Slovakia sets its main priorities in drawing EU funds

According to a proposal sponsored by the Foreign Affairs and Finance Ministries, Slovakia's priority when drawing EU funds for the 2021-2027 period is to have favourable, tailor-made and flexible conditions for cohesion policy and rural development. These need to be results-oriented. Government also agreed on the extra €8 billion allocated for Slovakia as part of the EU recovery plan. "Slovakia should realise that the additional package of money from the European Commission for major structural reforms is not free money," said the Vice-premier for Investments and Informatisation Veronika Remišová (For the People) on Wednesday. She added that the conditions for drawing the funds are favourable but the countries will have to repay the money in 2028 at the earliest and in 2058 at the latest. However, she thinks that they can help the country in terms of long-needed reforms in various areas. On Thursday, Prime Minister Igor Matovič is attending the first round of talks of EU leaders on the 2021-27 financial framework. Before the EU summit, Matovič stated that his aim is to negotiate the best terms for Slovakia, acknowledging however, that in terms of the EU recovery plan Slovakia enjoys the best figures thus far.