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State Has €118 Millions to Combat Unemployment, Ministries Want More
Monday 23 November 2009 Zoom in | Print page
Bratislava, November 23 (TASR) - Slovak ministries have submitted proposals to support employment to the social partners – trade unions, employers and government (also known as the tripartite) – for discussion on Monday that called for €300 million as the minimum needed, while only €118 million is available in the state budget.
The ministries' proposal did not sit well with representatives of the employers. "I am disappointed over today's extraordinary talks. The content of this material is not fit for serious negotiation," said the Republican Union of Employers (RUZ) president Marian Jusko, adding that RUZ didn't receive the material until the last minute.
"We don't think issues concerning the economic crisis should be addressed this way," said Jusko, former governor of the National Bank of Slovakia. He explained that the proposed measures could increase the state deficit. Some individual measures might benefit the labour market, but how they will be financed is unclear.
"We prefer measures that immediately address the situation regarding registered unemployed people," said Trade Union Confederation (KOZ) president Vladimir Mojs. He added that KOZ supports the ministerial proposals under the condition that the state won't increase the deficit (expected to be 5.5 percent of GDP in 2010).
The Labour, Social Affairs and Family Ministry requests that application requirements for unemployment benefit be more relaxed. The current legislation states that only people who worked at least three years of the last four years are eligible for unemployment benefits. The new proposal suggests two years out of the last three years. This would require allocation of €40.50 million in 2010 and additional €8.5 million in 2011.
The Economy Ministry intends to create more than 3,857 jobs with €128 million in 2010-2012 through investment projects. If these projects are carried out, investors plan to spend roughly €700 million.
Creation of new jobs and maintaining existing ones is also in the plan of the Agriculture Ministry via biomass production and farming support. In the most recent projections, the ministry is calling for €16.60 million from the state, yet it didn't specify how many new jobs will be created.
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