Good evening. Here is theWednesday, September 18 edition of Today in Slovakia - the main news of the day in less than five minutes.
Rising Danube waters isolate border village
The only road to Chľaba, Nitra Region, will remain closed for several days due to the rising water level of the Danube in the area. (source: Facebook/Nitra Region)
The only access road to the village of Chľaba, located on the border with Hungary and surrounded by the rivers Danube and Ipeľ—the third-longest river in Slovakia—has been closed. The Karol Róbert cross-border bridge, which only opened last year, has also been shut.
The village, home to around 700 people, is now more or less cut off from the world for several days due to rising river levels. The road into the village runs along the bank of the Danube. The army will provide food supplies for the residents, including dozens of clients from the social services home, according to the mayor, Gregor Izrael. He is unsure how long the road will remain closed. “It could last until the end of the week, but it’s also possible it might take longer,” he told the media. However, six international trains will make an exceptional stop in the village.
The levels of the Ipeľ (more than 3.5 m on Wednesday night, ed.) and Danube (almost 7 m on Wednesday night) rivers continue to rise. According to hydrological forecasts, the Danube is expected to peak in the area on Thursday.
Related: The water level of the Danube in central Bratislava reached its peak of 985 cm on Wednesday at 14:30. The level is slowly decreasing, and by Friday evening, the Danube is expected to be around 800 cm.
The water level of the Danube in Bratislava. (source: SHMÚ)
Roads in Bratislava: Roads around Devín and Devínska Nová Ves—Slovanské nábrežie, Istrijská cesta, and Devínska cesta—remain impassable. Kočánkova Street and Viedenská cesta near the Old Bridge in Petržalka are also closed. But Medická, Grasalkovičova (Presidential), and Slubekova Gardens in the Old Town are open again.
International trains: Trains between Prague and Budapest are operating without restrictions. EC 172/173 trains are running without limitations on the Budapest–Berlin route and vice versa. From September 18, rail services on some sections of the Austrian Railways (ÖBB) have been partially restored. REX trains on the Bratislava-Petržalka–Vienna Hauptbahnhof line have resumed. IC 44/45 trains are also back in operation.
MORE STORIES FROM THE SLOVAK SPECTATOR WEBSITE
Politics: The culture minister decided to use the Danube and recent rainfall as an opportunity to once again attack the former director of the National Gallery. Her plan didn’t quite pan out.
Business: Slovaks are mocking the finance minister online for his comment that books in Slovakia are purchased by wealthier people. The minister defends himself, asserting that he is not a monster.
Travel: A bridge in northern Slovakia is leaving people speechless. No one would say no to a photo with it.
Slovak language class: It’s September, and with it comes the season of grape harvest festivals. Canadian Tom has taken a look at the Slovak word burčiak. Not sure what it means? Tom will explain it to you.
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FEATURE STORY
Centenary cheers turn to flood fears for Bratislava’s oldest canoe club
The view on the flooded Dunajčík and the flood barrier serving also a sa cyclo path. (source: Sme - Jozej Jakubčo)
Bratislava’s oldest canoe club, Dunajčík, is celebrating its centenary amid a flood of challenges. Founded by a group of determined Scouts in 1924, the club has weathered decades of trials, including WWII bombings and frequent floods. As it marks 100 years, the club faces a new test from rising waters but is poised to build a flood-resistant boathouse, ensuring its legacy for the next century.
EVENT
The grand opening of the House of Music
The historic Georgievits Palace on Panenská Street in Bratislava, home to Slovakia’s oldest public music school, the Miloš Ruppeldt Primary Art School (ZUŠ), which has undergone extensive renovation.The building, over 100 years old, is a national cultural monument. The ZUŠ now features renovated classrooms and a newly established House of Music with a concert hall, recording studio, and excellent acoustics. (source: TASR)
The Georgievits Palace on Panenská Street, built after 1890 by Field Marshal Georg Georgievits de Apadia and used by the Italian embassy during the Second World War, is about to become a haven for budding musicians, where they will hone their skills and let their talents shine. This restored national cultural treasure will open its doors this Saturday. Get ready for concerts, guided tours of the palace, and a range of exciting workshops!
IN OTHER NEWS
In their Champions League debut, Slovan Bratislava footballers suffered a heavy 1-5 defeat at Celtic Glasgow’s stadium. Coach Vladimír Weiss Sr. expressed pride in his team’s performance, stating they played bravely against a strong opponent and left a positive impression despite the scoreline.
On Tuesday morning, a body was found in one of the flooded houses in Bratislava-Devín. The deceased man was reportedly trying to pump out water from his cellar when the incident occurred. The elderly man lived alone. An autopsy will determine whether he drowned or died due to sudden health problems.
The government’s new consolidation measures will cost a typical three-person family around €1,000 a year. The opposition party, Progressive Slovakia, claims this will particularly impact vulnerable families, such as single parents and those with multiple children. They also caution that a new financial transaction tax on companies might drive businesses out of Slovakia. Initially, the government aimed for a €1.7 billion consolidation, but the new package amounts to €2.7 billion, which the opposition argues is an attempt at populist spending.
The government is proposing to promote Ľubomír Solák, the police chief who oversaw the disbandment of the National Crime Agency, and Branislav Zurian, the head of the Interior Ministry’s police inspectorate who recently faced allegations of leaking police information and had been hiding in Belarus, to the rank of general. Their appointments still require approval from President Peter Pellegrini. Additionally, it is reported that Solák earns €6,780. (Sme)
The Culture Ministry is said to be quietly planning the biggest shake-up of cultural institutions (museums, palaces, and castles) in Slovakia’s history, aiming to centralise them. Many of these institutions do not fall under the ministry and would need to be expropriated. (Sme)
On Wednesday, MPs rejected a proposed change to municipal regulations that would have required towns with over 1,000 residents to record and publish audio or video from council meetings. The proposal, put forward by the Progressive Slovakia party, aimed to increase public awareness and participation, as well as to enhance transparency and trust in local governance.
From November 4, Prima Banka will launch instant payments, facilitating financial transfers in real-time, 24/7. This new feature will allow clients to receive and send instant payments to banks participating in the system. See which banks already offer this service in Slovakia.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha and Slovak Foreign Minister Juraj Blanár arrive for a press conference following their joint meeting at the Government Office on September 18, 2024 in Bratislava. (source: TASR)
WEATHER FOR THURSDAY: Cloudy with occasional breaks and a few scattered showers. Daytime temperatures will range from 20°C to 25°C, with cooler conditions around 18°C in Orava and the Tatras. (SHMÚ)
SEPTEMBER 19 NAME DAY IN SLOVAKIA: Konštantín.
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