The article examines Slovakia's public finance situation, noting that for the last three autumns, there has been a pattern of announcing new consolidation measures amidst ongoing economic challenges. These discussions involve coalition parties squabbling over how to save millions for the state until an agreement is finally reached. The finance minister then announces a finalized plan, which often sees changes as it moves through parliament, resulting in a patchwork of measures intended to avoid a financial crisis akin to that of Greece.

In recent years, Slovakia's public finances have been in poor shape, as evidenced by various rankings and reports confirming their decline. The country is already feeling the impact through increasing costs associated with servicing its national debt; for the current year, the budget project allocates over two billion euros for debt management, a significant rise from just above one billion euros allocated in 2023. This escalating expense underscores the urgent need for financial reforms.

The article warns that if Slovakia continues on its current trajectory of rising debt and persistent deficits that are not addressed, the cost of managing this debt will only increase at a quicker rate, leading the country into a vicious cycle that may be difficult to escape. This situation raises concerns about the potential for declining living standards, reminiscent of Greece's economic turmoil, prompting the author to question whether Slovakia is on a similar path to financial instability.