Government should reduce tax burden, says Chamber of Commerce and Industry

The Slovak Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SOPK) is pressing the government to implement significant reductions in tax and social security contributions for businesses. The organization also advocates for austerity measures within state administration and a more robust promotion of pan-European economic cooperation in its dealings with the EU and the European Commission.

SOPK's delegates have mandated the chamber's leadership to demand these changes, citing a long-term deterioration of the business environment in Slovakia. They argue that this decline negatively affects the country's economic competitiveness in international comparisons. The chamber also proposes a reassessment of the Green Deal's objectives to align them with the realistic technological and economic capabilities of member states, ensuring they do not harm European industrial competitiveness.

The chamber highlighted that Slovakia's economy has shown reduced performance since the beginning of the decade, a trend supported by macroeconomic statistics and international assessments. SOPK members consider the current business environment among the worst recorded since the survey began in 1998, with the government's economic policies also receiving negative evaluations.

While acknowledging the government's efforts to stabilize public finances, SOPK contends that the burden of consolidation measures falls disproportionately on entrepreneurs through repeated increases in taxes, levies, and regulatory fees. These measures, the chamber argues, directly weaken companies' investment capacity. SOPK has long pointed to potential areas for savings, emphasizing the need to reduce extensive territorial administration at both self-government and specialized state levels, and to improve tax collection efficiency.