Every week The Slovak Spectator brings you a selection of three short stories from across Slovakia from which pessimism and negativity are absent.
Slovak hockey player becomes most valuable player at the Under-18 World Championship
Nela Lopušanová (source: TASR)
Sixteen-year-old Slovak ice hockey player Nela Lopušanová was named as one the tournament’s All-Star Team. Her achievement stands out for two significant reasons.
Lopušanová has now made history as the first player to win the most valuable player (MVP) award at two consecutive U18 championships. She first earned the honour at just 14 years old in 2023, when she topped the tournament’s scoring charts with 12 points.
Moreover, she is the first player to receive the MVP award while her team was fighting to avoid relegation. Slovakia secured its spot among the top teams with a 5-1 win over Japan, where Lopušanová contributed both a goal and an assist. Throughout the group stage and quarterfinals, she played a role in every goal scored by the Slovak team, underscoring her vital role in its performance.
NASA's image of the day was taken in Slovakia
Comet C/2024 G3 ATLAS in NASA's Picture of the Day. (source: NASA/Astronomy Picture of the Day/Petr Horálek)
The NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day for Monday, January 13, came from Slovakia. It was captured by renowned Czech astrophotographer Petr Horálek, whose work has been recognized by NASA multiple times in the past.
What might seem like a typical Slovak sunrise actually hides something extraordinary: Comet C/2024 G3 ATLAS, which was so bright that it was visible even minutes before sunrise.
"I took the photo [on January 12, 2025] near the village of Gemer, close to Tornaľa in southern Slovakia, where I anxiously searched for a spot with a clearer sky. I drove over 300 kilometres to find it. The comet is very difficult to spot with the naked eye due to the brightness of dawn, but cameras, if pointed in the right direction, can capture it," explained the photographer, Horálek.
Bratislava organizes New Year Christmas-tree mulching
Mulch (source: inharmony.com)
Slovakia's capital will host a New Year Mulching Event on Saturday, January 18, in the Sad Janka Kráľa city park. The event will transform collected Christmas trees from wooden drop-off points into mulch using a specialized machine, city spokesperson Peter Bubla explained.
Mulch made from conifers has many benefits: it suppresses weed growth, retains soil moisture, and enriches the soil with humus. It’s particularly suitable for evergreens, ornamental shrubs, perennials and climbers that prefer acidic conditions.
This initiative follows Bratislava’s annual effort to collect Christmas trees, with over 730 collection points set up across the city. While parts of the collected trees are used for mulching, the majority are repurposed to create new shelves that are supplied to libraries and to single-parent families, benefiting the broader community.
Five feel-good stories published by The Slovak Spectator to read:
Mayors in Upper Orava have big plans to boost tourism. If you’re a fan of horses and ceramics, you’re in for a delightful experience.
Talking of which, Trstená, the key town in the area has some winning features, blending socialist architecture with a rich religious heritage. This stunning region deserves your time.
The curious opportunity to do some ironing at the top of a popular peak is attracting Slovaks and foreigners alike.
Seven wild things you can do in Bratislava! Jump in an armoured personnel carrier or enter a rage room – click here to find out more.
No need to panic: The 'new' HMPV virus is not a pandemic threat – and is not even new – doctors say.
Meme of the week
Caption: IT experts working on renewing the land registry.
This meme, featuring distinctive 1980s computer graphics, was posted to the official Facebook page of the satirical site Zomri.
If you're in Slovakia, you'll have heard that the land registry suffered one of the worst cyber-attacks in the country's history in early January. Some cadastral offices at district offices, which have been non-functional since last Monday, have been very gradually resuming operations this week.
However, neither the Office of Geodesy, Cartography and Cadastre (ÚGKK) of the Slovak Republic nor the National Security Office (NBÚ) can currently say when, or if, all land registry data will be restored. Opposition MP Ján Hargaš (PS) pointed out that cadastral offices at district offices, despite the Interior Ministry announcing their reopening, are not fully functional.
You can send me your tips for good news stories about Slovakia or funny memes at: kseniia.husieva@spectator.sk. Thank you!
