Good evening. Here is the Monday, September 30 edition of Today in Slovakia - the main news of the day in less than five minutes.
Extremist may be ordered back to Slovakia soon
Daniel Bombic (l), Tibor Gašpar (c) and Jana Laššáková (r). (source: YouTube)
On the night of Sunday to Monday extremist Daniel Bombic took to social media, saying that he was denied a solution, meaning that a court of appeal will not take place. The court was supposed to decide whether the April judgment of a London court to extradite him is valid. Bombic says he might be extradited in two to three weeks, reports the Sme daily.
Bombic faces charges of extremism, dangerous stalking, defamation, and dangerous electronic harassment. He has avoided prosecution in Slovakia by staying in London. Three international arrest warrants were issued against him, with the first in July 2022, the second in November 2022 and the third in February 2023.
The British police arrested Bombic in August 2022. Although he was released, he had to pay bail of €17,000 and was ordered to wear an electric monitoring bracelet on his leg.
The daily contacted the Specialised Criminal Court, under which Bombic's case falls. However, the court still has no new information from the British side even after months of waiting. Therefore, it could not be confirmed or denied whether the extremist will really be transferred to Slovakia soon.
In the past, he had a YouTube channel, but it was cancelled in early June. Several coalition politicians appeared on his show, including PM Robert Fico's chief adviser Erik Kaliňák (Smer), Deputy Speaker of Parliament Tibor Gašpar (also Smer) and Interior Minister Matúš Šutaj Eštok (Hlas). Fico himself was a guest on the programme in 2023. The show was co-hosted by Smer MEP Judita Laššáková, who was elected to the European Parliament in June.
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FEATURE STORY
For this Sikh, Slovakia is safe as no one knows him
Parminder Singh Gohal. (source: Soňa Maletz Nosáľová)
Parminder Singh Gohal was born in the Indian state of Punjab, but he has not lived there for almost 30 years. Because of his work for a human rights organisation, he was forced to leave India. He has lived in 35 countries ever since, taking on various jobs. He is currently seeking asylum in Slovakia, which he considers a safe country. Even though he is a practicing Sikh himself, he does not feel safe among other Sikhs. He has a wife and two daughters in India who cannot leave the country.
EVENT FOR THE NEXT TWO WEEKENDS
The art of light
Last year's edition of the Biela Noc (White Night) event in Košice. (source: TASR)
This weekend in Bratislava and the next in Košice, the popular Biela Noc (White Night) multi-genre festival will return in its usual three-day format. The event offers attendees an unusual artistic walk through the city at night, allowing them to experience a host of sensations, as well as discovering new places in their hometown and being given a new way of looking at them. To learn more about the programme, click here.
IN OTHER NEWS
Branislav Panis, Director of the Slovak National Museum, was dismissed from his post by Culture Minister Martina Šimkovičová (SNS nominee). No details as to why were provided. Panis was mentioned already in August when the culture minister dismissed two directors of national cultural institutions, Alexandra Kusá and Matej Drlička. (Aktuality.sk)
Ahead of the Champions League football match in Bratislava on Tuesday, the police will close Kalinčiakova and Viktora Tegelhoff Streets from 14:00 to ensure the safety of citizens and fans. The nearby children's playground will also be closed. In addition, from 18:00 the latter will not be allowed to enter on foot either. More streets may follow, including Bajkalská Street in the section from Trnavská to Vajnorská Streets. Drivers are asked to move their vehicles before midnight on September 30, and are told to avoid the vicinity of the National Football Stadium. During the match, police will supervise public order and traffic at the stadium. In addition, the number of patrols in the city centre has been increased as well.
Slovak PM Robert Fico (Smer) and South-Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol agreed to strengthen bilateral relations in carbon-free energy sectors, signing a memorandum of understanding on comprehensive energy cooperation regarding carbon-free sources including nuclear power, renewables and hydrogen. The memorandum comes amid Slovakia's plans to build a new nuclear unit with an output of up to 1,200 megawatts at the Jaslovské Bohunice power plant in western Slovakia. South Korea wants to bid for the project. (TASR)
South Korean Industry Minister Ahn Duk-geun (right in front) and Slovak Economy Minister Denisa Saková sign the Trade and Investment Promotion Framework and a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in the energy sector at the presidential office in Seoul on September 30. Behind them, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol (right) and Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico (left). (source: TASR/AP)
The Polish 'ladybird' discount chain recently bought a plot of land in the town of Nitra, western Slovakia. This is the first regional town in Slovakia in which the chain has bought land. It is not known whether it will build a store, and it is possible that the chain is preparing for future expansion. So far, it has announced that it will open its first five stores in Levice, Nové Zámky, Považská Bystrica, Senica and Zvolen. (Index)
As of October 1, Bratislavská vodárenská spoločnosť (Bratislava Water Company) customers will pay new prices for water supplies and sewage-water disposal. The new price of water supplies will be €1.5103 per cubic metre (including VAT), while the price of sewage-water disposal will be €1.4725 per cubic metre. For an average family of three, this change will mean an increase of about €1.60 per month.
More than 2,000 soldiers helped deal with the recent floods in Slovakia. Using special equipment that is not available to rescue forces, they were tasked with assisting with evacuations and protecting property, in addition to engineering work such as reinforcing levees and removing barriers. Four helicopters to transport people from hard-to-reach places were on standby. (TASR)
Slovak President Peter Pellegrini and Czech President Petr Pavel (second left) unveiled a new astronomical clock on the grounds of the National Czech and Slovak Museum and Library in Iowa, US on Friday. (source: TASR)
WEATHER FOR TUESDAY: Mostly sunny, but later the cloud cover will increase. Daytime temperatures between 13 °C to 19 °C. Level 1 ground frost warning issued for the whole country overnight. (SHMÚ)
OCTOBER 1 NAME DAY IN SLOVAKIA: Arnold
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