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Analysts Comment on Premier's Austerity Plans for State Offices
Friday 13 August 2010 Zoom in | Print page
Bratislava, August 13 (TASR) - Analysts approached by TASR have commended Prime Minister Iveta Radicova for her plans to slash state spending by 10 percent but are less than convinced about their feasibility.
According to Rastislav Toth, the planned reductions in salaries for lawmakers and especially ministers should be offset in some way. "It remains to be seen whether ministers will buck against it. Compensation may vary, I'm not concerned about that one," he said.
"The ministries are bloated and should be downsized by perhaps as much as two-thirds and savings thus made. There's no need to reduce the salaries of civil servants but there is a need to restructure central government bodies," said Toth.
Michal Horsky finds it proper that Radicova intends to set about austerity measures vis-a-vis government officials and the political elite. "It's a shame though that they didn't get round to talking about it until now instead of during the drafting of the Government Manifesto, which should have featured it loud and clear," he said. It may be deemed a success if the savings are implemented at 5 percent and it will be just great if they reach 10 percent, more than that is definitely unrealistic," he said.
Many previous governments declared plans to save on the earnings of civil servants but never delivered because the state employees fought back every time. "They quickly come to dominate ministers who then act to their liking," he said, adding that it's too late now to come up with such ideas after staff have girded themselves.
Radicova announced her plans after Coalition Council discussions on Wednesday.
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