Slovak MEPs praise and condemn new EU strategy against poverty

The European Parliament's recent debate on the EU's new strategy to combat poverty, with an ambitious goal of eradication by 2050, has elicited a spectrum of responses from Slovak Members of the European Parliament (MEPs). While the European Commission presented its strategy on May 6, aiming to tackle homelessness, strengthen the EU Guarantee for children, and address working poverty, the Slovak delegation's assessment is far from uniform.

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Poverty is not an abstract concept, but a daily reality for many families even in Slovakia, who struggle with the prices of energy, food, or housing.

Ľubica Karvašová of the Progressive Slovakia (PS) party emphasized that poverty is a daily reality for many Slovak families struggling with the rising costs of energy, food, and housing. She argued that while the EU strategy is an important tool, the primary responsibility lies with the Slovak government. Karvašová criticized the current government's economic and social policies, stating they are not resolving but rather exacerbating the long-standing issues of poverty and social exclusion. She stressed the need for Slovakia to effectively utilize European funds for regional development and affordable housing, acknowledging that EU strategies alone cannot solve deeply ingrained problems overnight but can serve as a powerful engine for change.

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We cannot accept that hundreds of thousands of people live on the margins of society. The strategy is an important tool, but the fight against poverty and social policy are in the hands of the Slovak government, and it is not solving the bad economic and social situation with its steps, but on the contrary, it is worsening it in the long term.

In stark contrast, Branislav Ondruš of the Hlas-SD party delivered a scathing critique, labeling the strategy the 'weakest' ever produced by the European Commission. He accused the Commission of prioritizing corporate interests and military spending over the needs of ordinary citizens, offering only 'empty talk and false solutions' for the working poor. Ondruš described the strategy as a 'fig leaf' obscuring the Commission's genuine disregard for poverty, finding it 'perverse' that no specific funds are allocated while military procurement is financed through increased debt. He even suggested the document might have been drafted by artificial intelligence, believing that sensible individuals within the Commission would not produce such a 'disgrace.' Ondruš dismissed the 2050 eradication goal as 'spineless alibism' from Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, whom he accused of being out of touch with reality.

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No EU strategy will solve years of accumulated problems, nor will it erase poverty overnight. However, it can serve as a strong engine for change.

Martin Hojsík, also from Progressive Slovakia, highlighted that the effectiveness of the strategy hinges on subsequent actions. He pointed to the crucial need for the strategy to be adequately reflected in the multiannual budget and remain intact after its adoption. Hojsík also expressed concern about its implementation by member states, including Slovakia, particularly under the current government led by Robert Fico, under which he claims family poverty is increasing. The differing viewpoints among Slovak MEPs underscore the complex political and economic landscape within which anti-poverty initiatives are debated, both at the EU and national levels.

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This is the weakest strategy I have ever seen from the European Commission, because it shows in its full nakedness what its real priorities are - to help companies, to buy weapons, but to offer workers only empty talk and false 'solutions' without substance.