Good evening. Here is theThursday, February 15edition of Today in Slovakia - the main news of the day in less than five minutes.
Smer intimidates journalists again
Smer MP Erik Kaliňák. (source: TASR)
Several days ahead of Slovakia marking six years since the murder of investigative journalist Ján Kuciak and his fiancée Martina Kušnírová, a group of journalists are being attacked by the ruling party Smer.
On Thursday, the ruling party Smer filed a criminal complaint with the General Prosecutor’s Office against journalist and novelist Martin Šimečka of the Denník N daily for his remarks about Slovak people.
According to the journalist, Smer continues its policy of intimidating journalists.
“It’s not the first time, I’m no exception. I think that it doesn’t end with me, that others will come,” Šimečka said.
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FEATURE STORY FOR THURSDAY
The biggest barrier for Ukrainian university students? Slovak.
The University of Economics in Bratislava. (source: SME - Jozef Jakubčo)
Many of the Ukrainian university students coming to Slovakia are minors. How to make it easier for young Ukrainians to study at Slovak schools?
TOP 10 BRATISLAVA EVENTS
Konvergencie will return next week
Memorial concert of Marián Varga 70 + 1. (source: SME - Jozef Jakubčo)
The ninth winter edition of the Konvergencie festival will celebrate the great universe of Mozart’s chamber music. The main guest of the festival will be the outstanding Finnish composer, conductor and pianist Olli Mustonen, whose works will be performed alongside Mozart’s.
The opening concert will take place on February 22. But there are other events that will take place in Bratislava.
In other news
Slovakia’s GDP growth amounted to 1.1 percent last year, and it should accelerate to 2.3 percent in 2024 and 2.6 percent in 2025, according to a winter economic forecast published by the European Commission. (TASR)
The right to assess the lawfulness of generally binding legal directives and their accord with the constitution rests exclusively with the Constitutional Court, the Public Health Office said on Thursday with respect to a proposal to introduce a general pardon for misdemeanours committed during the Covid-19 state of emergency. (TASR)
The European Commission requests Slovakia to demonstrate that the level of protection of the EU’s financial interests regarding the recovery plan won’t be reduced with respect to the new Penal Code, but the Commission is asking only for additional explanations and has not raised any objections, Deputy PM’s office for recovery plan and knowledge-based economy state secretary Alena Sábelová said. (TASR)
President Zuzana Čaputová said on Thursday that she will announce what she intends to do regarding the amendment to the Penal Code on Friday, February 16.
The Polish company Blik wants to introduce an online payment system in Slovakia, enabling people to send small amounts among each other. As the hnonline.sk news website further writes, the service should be available in Slovakia within a few weeks.
Firefighters have received a total of new 16 all-terrain vehicles and 35 cars to fight wildfires and floods. (source: TASR)
WEATHER FOR FRIDAY: The weather on Friday is going to be nice and warm. The highest daytime temperature will range from 7°C to 12°C. (SHMÚ)
FEBRUARY 16 NAME DAY IN SLOVAKIA: Ida, Liana.
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