EU funds are primary tool in reducing disparity

Almost 85 percent of every euro invested in new EU-member states returns to the old members, Vice-premier for Investments and Informatisation Peter Pellegrini (Smer-SD) told ambassadors of EU states at a working breakfast, TASR reported on Thursday. Pellegrini conveyed Slovakia's position to the ambassadors, specifically that European Funds as the principal EU investment tool for reducing disparity between countries and regions must continue. "Our goal must be to ensure that every EU citizen enjoys the same living standards," he stated, adding that cohesion policy is important. Meanwhile, the EU budget will no longer be as generous in the post-Brexit era, and Slovakia is prepared to boost its contributions to it. "However, if we are to receive less money, we need to be able to work with it in a more flexible fashion; it needs to be as simple as possible," claimed Pellegrini.