Interior Minister Roman Mikulec and Police Corps President Milan Lučanský both admit their opinions differ. (source: Sme - Marko Erd)
This is your overview of news from Slovakia from June 30, 2020. We provide this service for our readers every working day free of charge. If you appreciate our work, support us by buying our online subscription.
Police Corps president steps down
Milan Lučanský confirmed on June 30 that he is quitting the job he took over in June 2018 after his predecessor quit, yielding to street protests that followed the murder of Ján Kuciak and Martina Kušnírová.
"I admit that I perceive Roman Mikulec as a correct person, but I do not appreciate him as interior minister," Lučanský, who was appointed to the post by the political opponents of the now-ruling OĽaNO, the Smer party, wrote in his Facebook post announcing his resignation.
Interior Minister Mikulec accepted his resignation and agreed that they have their differences in opinion on how the Police Corps should look and work.
Schools wrap up the unusual school year
On July 1, the summer holiday begins for 454,175 pupils of primary schools and 196,443 students of secondary schools, as well as 33,721 students of special schools.
After the coronavirus pandemic reached Slovakia in March and closed all schools in the country as of March 16, the first- to fifth-graders returned to schools on June 1. Their older schoolmates only followed them on June 22.
Parents of children who attend primary and secondary schools who were receiving the pandemic nursing benefit for their children while schools were closed in recent months will not be entitled to the benefit anymore.
Kičura stays behind bars
The former chair of the State Material Reserves Administration (SŠHR), Kajetán Kičura, remains in custody, the Specialised Criminal Court decided on Tuesday.
Kičura stands accused of accepting a bribe and legalising criminal proceeds. The former chair has been in custody since April 23.
In other news:
Smoke appeared on the roof of the historical building of the Comenius University in Bratislava on Tuesday. It was the initiative of an informal group of students from several faculties and was to symbolise the threat that academic dignity and honour are under these days. The initiative will organise a protest in Bratislava on Friday at 6 PM at the SNP Square in Bratislava, to call on all plagiarists to leave politics.
The National Criminal Agency (NAKA) raided the social insurer Sociálna Poisťovňa. Workgroup Journalist searched the company space with the aim to secure proof needed in connection to theillegal screening that Marian Kočner is suspected of having ordered.
With the summer holidays starting on the first day of July, the Bratislava Transport Company (DPB) has announced several changes to and updates on the operation of public transport within the capital.
The Slovak economy will reach a pandemic bottom in the second quarter of this year when, according to estimates by analysts of the Council for Budget Responsibility (RRZ), it will fall by 17.3 percent year on year. Compared to the previous quarter, this would mean a decrease of 13.7 percent. The year-on-year decline in GDP is expected to slow to 11.4 percent in the third quarter, with quarter-on-quarter growth of 7.5 percent. (SITA)
Taxpayers still have time to file their income tax return for the previous year, as well as to pay the tax. The emergency situation in connection to the pandemic has not been scrapped and, therefore, the exact date for filing the tax return and paying the tax has not yet been announced. According to the previous rules, the tax return had to be filed by the end of June.
The coronavirus crisis will cut this year's state tax revenues by 5.6 percent compared to last year, which represents €1.6 billion. Public administration revenues should thus reach €27.4 billion. The shortfall in tax revenues will be, however, lower than April estimates suggested due to a smaller decline in domestic consumption and less unfavourable developments in the labour market, the Finance Ministry reports in its latest forecast completed by the Committee for Tax Forecasts.
European leaders are still arguing over the list of safe, non-EU countries to which the EU will open its external borders. Slovakia will later choose countries from this list to which it will open its own borders. Slovakia will announce "its choices" no later than Thursday. (SITA)
Slovak Investment Holding has signed the “anti-corona guarantee 2” agreements with two commercial banks - Tatra banka and Slovenská sporiteľňa - to support Slovak companies affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. These two large commercial banks have responded to the recent call and joined a new guarantee scheme. A few days ago, the contract was signed by VÚB bank.
Slovakia will resume inter-state railway transport with Hungary on July 1.
The 23-year-old Slovak footballer Samuel Mráz tested positive for COVID-19, the Danish club Bröndby Copenhagen said. It added he has no symptoms and will self-quarantine at home. (Sme)
The commercial ČSOB banka has begun providing the Apple Pay service, which is available for holders of Mastercards. For Visa card holders, the service will be available no later than in the autumn of this year. (SITA)
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