Good evening. Here is the Tuesday, May 2 edition of Today in Slovakia - the main news of the day in less than five minutes.
Heger bets on 'honourable' businessmen in campaign
Acting PM Eduard Heger's party, Demokrati, has joined forces with the emerging party Dobrý Deň Slovensko. (source: Facebook/Demokrati)
Demokrati, a non-parliamentary party led by acting PM Eduard Heger, has been struggling to reach the 5-percent threshold in the polls since its announcement in early March.
The limit is necessary for winning parliamentary seats in the September elections.
The party has not fared well in the polls despite several well-known names joining the party in April. On May 1, Demokrati also absorbed the Dobrý Deň Slovensko (Good Day, Slovakia) party. The party was founded by entrepreneur Ján Šubák.
But it seems at the moment that Demokrati can make it to parliament only if the party teams up with a well-established party with similar values. There are not many such parties.
More on the 2023 early elections:
Dobrá Voľba: The non-parliamentary Dobrá Voľba (Good Choice) party, led by former health minister Tomáš Drucker, will cease to exist. Some of its members, including Drucker, will join the Hlas party. In the last elections, Dobrá Voľba won 3.06 percent and can claim €1.5 million from the state budget for this result. Drucker rejects any cooperation with the Smer party, which dominates the polls.
More stories from The Slovak Spectator website
Real estate: The eastern bank of Zlaté Piesky is still waiting for a 16-year-old project to be carried out.
Law: Lawyer Peter Bartošík on new building legislation and the differences between the real estate laws of Slovakia and other countries.
Opinion: Fico was renowned for his duplicitous politics, saying one thing to his voters at home and another to Slovakia's allies in the EU and NATO. Nothing has changed, writes Michaela Terenzani.
Travel: An unusual cab drives in the Orava region, with a teddy bear on its roof.
Culture: The renovation of a manor house in the Gemer region, supported by funds from Norway, may be delayed by several months due to problems with materials.
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FEATURE STORY FOR TUESDAY
After he moved to Slovakia, US actor found his mission in life
Gregory Fabian portrays Adam Greško in the "Loop For Two" play. (source: Ondrej Koščík)
Slovak babičkas - elderly women - made him realise his Slovak roots, another Slovak convinced him to move to Slovakia, and ex-PM Vladimír Mečiar helped Gregory Fabian understand what he wanted to do with his life.
EVENT FOR THE WEEKEND
Bratislava Majáles returns
The Bratislava Majáles on Tyršovo Nábrežie embankment in Bratislava. (source: SME)
Another edition of Bratislava Majáles, a weekend event full of music, children's events and food will take place on May 5-6 on the Tyršovo Nábrežie embankment in Bratislava.
The entrance is free.
In other news
A third sample taken from Ukrainian grain in April at the Kolárovo mill tested positive for a banned pesticide, the Agriculture Ministry has said. The sample was tested in Denmark. The grain will now have to be incinerated, used in a biogas station or used for further technical processing. Slovakia banned a number of Ukrainian agricultural products in April.
The extremist musician Reborn has been acquitted of all charges by the Specialised Criminal Court. The verdict is not valid. The prosecutor has appealed. Reborn (Jaroslav Pagáč) was charged with the production and spreading of extremist materials. Reborn's previous lawyer was Adam Puškár, who is now suspected of being involved in the murder of student Daniel Tupý.
The trial involving former Slovak president Andrej Kiska should start on June 29. The trial was supposed to have started in April. The Kiska case is related to the KTAG firm and its unlawful accounting of costs associated with the promotion of Kiska before the presidential elections. Kiska described the charges as a dirty political campaign orchestrated by Smer leader Robert Fico.
The State Theatre of Košice changed its name to the National Theatre of Košice as of May 1. Thus, the institution bears the name it had in the years 1947-1955.
A lorry overturned on the D1 motorway near Senec on the way to Bratislava on the evening of May 2, 2023. The road was impassable. (source: Facebook/Bratislava Region Police)
WEATHER FOR WEDNESDAY: Cloudy skies. Rain, showers and storms in many parts of Slovakia. The highest daytime temperature will rise to 19°C. Strong breeze. (SHMÚ)
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