Hlas Party Conditions State Budget Approval on Own Proposals, Says Fico

Slovakia's ruling coalition faces internal tensions as Prime Minister Robert Fico revealed that Hlas, a coalition partner, is conditioning its approval of the state budget on the inclusion of its own legislative proposals. Fico, who leads the dominant Smer-SD party in the three-party government, made the statement while also announcing that the process to restart aluminum production in Žiar nad Hronom is nearing completion. The budget negotiations highlight ongoing disagreements within Slovakia's coalition government, which includes Smer-SD, Hlas (Voice), and the Slovak National Party. Hlas's demands could complicate the budget approval process, as the government needs unified support from all coalition partners to pass the spending plan through parliament.