Good evening. Here is theThursday, November 2 edition of Today in Slovakia - the main news of the day in less than five minutes.
Border checks in the region continue
Border checks in Central Europe were reintroduced temporarily in mid-October. Now, they have been extended for the second time. (source: TASR)
The Czech Republic decided to extend random border checks with Slovakia until November 22. Therefore, people crossing the border must have an ID or a passport on them in case the police ask for it.
The checks take place at 27 former border crossings.
Poland followed suit on Thursday, November 2. People can arrive in Poland through eight road border crossings, three railway border crossings, and 11 border crossings for pedestrians. People are not allowed to cross the border, for example, through the Tatras, noted the Polish News Agency.
On Thursday, the Slovak government extended border checks with Hungary. They will last until November 23. The cabinet added that the number of undocumented migrants has been falling in recent weeks. Between October 9 and 22, the police detained 2,958 undocumented migrants.
Slovakia will pay more than €2 million for the extended border checks. The sum covers wages for 210 police officers in the coming 20 days.
More stories from The Slovak Spectator website
Politics: Deputy Speaker Ľuboš Blaha (Smer) removed the portrait of President Zuzana Čaputová from his office on Thursday. He replaced it with a prominent communist.
Business: It has been a low priority, but interest in geothermal energy is rising.
Travel: Banská Bystrica boasts of an extraordinary bus stop. Have a look.
Culture: Milan Lasica, a famous Slovak actor who died in 2021, has released a new song.
Bratislava: The city has erected its Christmas tree.
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FEATURE STORY FOR THURSDAY
A Bratislava brownfield will be turned into a new district
Visualisation of the new Palma district. (source: Courtesy of Corwin)
The new Palma district should resemble the historical centre and meet the criteria of a so-called 15-minute city. In such a city, residents have access to amenities, transport links and other essential functions providing for their daily needs within a 15-minute walk or bike ride.
3 THINGS TO DO IN BRATISLAVA
Free concerts and a hike
Devín Castle in Bratislava. (source: TASR)
Are you looking for free activities in Bratislava? Go on a hike to Devínska Kobyla or go to a concert organised by Moyzes Quartet.
In other news
The first trial day in the Očistec (Purgatory) case will be held on December 4 in Banská Bystrica. The case concerns so-called police mafia. Oligarch Norbert Bödör and Smer MP Tibor Gašpar, who is a former police chief, are charged in the case. The prosecutor filed charges with the court in 2021. The case will be decided by Specialised Criminal Court Justice Peter Pulman. (Aktuality)
The police checked a viral Facebook post, in which a woman from the Žarnovica district, central Slovakia, urged parents to protect their children. An unknown Ukrainian was supposed to offer her child a lollipop. It turned out that it was a 25-year-old man from Azerbaijan. He told the police that he also had a daughter and when he saw them (mother and daughter) he wanted to give the child candies. It is common in my country, he told the police. The police told him to refrain from such actions in the future.
Former National Crime Agency head Branislav Zurian has been appointed new director of the Police Inspectorate by the government. The body charged Zurian back in the day for the alleged disclosure of information to a third party. He quit the police in 2021. The opposition does not consider Zurian to be a good candidate. Zurian was questioned by a parliamentary committee on November 2.
Branislav Zurian. (source: TASR)
The government replaced three members of the Judicial Council, a body of 18 members that decides on who can become the judge. It can punish judges, too. One of the new members, Ľudmila Joanidesová, is said to have links to Smer politicians, including Defence Minister Robert Kaliňák. (Denník N)
SNS leader Andrej Danko criticises PM Robert Fico (Smer) for supporting military aid to Ukraine in Brussels, Health Minister Zuzana Dolinková (Hlas) for reportedly supporting mandatory vaccination against Covid-19 and Education Minister Tomáš Drucker (Hlas) for his lukewarm attitude towards non-governmental organisations visiting schools. Danko has also announced that he will run in the 2024 European Parliament election. (Denník N)
A man stabbed a 22-year-old student on a fast train from Košice to Žilina on November 1. The man was arrested, the girl is in the hospital. The train was delayed by more than six hours after it had to stop in Spišská Nová Ves. More police officers will be seen on trains from November 3.
Of the total number of 25,254 convicted persons, 5,317 persons committed a crime under the influence of alcohol, which represents a 21 percent share of all those convicted in 2022. Last year, 712 persons were convicted of a crime committed under the influence of addictive substances, said the Justice Ministry.
The first passengers get off the Ryanair plane at Poprad airport on November 1, 2023. On the same day, other passengers flew from the airport to London-Stansted for the first time. (source: TASR)
WEATHER FOR FRIDAY: You can expect overcast skies, rain and strong wind. The highest daytime temperature will rise to 19°C.
Yellow wind warnings are in effect in western and northern Slovakia until Friday noon. Yellow rain warnings will be in place from tonight until Friday evening in western and central Slovakia. (SHMÚ)
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