Every week The Slovak Spectator brings you a selection of three short stories from across Slovakia from which pessimism and negativity are absent.
Little Elisa protects her horse like a pro
Meet Elisa, a spirited three-year-old Slovak girl with a big heart. Her best buddy is a gentle horse named Piccolo. The two have captured hearts online after a video shared on the Daily Mail’s Instagram went viral, with the caption: "Their friendship is so precious." And it really is.
In the clip, you can see Elisa visiting Piccolo almost every day, doting on him with the kind of care only a true friend can give. She’s especially protective when it comes to flies – nothing swarming near her beloved horse is allowed. Watching her gently shoo them away, it’s impossible not to smile. The video also frames a breathtaking Slovak landscape – rolling green hills, rustic fences, and wide-open skies that feel like something out of a fairy tale.
Slovak students show the world how it’s done
Slovak high schoolers are proving they belong on the global stage. In 2025, students brought home medals from physics, chemistry, maths, biology and geography competitions, including historic golds in team maths and top spots at the European Physics Olympiad.
Marián Kovaľ stole the spotlight, winning first place among 188 participants in physics. His teammates added two golds, a silver and two bronzes. In Dubai, all four Slovak competitors at the International Chemistry Olympiad came back with medals: three silver, one bronze.
Mathletes also made history: Slovak students won team gold at the Central European Mathematical Olympiad for the first time, plus extra silver, bronze, and honourable mentions. Biology students didn’t lag, earning one silver and three bronze medals at the International Biology Olympiad - the country’s second-best result in 15 years.
Slovak curator stuns Vienna with major art exhibitions
From a small Slovak village to Vienna’s Belvedere Palace, Miroslav Haľák is living proof that dreams can come true. Growing up in Pohorelá near Brezno, he loved art and books, but few would have guessed he’d end up curating masterpieces by Klimt and Schiele.
His path wasn’t straightforward. In 2017, he applied to be a ticket clerk at the Belvedere art gallery. A sharp-eyed HR manager noticed his PhD in art history and steered him toward a curatorial role. Today, Haľák organizes major exhibitions, collaborates with other museums, lectures internationally, writes about music, and even performs himself.
Haľák’s work explores far beyond traditional art history, delving into image semiotics, psychology and digital humanities. Since 2024, he’s also been teaching at Masaryk University, sharing his insights with students and the public alike.
Some feel-good stories published by The Slovak Spectator for you to enjoy:
A historic painting of a 1652 military victory over the Ottomans has been rescued and is set to shine in a local museum.
The ESET Science Award spotlights scientific trailblazers transforming the world with their ideas.
From April 2026, Leo Express is to make Prague–Bratislava travel simpler with new direct trains via Petržalka.
Bratislava is bringing colour back as another of Petržalka’s iconic murals is restored to life.
Turning trash into tech: Slovak scientists make sensors from simple potato peel.
A new low-cost flight takes travellers from Slovakia’s mountains straight to Poland’s coast.
Locals breathe new life into one of Malá Fatra’s most scenic hiking gems.
Meme of the week
Caption: Left: Slovak hospital before two sexes in the constitution.
Right: Slovak hospital after two sexes in the constitution.
Slovak social media is having a field day with a new meme making the rounds. It shows two identical photos of a decaying hospital – broken ceilings, bad lights – the full Eastern European aesthetic. Did you spot the difference between these two photos? Exactly. Hospitals may be crumbling, but at least there are only two sexes now.
The meme perfectly captures the absurdity of Slovakia’s latest constitutional "achievement", which among other things legally defined the existence of only two genders. While the government pats itself on the back for "protecting traditional values," citizens are praying the ceiling doesn’t fall in on them during surgery.
You can send me your tips on good news stories about Slovakia or funny memes at: elizaveta.blahodarova@spectator.sk. Thank you.
