Welcome to Today in Slovakia – your Thursday briefing with the top news in one place.
As the Easter holidays are upon us, the next edition of this digest will arrive in your inbox on Tuesday, April 22. Last Week in Slovakia, written by Michaela Terenzani, will return on Monday, April 28.
In the meantime, enjoy the break – but first, catch up on the latest news from Slovakia below.
New footage of PM Fico assassination attempt surfaces
Prime Minister Robert Fico moments after shots were fired at him in Handlová on 15 May 2024. (source: YLE)
In a new documentary titled “Slovakia in a Spiral of Violence”, Finnish public broadcaster YLE has aired previously unreleased footage of last year’s assassination attempt on Prime Minister Robert Fico — offering the first comprehensive visual account of what has been described as the most serious security incident in the country’s modern history.
The 50-minute film, which aired this week, concludes with several seconds of footage showing the immediate aftermath of the attack, including graphic scenes that had not been broadcast until now. The newly released material captures the moment the assailant opened fire, Fico’s fall, and his interaction with security personnel as they rushed him from the scene.
The video was originally recorded by a camerawoman from Regional Television Prievidza. However, the station’s director, Dana Reindlová, had initially chosen to withhold the most distressing segments out of ethical concerns. Speaking to Denník N, Reindlová said she agreed to release the full footage only after the prime minister had recovered.
“I told myself the time had come — the prime minister is alive and relatively healthy,” she explained.
YLE’s decision to air the footage as part of a long-form documentary, rather than in a news bulletin, was a key factor in the Slovak station’s decision to cooperate.
A still from the documentary "Slovakia in a Spiral of Violence" shows gunman Juraj Cintula moments after opening fire on Prime Minister Robert Fico in Handlová on 15 May 2024. (source: YLE)
The YLE film also revisits other major acts of political violence in Slovakia, including the 2018 murder of investigative journalist Ján Kuciak and the 2022 shooting outside the Tepláreň LGBT+ bar in Bratislava.
Bloody evidence: More than ten months after the attempted assassination of Prime Minister Fico, questions continue to swirl around the true extent of his injuries — even as his closest political allies take centre stage in shaping the narrative. In a recent interview with a social media influencer, Defence Minister Robert Kaliňák — Fico’s long-time ally and fellow Smer party member — displayed photographs of the prime minister’s blood-soaked jacket and shirt from the day of the shooting. He referred to Fico as a “Terminator who does not give up”, a remark aimed at underscoring the prime minister’s resilience.
Kaliňák admitted during the interview that he personally transported the clothing from the Handlová hospital in his own car before handing it over to the police. The move has drawn criticism from former law enforcement officials, including Ľubomír Daňko, a long-serving police officer who was forced to leave the force shortly after Fico’s fourth government took power. Daňko said Kaliňák, having served twice as interior minister, “should have known such a procedure was improper”. It remains unclear whether Kaliňák had Fico’s permission to release the images publicly.
It did not take long: After the minister published the photographs — reportedly also included in the case file — conspiracy theories began to circulate, claiming that the clothes seen in Kaliňák’s photos did not match those the prime minister wore on the day of the attack. Some, for instance, cast doubt on the colour. People often ignore factors that affect the appearance of images, such as camera quality and lighting. Conspiracy theories surrounding the shooting of Prime Minister Fico have persisted since the day it occurred. Some questioned whether the attack happened at all, while others speculated about the motives behind it, the prime minister’s rapid recovery, the number of shots fired, or the absence of visible blood at the scene. The ongoing embargo on the case has only fuelled further speculation. A survey conducted last year, however, showed that most people do not believe the attack was staged theatre, in which the perpetrator used blank rounds.
Prime Minister Robert Fico in parliament on 10 April 2025. (source: YouTube)
Parliament drama: Details about the prime minister’s injuries have been sparse. Fico, who rarely speaks about his private life or health, has nonetheless returned frequently to the subject of the shooting in his public remarks — most recently during a parliamentary question session last week. “Don’t ask to see how I look. I mean how I really look,” he told MPs in typically cryptic fashion, before adding that he still faces “some surgeries”. At one point, he addressed opposition lawmakers directly: “You were placing bets on when I’d die,” a comment that prompted sharp objections from the opposition rows. Further details about the attack — including medical reports and forensic evidence — may emerge during the trial of the accused gunman, Juraj Cintula. However, the court has yet to accept the indictment.
MORE STORIES FROM THE SLOVAK SPECTATOR
Village alliance: Faced with shrinking budgets and staff shortages, Slovak mayors are joining forces to keep local services running.
Rebellion: Smer MEP tells Slovaks to learn EU rules to one day break free — despite official denials of any exit plans.
Controversial promotion: Judge with disciplinary record elected to lead Slovakia’s Supreme Court.
Ticket crackdown: Slovak startup Upfan is taking on counterfeiters with a platform designed to stop fake tickets from ruining your next gig.
Honeywell exit: US firm blames Slovakia’s labour costs for factory shutdown, cutting more than a hundred jobs.
Audi cuts: Volkswagen’s Bratislava plant is laying off hundreds of agency workers as Audi sales lag — unrelated to Trump’s new tariffs.
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TIME OUT
Nights in the Spanish gardens
A concert at Reduta, a home to the Slovak Philharmonic. (source: Facebook/Slovak Philharmonic)
My colleagues have put together a guide to what’s on in the Slovak capital, from quirky local quests to budget-friendly outings. Tamara Zinchenko suggests ten standout events, including a castle search for a missing Ľudovít, while Kseniia Husieva rounds up the best free things to do — yes, even a scenic hike.
For those venturing beyond Bratislava, Matúš Beňo has compiled Eastertime events happening across the country.
INSURER WARNS
A mountain rescue and a boozy village crash
Mountain Rescue Service logo (source: TASR - Miroslava Mlynárová)
The Easter holidays tend to usher in a rise not only in curious accidents but also in burglaries targeting empty homes, Slovak insurer Union has reminded the public.
Among last year’s holiday mishaps was an incident involving three friends who decided to spend Easter Monday “out of reach of buckets and whips” — a nod to the traditional Slovak custom where boys douse girls with water and whip them with decorated willow branches. Hoping to avoid the ritual, the trio went hiking in the Malá Fatra mountains. On their way back, however, one woman fell and suffered an open leg fracture. As they were walking off marked trails, and the injury made walking impossible, a mountain rescue team had to be called in — with a helicopter. The intervention cost €3,500.
In a different kind of Easter adventure, a man from Detva took part in the traditional šibačka, going house to house with his whip — and enjoying a few shots of home-made spirits along the way. Despite the short distance — just two kilometres to the next household — he decided to drive. But he lost control on a bend, veered off the road and crashed into a neighbour’s fence.While no one was injured, the damage was significant: repairs to the car totalled €3,200, and the fence damage added another €450. "However, because the client had consumed alcohol, we were unable to provide insurance compensation for the damage to his vehicle," Union said.
IN OTHER NEWS
Egg consumption in Slovakia has fallen for the third consecutive year, with domestic production still failing to meet demand. While the average Slovak eats over 200 eggs annually, local farms last year produced just 123 per person — despite standout figures from the Nitra Region. Shoppers, meanwhile, are facing a pre-Easter price surge, with the cost of a pack of 10 medium eggs up 17 percent year-on-year. (Statistics Office)
President Peter Pellegrini has paid a €10,000 fine for breaching election campaign rules, his spokesperson confirmed. The Interior Ministry reportedly imposed the penalty after Hlas transferred funds to his transparent account after the campaign had ended — a violation under Slovak law.
On Wednesday night, historical drama “Vlny” (Waves), directed by Jiří Mádl, swept Slovakia’s 2024 Sun in a Net (Slnko v sieti) film awards with nine wins, including Best Feature Film. The Czech-Slovak co-production also triumphed at the Czech Lions film awards in March. “Ema a smrtihlav” (The Hungarian Dressmaker) took home six awards, while “Prezidentka” (President) and “Keď život chutí” (Living Large) were named best documentary and animated film, respectively.
A man wielding a sword threatened to kill and slit the throats of staff at St Cyril and Methodius Hospital in Bratislava’s Petržalka borough on Thursday morning. The suspect, a relative of a patient, was detained by police at the scene.
Victoria’s Secret will open its first Slovak store on 24 April at Bratislava’s Nivy shopping centre. A giant replica of its iconic pink-striped bag has already appeared outside the mall, near the main bus station. (Refresher)
Metropolitan Jonáš Maxim washes a priest’s foot during the Maundy Thursday foot-washing ceremony at the Cathedral of St John the Baptist in Prešov on 17 April 2025. (source: TASR - Veronika Mihaliková)
Petrol and diesel prices at Slovak pumps fell significantly last week, according to the Statistics Office. Natural 95 reached its lowest price since late March, while diesel hit levels not seen since mid-November. Both fuels are now cheaper than they were a year ago.
World Haemophilia Day, 17 April, highlights the need for equal access to treatment for all patients living with this rare bleeding disorder. In Slovakia, around 400 people live with the condition. The colour of blood has become the symbol of the day, with landmarks around the world and Slovakia lit up in red to mark the occasion.
Slovak maternity wards recorded 48,812 births in 2023, the lowest number since records began in 1996, according to the National Health Information Centre. A total of 49,375 children were born, with some multiple births included. While Bratislava long held the highest birth rate, eastern Slovakia has now taken the lead.
Mestské lesy v Bratislave (Bratislava City Forests) are once again urging dog owners to keep their pets on a lead in the forest park — even those that are “obedient”. The company reports dozens of annual cases where off-lead dogs chase and injure wildlife, sometimes fatally.
Keep your eyes on the skies: the Lyrid meteor shower is set to peak on Tuesday, 22 April, offering a display of up to 15 meteors an hour. The celestial show will remain visible until 25 April.
LONG WEEKEND WEATHER BRIEFING:
Friday will bring frequent showers and thunderstorms, particularly in western Slovakia, where temperatures will hover around 20°C to 21°C. The east will remain slightly warmer, reaching up to 24°C. The Slovak Hydrometeorological Institute has issued first-level rain warnings for several central and northern districts, with rainfall totals expected to reach 35 to 50 mm in some areas.
First-level rain and wind warnings issued for central Slovakia on Friday (source: SHMÚ)
On Saturday, temperatures will stay mild, with highs of up to 21°C and only isolated showers expected.
Sunday will see a return of warmer weather, with daytime temperatures ranging from 17°C to 23°C. By Easter Monday, the mercury is set to climb further, reaching between 19°C and 25°C across much of the country.
HAPPY NAME DAY: April 18 is a special day for Valér, so if you know one, don’t forget to send your warmest wishes. Všetko najlepšie! (Jela celebrates her name day on Saturday, Marcel on Sunday, and Ervín on Monday.)
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