slovak Republic Miriam Filova, one of the prominent problems of Slovak employers, which has a significant impact on the labor market, is education and the lack of qualified labor.

“We therefore welcome the fact that the PVV government is committed to removing existing obstacles to the recognition of qualifications and other administrative barriers. However, our measures are not sufficient to be able to compete with the V4 countries, where the rules are simpler and faster. Due to the high level of bureaucracy, Slovakia is losing a lot of workers that the labor market needs,” added Filová.

The area of ​​innovation and taxes

The association welcomes the government’s declared support for innovation. “However, we would welcome more concretely formulated goals, or what instruments the government plans to use to fulfill the set goals,” assessed Filová. INESS analyst Martin Vlachynský considers mentions of innovations to be “incantations”, together with the declaration of new subsidy schemes. “We can hardly consider this as an improvement of the business environment, rather the opposite,” he added.

Vlachynský considers it a positive thing in the PVV to sign up to comply with the proper legislative process. “There was a significant problem with that under the previous government. But even the governments of Smer before did not really excel in respecting all the rules for the responsible creation of new laws,” he said.

“The government wants to tax excess profits, which is just another name for the rule of thinking who I want, when I want. Higher taxes and levies probably also await self-employed people, investors in rental housing and highly qualified employees. There are no easy times ahead for business in Slovakia,” criticized Vlachynský.