Slovak fiscal tightening to hit growth-cbank gov

BRATISLAVA Jan 26 (Reuters) - Slovakia's fiscal consolidation will be a short-term drag on growth, but the process is necessary and has been started in a positive way, central bank Governor Jozef Makuch said on Wednesday.

Speaking at an economic seminar in Bratislava, Makuch also welcomed a government initiative to put a ceiling on total government debt.

"Fiscal consolidation in Slovakia is really needed, and it has not been started badly," said Makuch, who is also a European Central Bank Governing Council member. (Reporting by Jan Lopatka and Petra Kovacova; Writing by Jason Hovet; editing by Michael Winfrey)