Matovič wants to increase VAT to 25% and increase child benefits

Finance Minister Igor Matovič (OĽaNO) is considering increasing child benefits from €25 to €200 a month and financing the costs, €2bn annually, via an increase in VAT to 25%, say sources of N daily. The Slovak number of children born per woman (1.5) is just under the European average (1.6) and Matovič wants to increase it via a massive increase in social benefits. Many countries have attempted this, for instance Poland in 2015, and almost always failed. Coalition parties SaS and Za ľudí reject the VAT hike and say Matovič has not submitted his idea officially. (dennikN.sk) No such idea is in OĽaNO’s or the government’s program; the programs include a pledge not to increase tax burden. Matovič says only “snobs, thieves, and fraudsters” are against his idea. He did not present any specifics, only posts about “tax and payroll levy reform.”