Good evening. Here is the Monday, May 26 edition of Today in Slovakia - the main news of the day in a few minutes.
Slovakia's EU fund management under microscope
Illustrative image. (source: Jozef Jakubčo)
A delegation from the European Parliament's Budgetary Control Committee (CONT) arrived in Slovakia on Monday to examine how EU funds are being used and to assess the country's safeguards for protecting European taxpayers' money. The mission will run until May 28.
Czech MEP Tomáš Zdechovský (European People's Party), who leads the delegation, said they are responding to serious reports of alleged misuse of EU funds and possible rule-breaking by senior officials and individuals linked to the Slovak government.
"These issues need thorough and impartial scrutiny," Zdechovský said. The delegation includes Slovak MEP Michal Wiezik (Renew Europe), Czech MEP Ondřej Knotek (Patriots for Europe), and German MEP Daniel Freund (Greens/EFA), according to the TASR newswire.
During the visit, the MEPs are scheduled to meet with government officials, MPs, representatives of the Supreme Audit Office, investigative journalists, and NGOs, and other institutions.
One area of concern involves a specific call issued by the Agricultural Payment Agency, in which €60 million was allocated for more than 100 projects. According to Wiezik, some of the money may have been misused to finance private properties.
Progressive Slovakia leader Michal Šimečka, one of the opposition leaders, claimed the funds, which were meant to support rural development and tourism, were instead used by individuals linked to the ruling Smer party to build private buildings.
Interior Minister Matúš Šutaj Eštok (Hlas) criticised the visit, accusing the opposition of trying to damage Slovakia's image and jeopardise investments in infrastructure, healthcare, and education, among other areas.
"This is the result of slandering Slovakia abroad by opposition, led by Progressive Slovakia, with support from Igor Matovič and SaS MPs," Eštok said. "Their aim is simple: the worse for Slovakia, the better for the opposition." He described the mission as politically motivated rather than a routine audit.
Eštok also questioned why Hlas MEP Branislav Ondruš was excluded from the delegation and criticised the group—calling them a "little bunch"—for first meeting with civil society groups and journalists.
In response, SaS chair Branislav Gröhling accused Eštok of trying to cover up corruption.
"I don't understand what Eštok is so afraid of, given how aggressively he attacked the delegation," Gröhling said.
MORE STORIES FROM THE SLOVAK SPECTATOR WEBSITE
FOLKLORE: Culture Minister Martina Šimkovičová often presents herself as a supporter of folklore and tradition and that it is important. However, recent event caused folklorists to speak out against her, preferential treatment and exploitation by politicians.
ICE HOCKEY: Zdeno Chára, remembered as one of ice hockey's greatest leaders and defencemen, was inducted into the IIHF Hall of Fame on Sunday.
BUSINESS: Coffee vending machines are a common sight in Slovakia. For a long time, the business was fragmented among dozens of small operators, but over time is has gradually changed.
PUBLIC TRANSPORT: The city of Bratislava has its first-ever bus stop created using 3D printing technology. Here's where to find it.
POLITICS: In recent weeks, Progressive Slovakia (PS) MP and former boxer David Dej and far-right Republika MEP Milan Mazurek have been exchanging increasingly heated video messages online. But earlier last week, tensions took an unexpected turn.
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SLOVAKS ABROAD
Honouring the legacy
Jonathan Lukca with his three children, proudly holding their Slovak passports after reclaiming citizenship. (source: Courtesy, Jonathan Lukca)
"Imagine the thrill of uncovering your great-grandparents' lives — discovering where they came from — and walking the very streets they once called home, hand in hand with distant relatives you never knew existed", writes Canadian Jonathan Lukca in his account of his family's journey to reclaim their heritage. Together with his three children, they have recently become Slovak citizens.
EVENT FOR THE WEEK
Celebration of books
A still from a previous edition of the BRaK book festival. (source: TASR)
What binds not just books with different types of covers, but also people, institutions, cities, residents, and families—this is the central theme of the 12th Bratislava Book Festival, also known as BRaK. Running from May 29 to June 1, the festival returns to Hlavné Námestie square in the heart of the Slovak capital, bringing with it major names from Slovak and international literature. Visitors can look forward to author talks, readings, concerts, a book fair, and more. Events will take place at various venues across the historic city centre. Click here to learn more.
IN OTHER NEWS
The Foreigners' Police department in Bratislava will be closed on Tuesday due to technical reasons. Individuals with appointments scheduled for that day will be accommodated on June 3 or 5 during regular office hours. Applicants for a national visa may contact the Foreigners' Police departments in Trnava or Nitra.
The internal portion of Slovakia's Maturita school-leaving exams began on Monday and will continue until June 13. Nearly 41,000 students are taking part in the exams. (TASR)
Czech attitudes towards Slovakia have taken a marked turn for the worse. Whereas Slovakia was previously rated most favourably by Czechs, it has now fallen to tenth place in the latest survey. The findings, published by the STEM analytical institute, are based on a survey conducted in April with a representative sample of 1,031 respondents. According to STEM, the decline is likely linked to recent political developments in Slovakia and the government of Robert Fico. Switzerland now tops the list, with Czechs expressing more favourable views of countries such as Canada, Italy, Poland, Sweden, Norway, the Netherlands, and Denmark than of Slovakia. (STEM)
Education Minister Tomáš Drucker (Hlas) has said that Hlas MPs will not vote to override President Peter Pellegrini's veto of the so-called Covid Amnesty bill or the life annuity proposal for the general prosecutor. In April, parliament passed the controversial law allowing individuals fined for breaching Covid-19 measures to seek compensation from the state. The president called the bill a "mockery" of those who lost loved ones and a dangerous precedent. (TASR)
A still from the Slovak Shield 2025 military exercise in Lešť on Monday. Soldiers from Georgia, Hungary, Indiana (US), Poland and from the NATO multinational brigade (Spanish, Czech and Romanian forces) stationed in Slovakia. (source: TASR)
A 49-year-old man was attacked by a bear accompanied by two cubs in the village of Sučany near Martin, northern Slovakia, on Saturday. The man suffered multiple injuries and was taken to hospital. A brown bear response team is now monitoring the area. Environment Ministry State Secretary Filip Kuffa stated that several bears are being tracked in the region and that a bear had previously been eliminated in the village. To date, 23 bears have been killed under the current bear management plan. (My Turiec)
PM Robert Fico and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan met in Yerevan on Monday to discuss boosting bilateral cooperation, particularly in the defence and energy sectors. Both leaders emphasised increasing economic exchanges between their countries. (TASR)
The High Tatras recorded a strong winter season, with a 5 percent year-on-year increase in overnight stays. More than 200,000 Slovak guests visited the mountains—the highest number in 20 years. Among foreign visitors, Poles overtook Czechs in second place. The region also saw a 15 percent rise in Polish tourists, 19 percent in Romanians, 20 percent in Britons, and 25 percent in Latvians. Seasonal closures of hiking trails in the area will end on May 31. (SITA)
Slovakia finished 11th at the 88th Ice Hockey World Championship, behind Latvia, marking the country's worst result since 2017, when it narrowly avoided relegation. The IIHF's final Power Ranking noted Latvia with the comment "We miss bronze-medal parties," and for Slovakia, "We miss bronze-medal parties even more." Slovakia is set to host the championship again in 2029, with games in Bratislava and Košice. (IIHF)
WEATHER FOR TUESDAY: A mostly sunny day ahead, though cloud cover is expected to build as the day progresses. The odd shower or spell of rain cannot be ruled out. Afternoon temperatures will climb to between 19°C and 24°C, slightly cooler in northern districts where highs of around 17°C are expected. (SHMÚ)
MAY 27 NAME DAY IN SLOVAKIA: Iveta
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