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Domestic Politics

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Domestic Politics

Defense Minister Claims Savings on Hospital Project Despite Higher Per-Person Costs

Defense Minister Robert Kaliňák canceled a public tender for construction oversight of a hospital project in Prešov, claiming direct selection would be cheaper for the state. While total monthly costs are indeed lower, the cost per expert has increased 1.6 times compared to the original tender. The construction site now employs only 8 specialists instead of the originally planned 19 experts for oversight duties. Kaliňák, who serves as defense minister in Slovakia's ruling coalition government, justified the decision as a cost-saving measure, though the reduced number of supervisors raises questions about adequate project oversight for the major healthcare infrastructure development.

Dennik N
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Domestic Politics

Slovak Opposition Parties Prepare Plans to Rebuild Culture Ministry After Leadership Controversy

Opposition parties in Slovakia are developing plans to restructure the country's cultural sector following what critics describe as significant damage under the current leadership. The Ministry of Culture, led by Martina Šimkovičová with state secretary Lukáš Machala, has left cultural institutions facing financial shortages and declining visitor numbers. Major national institutions including the Slovak National Museum and Slovak National Gallery have experienced drops in attendance. Some opposition parties are reportedly considering merging the culture ministry with another government department as part of broader reform proposals. The discussions reflect growing concerns about the state of Slovakia's cultural sector and institutional management under the current government.

Aktuality
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Domestic Politics

President Says Coalition Must Choose Pro-Growth Measures from List

Slovak President Peter Pellegrini stated that it is up to the ruling coalition to select which pro-growth measures to implement from a prepared list of options. Speaking after a meeting of the Bucharest Nine (B9) group of Eastern European NATO countries, Pellegrini emphasized that the government is not planning to engage in wasteful spending in the coming year. The Bucharest Nine is a group of nine Central and Eastern European EU and NATO members that coordinate on security and defense issues, particularly regarding threats from Russia.

SMETASR/Teraz
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Domestic Politics

Opposition Criticizes Government for Lack of Economic Growth Solutions

Opposition lawmakers accused Slovakia's government of failing to present any concrete solutions to support economic growth. The opposition members described the current state of the ruling coalition as chaotic, suggesting internal dysfunction within the government led by Prime Minister Robert Fico's Smer-SD party and its coalition partners. The criticism highlights ongoing tensions between the ruling coalition, which includes the social-democratic Smer-SD, the nationalist SNS party, and the populist Hlas party, and opposition forces who argue the government lacks a coherent economic strategy to address the country's growth challenges.

SME
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Domestic Politics

Šimečka Faces Leadership Test as Political Pressure Mounts

Michal Šimečka, leader of the liberal opposition party Progressive Slovakia, is facing what political observers describe as a significant leadership challenge. The situation represents a critical test of Šimečka's political skills and ability to navigate complex political maneuvering. Progressive Slovakia is Slovakia's main liberal opposition party and has been a vocal critic of the current government led by Robert Fico's Smer-SD party. The development comes amid ongoing political tensions in Slovakia, where the opposition has been under pressure from the ruling coalition's policies and legislative initiatives.

SME
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Domestic Politics

Slovak President Vetoes Food Law Amendment Over Unrelated Alcohol Provision

Slovak President Peter Pellegrini vetoed an amendment to the country's food law, objecting to an unrelated provision concerning alcohol that was attached to the legislation. The president recommended that lawmakers in the National Council, Slovakia's parliament, pass the food safety regulations again but without the controversial alcohol-related addition. The veto highlights ongoing tensions over legislative practices where unrelated provisions are often attached to bills as riders, a common but criticized practice in Slovak lawmaking that can complicate otherwise straightforward legislation.

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Domestic Politics

Slovak Opposition Proposes Law to Ban Illegal Healthcare Fees

Opposition lawmakers in Slovakia's National Council are introducing legislation to prohibit illegal fees charged by medical clinics and ambulatory care facilities. The proposed amendment aims to establish clear rules governing payments for healthcare services, addressing widespread concerns about unauthorized charges that patients face when seeking medical treatment. Slovakia's healthcare system has long struggled with informal payments and unclear fee structures that burden patients beyond what is legally required.

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Domestic Politics

Slovak Investigator Faces New Criminal Charges

Police investigator Bombic faces a new criminal charge, with prosecutors pursuing him again in connection with an address linked to Hanzelová. The investigator, who has been involved in previous legal troubles, now confronts additional accusations as the case continues to develop. Hanzelová has reportedly spoken publicly about the matter, though the specific details of her statements and the nature of the new charges against Bombic have not been fully disclosed.

Bratislavak
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Domestic Politics

Slovak Prime Minister Targets Judge as Court Chief Moves to Remove Her

Prime Minister Robert Fico has launched an attack against judge Pamela Záleská, prompting the head of the specialized court to propose stripping her of her judicial robes. Záleská, who serves on Slovakia's specialized criminal court which handles major corruption and organized crime cases, considers the proposal to be harassment. The development represents an escalation in tensions between Slovakia's political leadership and the judiciary, with Fico's government increasingly at odds with judges handling high-profile cases. Specialized courts in Slovakia deal with the most serious criminal matters, including corruption cases that often involve political figures.

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Domestic Politics

Political Exchange Between Šimečka and Postoj Daily Draws Attention

A public exchange of messages has taken place between Michal Šimečka, deputy chairman of the opposition Progressive Slovakia party, and the Postoj daily newspaper. The exchange appears to involve mutual references or statements between the politician and the publication, though the specific nature of the disagreement or discussion remains unclear from available information.

Dennik N
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Domestic Politics

Danko Warns Coalition Against Touching Recreation and Sports Vouchers

Andrej Danko, leader of the Slovak National Party (SNS), has issued a firm warning to his coalition partners against any attempts to modify or eliminate the country's recreation and sports voucher system. Danko declared that these employee benefits represent a "red line" that his party will not allow to be crossed. The voucher system allows Slovak employees to receive tax-advantaged benefits for recreational activities and sports, representing a popular social benefit. Danko's statement suggests potential internal tensions within Slovakia's ruling coalition over social policy reforms, with the SNS positioning itself as a defender of existing employee benefits against possible cost-cutting measures or policy changes being considered by other coalition partners.

Bratislavak
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Domestic Politics

Šimečka Family Scandal Has Minimal Impact on Progressive Slovakia's Poll Lead

A scandal involving the family of Progressive Slovakia leader Michal Šimečka has had only a minor impact on the opposition party's polling numbers, according to recent surveys. The controversy, known as the "Project Forum case," has caused some voter redistribution within the opposition bloc but has not significantly weakened Progressive Slovakia's position as the leading opposition party. Progressive Slovakia is a liberal opposition party that has been polling ahead of the ruling Smer-SD social-democratic party in recent months. The case appears to involve allegations related to a project or foundation connected to the Šimečka family, though the party has maintained its electoral strength despite the negative publicity surrounding its leadership.

Bratislavak
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Domestic Politics

Pro-Russian activist receives 10,000 euros from Slovak arts fund, publishes only one article

Alexander Riabov, a pro-Russian activist who sits on the board of Slovakia's state news agency TASR, received a 10,000-euro grant from the Fund for Arts Support (FPU) for his online magazine Pole. Under the grant agreement, Riabov promised to publish 10 to 15 articles monthly throughout the year. However, he produced only a single article during the entire grant period, which focused on a conspiracy theory about Pope Francis being the last pope before his death. Riabov failed to return the grant money within the required timeframe after failing to fulfill his publishing obligations. The case highlights concerns about the allocation of public arts funding and raises questions about oversight mechanisms for grant recipients who fail to deliver promised content.

Dennik N
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Domestic Politics

Opposition Party Calls for Government Preparation in Buying 17% Stake in Slovak Power Company

The opposition Freedom and Solidarity party (SaS) has urged the Slovak government to properly prepare for the acquisition of a 17 percent stake in Slovenské elektrárne, the country's largest electricity producer. The liberal opposition party emphasized that the buyback process should be conducted with maximum transparency and governed by special legislation. Slovenské elektrárne operates Slovakia's nuclear power plants and is currently partially owned by private investors, with the government holding a majority stake through state-controlled entities.

SME
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Domestic Politics

Coalition Partner Danko Rejects Proposed Austerity Measures, Calls Recreation Voucher Cancellation 'Audacious'

Andrej Danko, leader of the Slovak National Party (SNS), strongly opposed proposed government austerity measures, particularly the cancellation of recreation vouchers for public sector employees, which he described as audacious. SNS announced it will voice criticism of the measures at an upcoming coalition council meeting. The Slovak National Party is a nationalist party that forms part of the current ruling coalition alongside the dominant Smer-SD social democrats and the centrist Hlas party. Recreation vouchers are a popular employee benefit that allows workers to receive subsidized vacation stays at domestic resorts, making their potential elimination politically sensitive for the government.

SME
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Domestic Politics

Two candidates compete for Slovak Supreme Administrative Court presidency

Two candidates have applied for the position of president of Slovakia's Supreme Administrative Court, with the election scheduled for August. The Supreme Administrative Court serves as the country's highest judicial authority for administrative law matters, reviewing decisions by government agencies and lower administrative courts. Both candidates must undergo mandatory background checks examining their financial circumstances and judicial qualifications before the selection process can proceed.

Aktuality
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Domestic Politics

Slovak MP Rudolf Huliak appeals court ruling in favor of opposition politician he insulted

Rudolf Huliak, a member of parliament from the ruling Slovak National Party (SNS), has appealed a district court ruling that favored opposition MP Lucia Plávková from Progressive Slovakia (PS) in a case involving public insults. The case stems from offensive remarks Huliak made against Plávková, though the specific nature of the insults was not detailed. After the case reached court, Huliak initially appeared contrite, publicly apologizing to the Progressive Slovakia politician on social media. However, despite his apparent remorse, Huliak ultimately decided to challenge the court's verdict and the case will now proceed to a regional court. Progressive Slovakia is a liberal pro-European opposition party, while the Slovak National Party is part of the ruling coalition led by Robert Fico's government.

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Domestic Politics

Slovak Government to Meet as Education Ministry Unveils First AI Ethics Code

The Slovak government is scheduled to convene for a regular session, while the Ministry of Education will present the country's first ethical code for artificial intelligence use. The Ministry of Education, Science, Research and Sport is introducing guidelines that will establish ethical standards and frameworks for implementing AI technologies within educational institutions and related sectors. This represents Slovakia's initial formal approach to regulating AI usage in the education system, addressing growing concerns about the responsible deployment of artificial intelligence tools in academic settings.

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Domestic Politics

Former PM Matovič Invites Opposition Leader Šimečka for Beer Despite Political Attacks

Former Prime Minister Igor Matovič announced he will invite opposition leader Michal Šimečka for a meeting, despite recently attacking him politically. Matovič, who leads the OĽaNO party that is currently in opposition after losing power in 2023, used the phrase "if Mohamed won't come to the mountain, the mountain will come to Mohamed" when explaining his intention to reach out to Šimečka. The invitation comes amid ongoing political tensions between Matovič's centrist OĽaNO and Šimečka's liberal Progressive Slovakia party, both of which are now in opposition to the current government led by Robert Fico's Smer-SD party.

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Domestic Politics

Former Minister Accuses Agriculture Minister of Defending Business Interests Over Farmers

Former agriculture minister Zsolt Simon has accused current Agriculture Minister Richard Takáč of defending the interests of the Fafokan company instead of fighting for agricultural subsidies and Slovak farmers. Simon questioned whose interests Takáč actually represents and raised concerns about oligarchs allegedly connected to the Slovak Agricultural Paying Agency (PPA). The criticism suggests tensions over agricultural policy and the distribution of EU agricultural funds in Slovakia. Simon's comments highlight ongoing debates about whether the agriculture ministry is adequately supporting domestic farmers or favoring specific business interests in the sector.

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