BRATISLAVA, January 12, (WEBNOVINY) –The Slovak Association of Towns and Villages (ZMOS) finds the legislative proposal to reduce salaries of mayors of villages and towns by ten percent to be a populist and superficial effort to solve indebtedness of municipalities without substantial effect. ZMOS leadership discussed the proposal for the amendment to the law on the legal status and salaries of village and town mayors, which the parliament will discuss in the second reading at its next session. Municipal representatives opine that the proposal lacks any added value, which reflects unawareness of the wider context.
“ZMOS finds it inconceivable that three deputies can interfere in the legislation concerning municipalities and attempt arbitrarily to change to the system without economic calculations applying the principle ‘about us without us’, conveyed spokesman for ZMOZ Michal Kalinak the stance of the association leaders. He further said that ZMOS does not object to the revision to the above law but, as its representatives maintain, the proposal presented by the SaS party does not solve the financial situation of municipalities. On the contrary, the proposal substantially thwarts principles of self-government, creates space for inappropriately high salaries in richer municipalities and enhances the atmosphere of interpersonal conflicts.
Kalinak said that ZMOS is interested in an open discussion on rewarding public officials, it is open to arguments, and supports synchronization of salaries with salaries of other public officials. “ZMOS expects at this very moment that the parliament will turn down the tabled amendment to the law on salaries of mayors and the Cabinet will include the amendment in the legislative working plan for the upcoming period, which will open up standard space for discussion among all involved subjects,” said Kalinak.
SaS deputies Szilard Somogyi, Lubor Majer and Kamil Krnak suggested in the amendment a ten-percent reduction in salaries of mayors of towns and villages, which would decrease the operating costs of the state administration. They also suggested introduction of a special reward system for mayors of villages and cities, in addition to the lump-sum ten-percent cut, which would facilitate the possibility for municipalities to increase their salaries based on their own consideration. Severance payments for mayors and municipal heads should also be cut from fivefold to threefold of their average wage.
SITA