Maroš Žilinka talking to media after being appointed. (source: TASR)
This is the Thursday, December 10, 2020 edition of Today in Slovakia. Learn about politics, business, and other notable events of the day in Slovakia in less than five minutes. If you like what we are doing and want to support good journalism, buy our online subscription. Thank you.
Slovakia has a new GP
Maroš Žilinka was appointed by President Zuzana Čaputová a week after parliament elected him the new General Prosecutor.
Earlier today, MP Ondrej Dostál, who did not vote for Žilinka, wrote on Facebook that Žilinka had lied in the public hearing when asked if he had negotiated for support with either the coalition or opposition parties.
His controversial friend Michal Gučík called Economy Minister Richard Sulík in the summer, to ask if he would meet Žilinka, Sulík confirmed, adding that he did not consider it lobbying and he had met with the other candidates as well.
Žilinka, after being appointed, said that he was not lobbying for the vote, he went to introduce his vision of the General Prosecutor's office.
He said that he is persuaded that the General Prosecutor's Office can be built into a trustworthy institution that will always be on the side of law, justice and protecting the public interest.
He also said that for those prosecutors who strictly observe the law and do a proper job, he would protect them like a lion.
"For those who do not fulfil their duties, I will be also be like a lion," he told the media.
Second package of economic measures on the way
The team around the Economy Minister Richard Sulík has presented a second package of measures for entrepreneurs. Altogether, there are 496 proposals that should remove useless red-tape from businessmen's shoulders.
All the proposals will now come under consultation with companies, social partners and other ministries.
Such burdens cost entrepreneurs tens of hours every year and if they do not fulfil the conditions, they may face a fine.
The new measures have three aims: they will help entrepreneurs, they will cause almost zero loss to the state budget and they should be rolled out quickly.
Feature story of the day:
A huge debt and deficit, the threat of a Greek road. What is the new budget like?
The most important law of the year was approved on December 9, after harsh criticism by the opposition, which slammed the government for massive indebtedness and high deficits.
One thing is sure: the budget was prepared in an extremely difficult economic situation when the entire world is struggling with the pandemic, which is why there are extensive passages economists find hard to read. The state will increase its debt at an unprecedented pace and continue spending money at the same time.
Coronavirus-related news:
36 percent of Slovaks would get vaccinated against the coronavirus, showed the study by Globsec Trends 2020 that was conducted in nine countries of central and eastern Europe and the Balkans. The study also showed that 57 percent of people who trust the state bodies are more willing to get the shot.
More than one third of Slovaks believe that the numbers of deaths from coronavirus are overvalued, showed research of the Slovak Academy of Sciences. Those who believe the conspiracies are also less likely to observe the measures and are less willing to get a shot against COVID-19.
In other news:
MPs broke the veto of the President and approved the amendment about removing titles. Parliament refused several objections from the President when it approved the amendment with 112 out of 127 votes.
Industrial production in Slovakia slightly deepened y-o-y dropping to 2.5 percent, but it stays close to last year's level.
Building production in October dropped the most in the last 12 years, it worsened y-o-y by 23.6 percent. The construction industry has noted two-digit drops since April.
Police revealed illegal business with citizenships and several employees of the Interior Ministry have been charged. The prosecutor said that the mechanism was working, was sophisticated and had lasted at least two years. A camera recording also revealed an official kissing an envelope containing money. ()
Even in times of crisis, we must not put human rights on the side-lines, said Slovak MFA Ivan Korčok on the International Day of Human Rights. “We cannot allow the character of the pandemic to change a socio-economic crisis into a human rights crisis,” he said.
Germany and France awarded Slovak Ombudswoman Mária Patakyová with an award for commitment to human rights and the rule of law on the occasion of Human Right's Day.
15 adults and three children have been hurt after a fire following the gas explosion in Košice on the evening on December 9.
Former police president Milan Lučanský, who is currently in custody, ended up in hospital and had to undergo surgery. Tyzden.sk was first to bring the information to public notice. The Prison and Court Guard Service said it cannot provide information about his health condition and refused to confirm that he was attacked in custody.
A new train schedule will be valid from Sunday, December 13. One of the changes is that state transporter ZSSK will return to the Bratislava – Dunajská Streda – Komárno line after nine years.
Mobile provider Slovak Telekom has launched commercial operation of the 5G network in Bratislava in eight boroughs – Petržalka, Ružinov, Nové Mesto, Trnávka, Vajnory, Vrakuňa, Podunajské Biskupice and Devínska Nová Ves. The Volkswagon Industrial park in Bratislava is also covered.
Also on Spectator.sk today:
