Slovak Supreme Audit Office criticizes government budget process

The President of the Supreme Audit Office (NKÚ) of the Slovak Republic, Ľubomír Andrassy, has criticized the government's approach to the state budget proposal, describing the process as unacceptable and contrary to the principles of a democratic rule of law. Due to the rapid manner in which the budget was drafted and discussed, the NKÚ stated it cannot currently assess whether legal rules were followed and will provide a comprehensive evaluation at a later date.

Andrassy identified five key risks that the office could not adequately evaluate due to time constraints: compliance with ESA 2010 methodology, the long-term sustainability of public finances amid a state debt exceeding 90 billion euros, non-systemic social assistance payments, unverified macroeconomic assumptions (including a 1.8% GDP growth forecast), and unclear solutions for modernization debt in healthcare, transport, and infrastructure.

Finance Minister Ladislav Kamenický responded by dismissing Andrassy's remarks as activism that threatens the reputation of the NKÚ. The budget process has been noted for its rapid pace, moving from government deliberation to the National Council almost immediately, amid criticism from the opposition, trade unions, and employers.