The European Commission has warned the Slovak government that there are still risks it might not meet its 2013 target of cutting the budget deficit below the EU’s 3%/GDP ceiling, SITA news agency reported, quoting the Commission’s latest report on public finances in eurozone members.
According to the Commission, the main risk to the fulfillment of the target is related to the fact that a significant portion of the budget consolidation measures was placed on the shoulders of self-governments, on which the state does not have a direct impact. The Commission’s worries stem mainly from the fact that past experience have shown that self- governments can spend more than they should, endangering the budget deficit target.
The Commission has also noted that Slovakia should focus on structural changes in public finances to be able to achieve its medium-term consolidation targets by 2017, adding that the central European country should avoid spending cuts that could undermine economic growth, but should improve the efficiency of public expenditures, instead.
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