News digest: Ukrainian president visits, foreign minister unveils his commandments

Read your overview of news from Slovakia on Thursday, September 24, 2020.

This is your overview of news from Slovakia that happened on Thursday, September 24, 2020.
If you like Today in Slovakia digests, consider supporting our work by purchasing an online subscription that will give you access to the entire content. Thank you for being our reader.

SkryťTurn off ads
Article continues after video advertisement
SkryťTurn off ads
Article continues after video advertisement

Ukrainian president visits

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visited Slovakia on September 24 and met with Slovak President Zuzana Čaputová.

Čaputová noted that Slovakia supports the integration of Ukraine into the EU.

When asked what Slovakia does to support Ukraine's integration, she said that the country and all representatives of the EU mainly take a consistent approach. She also reminded that each country has a right to choose where it will belong.

SkryťTurn off ads

Korčok shares his ten commandments

"I see no room for experiments and, honestly, I don't understand the voices calling for us to belong somewhere in between, because in this case it means belonging nowhere," Foreign Affairs Minister Ivan Korčok told the MPs as he presented the document "Foreign and European Policy of the Slovak Republic in 2020" in parliament on September 24.

Korčok called for the widest possible consensus on key foreign policy issues and announced a new Security Strategy in the works, which he said will clearly mark Slovak interests, allies and partners. He added that it "makes clear where we belong" and named it the "political West", not related to geography but with the way the state wants to govern society.

SkryťTurn off ads

The pandemic, climate change, mass migration, demographic changes, hybrid threats and disinformation are all challenges that shed a new light on national sovereignty, because "there are no isolated national answers anymore."

Related article We will make clear where we belong, foreign minister says Read more 

Hygienists say things are under control, Matovič wants measures

Slovakia reported 360 new coronavirus infections as of Thursday morning. Health Minister Marek Krajčí is in quarantine after meeting with a person who tested COVID-19 positive.

COVID-19 has also been confirmed in 41 clients and 15 staff members of a facility for seniors in the Komárno district. All those infected are reportedly having just mild symptoms, the TASR newswire reported.

PM Igor Matovič said he expected the Pandemic Commission and the Crisis Staff to come up with stricter measures in Slovakia, even though he believes the ones that are already in place (masks, hand sanitisation, distance) would be sufficient if people observed them.

"We need to protect the responsible from the irresponsible," Matovič said, as quoted by the TASR newswire.

Related article Coronavirus numbers are set to rise for two to three months, chief hygienist says Read more 

Picture of the day:

In other news:

  • Former state secretary and judge Monika Jankovská remains in custody after the Supreme Court dismissed her complaint that her rights were being violated. Jankovská faces bribery charges.
  • MPs did not pass the programme of the extraordinary session on the Next Generation EU plan for Slovakia, initiated by the opposition Smer. Speaker Boris Kollár claims they want to discuss the plan during the ongoing session of the parliament. (TASR)
  • People from Slovakia can travel to Bulgaria without limitations; they only need to submit a health condition statement upon entering the country. (Foreign Ministry)
  • The police will perform random checks at border crossings around Slovakia, focusing on anti-pandemic measures.
  • Czech Airlines will suspend operation between Prague and Košice for two weeks, due to the limits Slovakia imposed on travelling from Czechia. (Korzár)
  • The coronavirus crisis has accelerated the transformation of the labour market in Slovakia. While the number of IT-related job offers is growing, the number of offers not requiring some previous experience has been in retreat, according to the Profesia.sk job portal.

Also on Spectator.sk:

We are in the middle of a crisis, acting like nothing's wrong Read more  Čaputová addressed the UN General Assembly, called for responsible leadership Read more  In a sleepy Slovak region, the legacy of Andy Warhol lives on Read more 

Top stories

Stock image.

Twice as many Ukrainians work in Slovakia now than before the Russian invasion.


Píšem or pišám?

"Do ľava," (to the left) I yelled, "Nie, do prava" (no, to the right), I gasped. "Dolšie," I screamed. "Nie, nie, horšie..." My Slovak girlfriend collapsed in laughter. Was it something I said?


Matthew J. Reynolds
Czech biochemist Jan Konvalinka.

Jan Konvalinka was expecting a pandemic before Covid-19 came along.


SkryťClose ad