Podľa Richarda Ďuranu z INESS nie je podpora
vybraných podnikov správnym postupom v boji proti hospodárskej kríze.
Namiesto takýchto krokov by mal štát pristúpiť k plošnému znižovaniu odvodov,
ktoré by pomohlo všetkým podnikom na Slovensku, povedal pre The Slovak
Spectator 16.3. 2009.
STEEL giants worldwide have been feeling the pain, cutting production and
even merging in an attempt to stem the losses their industry has suffered as a
result of rapidly falling demand for steel products as a consequence of the
global economic crisis.
Slovakia’s steel giant US Steel Košice (USSK) is no exception and has been
hit hard by falling demand from ailing carmakers for materials. The country’s
largest private employer has cut production and working time, curbed purchases
of services and products from suppliers and did not extend work contracts with
hundreds of temporary agency workers.
The state, however, has suggested that US Steel might use one of the
lifelines that were developed to accommodate the government’s declared
intention to preserve employment in the current period of economic downturn.
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico said on March 7 that helping companies
prevent layoffs is a priority for his government regardless of whether the
ailing business is private or state-run.
“All of them face serious problems that we must jointly solve,” Fico said,
as quoted by the SITA newswire. “I would not make a distinction at the moment.
We will search for ways to help US Steel just as much as we helped other
companies.”
USSK could access benefits through an already approved mechanism of support
in which the state covers payroll tax expenses for 60 days for employees of
firms which are operating in a crisis regime, said Fico.
USSK suggested that it is only seeking access to the same anti-crisis tools
being offered to other businesses.
“US Steel is not asking for any exemptions and is in favour of a fair
approach,” USSK spokesman Ján Bača told The Slovak Spectator.
According to SITA, the agreement under which US Steel purchased the Košice
plant, as well as European Union regulations, might prevent USSK from accessing
the mechanism. However, Prime Minister Robert Fico promised prompt negotiations
with Brussels so that the mechanism can be applied to USSK, wrote SITA.
The representation of the European Commission (EC) in Slovakia told The
Slovak Spectator that the EC has not been officially informed about any of the
measures pertaining to USSK and thus cannot comment on the issue.
The government is also pondering an increase in the current ceiling of funds
that companies can access through the mechanism from €200,000 to €500,000 or,
in the case of larger firms, even more. Currently, firms that shorten their
working week but preserve employment can have the payroll taxes of their
employees paid for up to 60 days.
The employees of USSK, one of the biggest producers of flat-rolled steel
products in Europe, have had their working week cut to four days and are
receiving reduced salaries.
The company faced its first blow of 2009 in early January when Russia cut its gas
supplies via Ukraine to European Union countries, citing a commercial dispute
as the reason. Restrictions put in place on January 6 required large commercial
customers and businesses to reduce their gas usage to a minimum safe level and
brought steel production at USSK to a halt, lasting until January 19.
Another way the state could assist large companies in Slovakia is by
allowing more flexible deadlines for payments to environmental funds. Fico
suggested that such transfers could be delayed and USSK could use the funds to
address some effects of the crisis, SITA wrote.
On March 11, the ruling coalition indirectly amended the Environmental Fund
Law by revising the law on securities and investment services. According to the
amendment, an operator of a waste dump must create a reserve to cover at least
fifty percent of the total costs of shutdown, rehabilitation and monitoring of
the dump once it closes. Previously, the reserve fund contribution was set at
100 percent of these costs, wrote SITA.
The governing coalition came up with the proposal after Fico held talks with
the management of USSK at which he pledged to consider a temporary cut in
payments to the company’s reserve fund to pay for future liquidation of its
waste dump. The company will thus keep the money to spend on other purposes.
Bača commented that “US Steel has been meeting all the environmental norms
defined by the law and would continue meeting them even beyond the terms
required by the law.”
USSK said earlier this year that it views anything that will help maintain
employment, stimulate creation of new jobs, launch new businesses and develop
and facilitate entrepreneurial activities as worthwhile.
Richard Ďurana, director of the
Institute of Economic and Social Studies (INESS), an economic think-tank,
suggested that support for individual companies is not the best way to fight
the crisis.
“Instead of paying payroll taxes, the state should offer a flat reduction in
payroll taxes, which would help not only US Steel but all the companies in
Slovakia,” Ďurana told The Slovak Spectator.
According to Ďurana, a combination of
cutting payroll taxes, eliminating the minimum wage and making labour
legislation more flexible could reduce labour costs and release money to
businesses to preserve their existing jobs or even create new ones.
The released funds could also be used
to invest in technology, particularly given the current restricted access to
bank loans, said Ďurana.
“The most flexible labour market
possible will be a key condition for the prompt adaptation of the Slovak
economy to changing conditions around the world,” Ďurana said. “Of course, cuts
to payroll taxes must be accompanied by savings on the side of public
finances.”
The
Slovak Spectator, 16 Mar 2009 Beata
Balogová
