Good evening. The Tuesday, November 2 edition of Today in Slovakia is ready with the main news of the day in less than five minutes. We wish you a pleasant read.
To support or not support? Parliament receives letters with opposing opinions
Wooden spoons as a symbol of protest against restricting access to abortions. (Source: SITA)The draft amendment of the law that aims to help women is still in parliament after the ongoing parliamentary session has been postponed due to a Covid-positive MP.
The MPs received two different letters, one from pro-life organisations, which call on MPs to support the draft, stressing its social aspect of helping pregnant women and families, while the other was sent by organisations advocating for women’s reproductive rights point to several risks the legislation might pose for those seeking legal abortions.
The pro-life organisations and activists stress in their open letter that the decision-making of pregnant women in need is often not easy.
“It will help them a lot if they have enough time to carefully think about it and avoid rash decisions or decisions made under pressure which, unfortunately, are very frequent,” the letter reads, its authors expressing support for the prolongation of the waiting period for an abortion from the current 48 hours.
Organisations advocating for women’s and reproductive rights, including Možnosť Voľby (Freedom of Choice) and Aspekt, do not support the legislation.
“You only care about whether we’re giving birth,” the letter reads. “This is why we are taking wooden spoons, a symbol of our daily care and the underrated work of women, and sending them to the streets.”
Smer second strongest in the polls
Aktuality.sk obtained photos from a cottage, where Robert Fico (top right) would meet Miroslav Bödör (on his left), attorney Marek Para (bottom left) and Pavol Gašpar. (Source: Aktuality.sk)The most recent poll conducted by the Focus agency showed that opposition Smer was the second most popular party in October 2021.
This result comes despite the recordings from the lodge that leaked to the media last week. If elections were held in October, Smer would be the second-most popular with 15.5 percent support, up more than 1 percentage point compared with September.
Smer is also closing in on the Hlas party, led by Fico’s former party colleague Peter Pellegrini. Hlas gained 19.3 percent (up by 0.8 percentage points) in the poll.
For a deeper insight into current affairs, check out our Last Week in Slovakia, published earlier today. You can sign up for the newsletter here.
Coronavirus and vaccination news
AstraZeneca vaccines against Covid-19 (Source: AP/TASR)- 2,287 people were newly diagnosed as Covid positive out of 9,682 PCR tests performed on Monday. The number of people in hospitals has increased to 1,430 people. 31 more deaths were reported on Monday. The vaccination rate is at 45.48 percent, 2,501,452 people having received the first dose of the vaccine. More stats on Covid-19 in Slovakia here.
- A council of experts will deal with re-evaluating the rules set by the Covid automat warning system on November 4. The Health Ministry suggested that the Delta variant is resulting in high numbers of infected people and with a relatively low vaccination rate, it is necessary to keep the number of the hospitalised under control.
- The Bratislava self-governing region created a form in which the region is researching interest in the third-dose vaccination. Based on interest, the region will create capacity and choice of vaccination centre.
- The large-capacity vaccination centre at the National Football Stadium in Bratislava will open again on November 6. The Pfizer vaccine will be administered.
Travel information
- Travelling is more complicated for unvaccinated people. As part of Slovakia is in the worst colour on the European Covid map, several European countries, including the Czech Republic, Norway and Germany, set stricter rules for incomers from Slovakia.
- The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said on Monday it recommended avoiding travel to Russia, Belgium and Slovakia over “very high” COVID-19 cases. (Reuters)
- Bratislava airport is operating flights on the winter schedule. The season presents several novelties as well as the renewal of regular flights that were scrapped with the pandemic's arrival.
Photo of the day
The Presidential Palace, the Government Office and other buildings in Slovakia are lit green on November 1 and 2 in the evening hours on the occasion of the COP26 climate conference in Glasgow, Scotland.
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Feature story for today
While insurance companies calculate all types of risks in their risk management models, including a major regional pandemic, a global pandemic like Covid-19 is uninsurable. The world has to look for solutions other than insurance.
Pandemics are uninsurable, climate change is the real challenge Read more In other news
- A delegation from the European Committee on Employment and Social Affairs will travel to Košice on Wednesday to evaluate the implementation of projects aimed at the better inclusion of disadvantaged groups in Slovakia. During the working trip, MEPs will meet with representatives of non-governmental organizations, experts and representatives of public administration. They are also planning a visit to segregated Roma neighbourhoods and the Luník IX housing estate in Košice.
- President Zuzana Čaputová believes that the UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow is crucial for the Earth's future, as the world needs to step up its efforts to reduce emissions and mitigate the effects of the climate crisis. The Slovak head of state took the floor at the event on Tuesday. "If we fail to do so, we will only discuss the irreversible devastation of our planet and its habitats at further conferences. Such a scenario can still be evaded, but for now it seems that we are failing to prevent it," she stated.
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...- The amendment of the Citizenship Act has been postponed to another parliamentary session again. The session should start on November 23, which demanded by Interior Minister Roman Mikulec demanded. The new legislation was sent to a second reading in March, since then, it has been postponed at every session.
- The circulation of one-cent and two-cent coins in Slovakia will be limited from July 1, 2022, after the parliament approved an amendment to the Act on Prices. Only payments in cash will be rounded.
- The average salary in ads on Profesia.sk increased almost by €100 to €1,223 in annual gross. Salaries grew in tourism and gastronomy.
- About a third of Slovaks are interested in visual arts. Artwork is bought foremost for the purpose of decoration and recreation.
Do not miss on Spectator.sk today
Winter hiking season kicks off in the High Tatras, despite trail closures Read more
He threatened journalists online but later used hackers as an excuse Read more If you have suggestions on how this news overview can be improved, you can reach us at editorial@spectator.sk.
