Good to have you with us! Here is the latest edition of Today in Slovakia - all the top news from Tuesday, wrapped up in one place!
A rendezvous to remember?
Russian President Vladimir Putin, Slovak PM Robert Fico, US President-elect Donald Trump. (source: TASR/AP )
While the United States braces for the presidential inauguration of Donald Trump, Slovakia is reportedly gearing up to host the future US president. At least, that’s according to Lubomír Zaorálek, a former Czech foreign minister, who made the claim last Friday.
“I say this with the risk that it’s not yet official, but I know it for certain,” Zaorálek told CNN Prima News, a Czech broadcaster, on January 3. According to him, the information stems from leaks within Slovakia’s Government Office, which has yet to confirm or deny the report.
The meeting is reportedly scheduled for February—a month that marks three years since Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine.
Zaorálek further pointed out that Trump and Slovakia’s Prime Minister Robert Fico share a common scepticism towards Ukraine and its president, Volodymyr Zelensky. Fico’s distrust of Kyiv dates back to the 2009 gas crisis, when he was kept waiting for several hours by Ukrainian leaders during a visit to the capital. More recently, he has clashed with Zelensky over Ukraine’s suspension of Russian gas transit, a move aimed at cutting off funds to Moscow’s war machine. Trump, meanwhile, has openly blamed Zelensky for the war and reportedly pressured him in 2019 to investigate Hunter Biden, who is US President Joe Biden’s son, a claim Zelensky denied.
The “Holy” Trinity: Another former Czech foreign minister, Cyril Svoboda, has suggested the possibility of a meeting between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin in Bratislava. It would be a triumph for Fico. Putin doesn’t oppose the idea, Trump’s position remains unclear. But there’s a hitch: if the Kremlin chief were to set foot in Slovakia, authorities would be obliged to arrest him under an International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant. The ICC accuses Putin of bearing responsibility for the war crime of unlawfully deporting Ukrainian children to Russia.
Ex-minister’s trial balloons: In an interview with the daily Pravda, foreign policy analyst Pavol Demeš remarked on the curious nature of Zaorálek “floating such New Year’s trial balloons,” to which Slovak diplomacy has yet to respond. Late last year, Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić was the first to say that Robert Fico would visit Moscow in December. He was right, he only missed the date. Why Vučić played a spokesperson for Fico remains a mystery. During his December visit to Moscow, Fico floated the idea of hosting peace talks between Russia and Ukraine in Slovakia.
On the phone: PM Fico made a surprise disclosure last November about a phone call with Donald Trump, coinciding with an official invitation to Moscow in 2025 from Russian President Vladimir Putin. During the revelation, the PM highlighted striking similarities between his political journey and Trump’s. Both Trump and Fico have faced assassination attempts in the past year. Yet Trump’s relationship with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán is notably closer, and Poland—currently holding the presidency of the EU Council—holds sway in regional politics. Moreover, Fico’s anti-American rhetoric is unlikely to sit well with Trump.
How much? If Trump and Putin were to truly touch down in Slovakia, the spectacle would cost the country €17.5 million—a hefty sum given the dire state of public finances. Adding to the strain, Slovakia’s fleet of F-16s remains incomplete, with its airspace currently safeguarded by neighbouring allies. The circumstances stand in stark contrast to 2005, when Bratislava hosted the Bush-Putin summit. At the time, Fico was just 16 months shy of stepping into the prime minister’s office for the first time.
On February 24, 2005, a high-level US-Russia summit was held in Bratislava. US President George Bush and Russian President Vladimir Putin also met with the Slovak political leadership of the time, including President Ivan Gašparovič. (source: TASR - Pavel Neubauer)
A date in Brussels: A scheduled meeting between Slovak and Ukrainian ministers in Brussels on Tuesday collapsed, with both sides trading accusations over who pulled the plug, Politico reports. Slovakia alleged that Ukraine cancelled the talks, while Kyiv countered that Bratislava was misrepresenting the situation. Ukrainian officials had reportedly sought to raise concerns over Fico’s recent threats toward Ukraine. Slovakia, on the other hand, intended to focus on the halted transit of Russian gas through Ukraine and Slovakia—a topic Kyiv was unwilling to address. According to Slovakia’s TASR news agency, Fico is now set to travel to Brussels this Thursday, January 9, for discussions with European Commission officials about the ongoing gas transit stoppage.
MORE STORIES FROM THE SLOVAK SPECTATOR
Young talent: Young footballers at a top-tier club in Žilina are catching the attention of scouts, with one standout player firmly on their radar.
Eyes on Africa: Slovak Foreign Minister Juraj Blanár appears optimistic about Algeria’s potential role in securing Slovakia’s energy needs.
A moment to rewind: A Lutheran bishop went viral at the end of 2024—for all the right reasons. More pastors like him? Yes, please.
Increasingly unobtainable: This year, new-builds are set to become more expensive due to increased VAT. Some people rushed to buy their flats at the end of last year to save some money.
Fico’s peace plan: The “peace-loving” Fico wants (some kind of) peace in Ukraine. Less provocation and barking on his part might help make it possible.
Just spectacular: Don’t drool, don’t eat, just marvel at this winter splendour.
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FEATURE
The return of Ukraine’s iconic poet
Taras Shevchenko is considered to be the founder of the modern Ukrainian language. (source: Peter Dlhopolec for The Slovak Spectator)
A fresh Slovak translation of Taras Shevchenko’s poetry, titled And I Live On, underscores the enduring power of his verses in moments of national turmoil. Often hailed as the father of Ukrainian identity, Shevchenko’s works fiercely opposed tsarist autocracy and remain a rallying cry for Ukraine’s ongoing struggle against Russian aggression. This new edition, translated by Marián Heveši, not only commemorates the poet’s legacy but also echoes his timeless relevance, which came to the fore during the 2014 Maidan protests when activist Serhiy Nigoyan recited Shevchenko’s words before being tragically killed.
EVENT
Hviezdoslav in English: The Bloody Sonnets
Pavel Országh Hviezdoslav’s Bloody Sonnets is no ordinary stage production. This gripping adaptation transforms the Slovak literary classic into a visceral theatrical experience, capturing the collapse of one world and the fragile hope for another.
Date: January 16-17, February 14
Venue: P. O. Hviezdoslav Theatre in Bratislava
Admission: €15-€35
Language: Slovak, English
More information: here
IN OTHER NEWS
Prime Minister Robert Fico returned from a trip to Vietnam, accusing the media and the opposition of leaking details about his travels to opposition activists. On Friday, Fico plans to brief the parliamentary European Affairs committee on his recent Moscow visit.
Acute respiratory infections (ARIs) jumped by 50.4 percent in the first week of January, with 30,223 cases reported. Flu and flu-like illnesses surged by 65.7 percent, making up 10.5 percent of ARI cases. The Trenčín Region recorded the highest incidence, while Košice had the lowest. Children under five were the most affected by flu-like symptoms. (TASR)
A 40-year-old Briton was charged with drink-driving in Spišský Štvrtok, eastern Slovakia, after a breath test revealed over one per mille of alcohol. He faces up to a year in prison and a driving ban.
Slovak police detained a 48-year-old man in Košice during an anti-terror operation, citing his radicalisation. Known as the “Košice MacGyver,” he allegedly promoted violence, shared extremist left-wing content, and posted weapon-making instructions online. He was also arrested in 2021. (Markíza)
A hunter in the Poľana Protected Landscape Area was hospitalised after a bear attack on Tuesday, sustaining bite wounds and scratches. (TASR)
The Peace for Ukraine initiative announced rallies on January 10 to support Slovakia’s European orientation.
Slovakia’s debt agency ARDAL announced new bonds for citizens, “Investor” and “Patriot,” launching in March. The bonds, requiring a minimum investment of €1,000, will have maturities of two and four years, with total issuance capped at €500 million. (TASR)
From January 1, medications for erectile dysfunction can no longer be prescribed electronically, urologist Ján Švihra Jr. told Denník N.
Slovak police officers will receive free second-class train passes starting February. The €20 passes, valid until year-end, require officers to assist onboard when requested by train staff. It remains unclear how many officers have applied for this pass. (TASR)
Skiing at the Areál Podbreziny Ski Resort – Petra Vlhová Sports Centre in Liptovský Mikuláš, northern Slovakia. (source: TASR - Daniel Stehlik)
WEATHER BRIEFING: Wednesday’s weather comes with a bit of personality—expect cloudy skies that might turn overcast. There’s a cheeky chance of light rain or a quick shower, especially up north. Snow might pay a visit to the middle regions and northern parts, even at lower altitudes in the morning. And watch your step early on—patches of sneaky ice could make an appearance. Temperatures will play it cool, peaking at a modest 1 °C to 6 °C, though the southern regions might feel a touch more generous, flirting around 8 °C. (SHMÚ)
PARTY TIME: It’s Severín’s day today—so if you know one, give them a big cheer and maybe even a slice of cake. Všetko najlepšie!
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