On Monday, the Government Office stated that the Government has spent almost €8 billion to help people deal with the pandemic, claiming that it has thus managed to maintain the country's purchasing power and employment rate, which in turn will allow the economy to start growing as soon as the pandemic situation allows it. It repeated a post which Prime Minister Eduard Heger (OLaNO) had written on social media. "The total amount of government aid has amounted to almost €8 billion, the largest fiscal stimulus in Slovakia's history," said Prime Minister Eduard Heger's spokeswoman Lubica Janiková.
In response to the post, Smer-SD MP and ex-finance minister Ladislav Kamenický stated that that the real sum spent since the pandemic began in 2020 has reached only €3.571 billion. "Of course, there's no detailed breakdown regarding the €8 billion, so that no one can point out the extent of Heger's lies," noted Kamenický, remarking that the premier mentioned only €2.187 billion spent on employment support, €558 million allocated on social aid, €95 million spent on tax remission and €881 million earmarked for covering increased spending in the health-care system. On this note, the ex-minister called on the Cabinet to present detailed expenditure breakdowns for both this year and last year.
Meanwhile, many companies which were meant to be recipients of the aid are not in so celebrating a mood as the Prime Minister. According to the umbrella platform for employers' associations (AZZZ), the aid scheme has left some types of businesses out. Entrepreneurs complain that as compared to Austria or Germany, the Slovak aid scheme is poor and slow. A retail apparel chain has already sued Slovakia at the European Court for Human Rights for being forced to shut down its shops without proper compensation. They are asking for €2 million in compensation. Other similar lawsuits are to follow, according to the Initiative of Slovak small shop owners.
