Tomáš did not explain how Korčok was able to bring about the fall of the government or what power the presidency had over social benefits, which are approved by Tomáš’s own ministry.
Speaking at the same press conference, Pellegrini recalled the Covid-19 pandemic, which broke out during the previous 2020-2023 government, in which Korčok was Minister of Foreign Affairs. Also siding with retirees, Pellegrini said that “during the pandemic they were locked in their homes… they froze the minimum pensions, with which one can barely survive, and for several years they did not even increase them of a cent.”
Tomáš then announced a one-off payment of €300 to pensioners “as compensation and recompense for all this damage”, as well as a Christmas pension bonus of €600.
Defense Minister Robert Kaliňák announced on March 28 that some 20,000 Slovak soldiers and ministry employees would receive a spring bonus of 500 euros. Not to be outdone, Interior Minister Matúš Šutaj Eštok – also a member of Pellegrini’s Hlas party – announced on social media that almost 24,000 police officers and firefighters would also receive a €500 bonus on their next paycheck .
“This certainly happened just before the second round of the presidential elections because they have such respect for our armed forces,” said Juraj Krupa, an MP from the opposition Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) party. “It certainly has nothing to do with electoral corruption. »
On April 5, a day before the final vote, members of Pellegrini’s party shared doctored images of a frail, elderly woman hugging a man in military fatigues, with the caption: “Get out and vote.” Don’t let Slovak sons and grandsons die in war.”
Blogger Jakub Goda reported that in the original 2022 image, the soldier wore a blue and yellow Ukrainian (i.e. non-Slovak) patch on his shoulder, which had been photoshopped.
Politices
