Slovakia will receive about €8 billion from the European Commission by 2024, unveiled the Commission on Wednesday. The aid should be part of a €750-billion EU recovery plan titled "Next Generation EU" designed to help revive European economies affected by the novel corona crisis pandemic. According to House European Affairs Committee chair Tomáš Valášek (For the People party), the preponderance of resources will be provided to individual countries in the form of grants. "I point out that makes roughly 8% of our GDP," claimed Valášek, adding that the motion must still be greenlighted by all member states. In essence, it is expected that the definitive sums will not, however, differ much from the original draft.
Valášek also pointed out that Slovakia ranks among the very bottom in the efficient drawing of European Funds. "In the previous 2014-20 programmes, we drew barely six billion out of 19 - a meagre 33%. We're drawing roughly at a pace of one billion per year and that has already caused problems with corruption, a fact that is public knowledge," he claimed. Under the recovery plan, Slovakia is estimated to draw four billion per year.
The recovery plan poses an opportunity for Slovakia in Valášek's view. "Our economic slump will be enormous. The figures are expected to hover between 7 and even 14% of GDP.
Vice-premier for Investments and Informatisation Veronika Remišová (For the People party) stated that her office had identified four basic problems as to why EU funds are poorly drawn adding that the state is simplifying the management of EU funds. According to Remišová, these problems must also be eliminated with regard to the announced assistance from the European Commission as Slovakia must be ready to draw this money.
