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Meciar: Fico Wrong Not to Negotiate With Hauliers
Tuesday 12 January 2010 Zoom in | Print page
Bratislava, January 12 (TASR) - Head of LS-HZDS Vladimir Meciar said on Tuesday that he is glad that the hauliers' protest has ended in success but criticised Prime Minister Robert Fico for refusing to meet the drivers for negotiations.
"They're citizens of Slovakia and they are in a very tough situation and it's always necessary to talk to them without ultimatums," said Meciar, adding that his party is willing to accept everything that has been agreed on in connection with the hauliers.
Fico on Monday informed journalists that excise tax on diesel should be lowered by 9 cents per litre by the end of January following his meeting with carriers, representatives of employers, unions, oil refinery Slovnaft, and the Finance and Transport ministries.
Implementing such a step, according to Fico, will cost the state €100 million. A portion of this fall in revenues should be covered by reducing the number of ministries from 16 to 14, with the rest saved by the Government's planned reduction in operational expenses. As a result, the proposed change shouldn't affect the planned public-finance deficit, he said.
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