Every week The Slovak Spectator brings you a selection of three short stories from across Slovakia from which pessimism and negativity are absent.
Puck yeah! Dvorský’s dad lands perfect timing for son’s big NHL debut
Dalibor Dvorský Sr. was all set to fly back to Slovakia last Sunday — until his son, Dalibor Jr., got the call-up of a lifetime. With the younger Dvorský joining the St. Louis Blues, dad ditched his return flight and rerouted straight to Missouri to see his boy make his NHL debut in person.
And what a debut it was. Dvorský Jr. helped secure a 4–1 win over the Nashville Predators and capped off the night by receiving the team’s special shoulder pads — a post-game honour awarded to the player of the match.
“It’s a fantastic and touching moment,” Dvorský Sr. told FanDuel Sports Network. “I’m so happy to be here.”
The 19-year-old forward soaked it all in: “Thank you all, I enjoyed every second. Let’s keep going.”
Xhekaj and Slafkovský debate the big stuff
Montreal Canadiens teammates Arber Xhekaj and Juraj Slafkovský gave fans a good laugh with a cheeky game of Agree or Disagree?, diving into all-important topics like hockey, food and fashion.
The pair were united in thinking goaltending’s no easy gig, but clashed over shootouts, hot sauce heat levels and whether Crocs with socks count as a style statement (jury’s still out). Xhekaj gave Slafkovský’s cooking a thumbs up, and both agreed that pickleball beats tennis any day. But the fiercest debate of all? Chicken wings — flats won, no contest.
Pack your bags: Bratislava’s got new summer escapes
Bratislava’s Milan Rastislav Štefánik Airport is ready to send your holiday plans soaring with six sunny new routes for the summer season, kicking off on 30 March. First up: direct flights to Bari and Milan-Malpensa. A new connection to Gdańsk joins the party on 1 April — no joke.
Sun-chasers, rejoice: seasonal flights to Zadar, Skiathos and Brač are landing soon. Ryanair will whisk passengers off to Zadar and Skiathos between June and September, while CK Satur is offering direct flights to Brač.
There’s more good news in the skies. Norwegian Airlines is making a comeback after 11 years, launching twice-weekly flights to Copenhagen from 28 June. Meanwhile, Pegasus Airlines is ramping up its Antalya service to four flights a week. Year-round flights to Istanbul continue to offer easy links across Turkey and the Middle East.
Five feel-good stories published by The Slovak Spectator for you to enjoy:
The Slovak-American who wants the world to witness the quality of Slovak wines.
Dialects: can west understand east?
Then ... Now. Some things never change.
Weekend: Celebrate Day of Planetariums and Observatories.
Tower with a past plots its starry comeback. Struck by lightning and left to rot, this 1920s relic is preparing for a stylish return — with public input welcome.
Hop on board! Bratislava launches forest bus routes.
MEME OF THE WEEK
Golden parachute, anyone?
Caption: When you deserve a lifetime salary just for being the poor soul who has to read [Peter] Kotlár’s vaccine analysis.
On Thursday, coalition MPs pushed through an amendment that would grant the general prosecutor—currently Maroš Žilinka—a retirement pension of over €5,000 a month, even if he does not stick it out until the end of his seven-year term in December 2027.
The opposition is not buying the benevolence. They claim the real plan is to move Žilinka to the Constitutional Court and slide someone new into his chair — rumour has it that person could be Marek Para, a well-known (and prosecuted) lawyer with close ties to Smer and Prime Minister Fico himself.
As for Žilinka, who has a curious knack for speaking up when silence would suffice — and staying quiet when a word is needed — he has remained tight-lipped on the whispers. For now. He is probably still wading through that vaccine report from Fico’s self-styled Covid investigator, Kotlár. Education Minister Tomáš Drucker recently likened the report to flat Earth theories — only more dangerous. Or he is off cycling — his favourite pastime.
You can send me your tips for good news stories about Slovakia or funny memes at: kseniia.husieva@spectator.sk. Thank you!
