Good evening. Here is theFriday, November 24 edition of Today in Slovakia - the main news of the day in less than five minutes.
Expo Dubai audit confirms money was squandered
Richard Sulík at the Slovak pavilion during Dubai Expo 2020. (source: TASR)
The Supreme Audit Office has found that the Economy Ministry inefficiently spent a total of €634,000 from the state budget when preparing and running the Slovak pavilion at the EXPO 2020 Dubai event.
In addition, €400,000 that was spent on running a restaurant in the pavilion is the subject of legal proceedings. There were problems with the pavilion even before the event started.
The report will be submitted to parliament and the Government Audit Office. The case is also being dealt with by prosecutors.
The event took place from October 2021 until March 2022 and became known as a "trip for friends" for SaS leader Richard Sulík, who at the time served as economy minister. He denied any wrongdoing.
The total costs of the Slovak participation reached almost €11 million, which was paid from the state budget. According to the audit, the ministry did not set measurable goals and did not pay enough attention to budget planning either.
"The Economy Ministry was unable to demonstrate to the inspectors the frugality of the public funds spent," said the office's vice-president, Henrieta Crkoňová.
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FEATURE STORY FOR FRIDAY
Restoring Petržalka's original artworks
The restored painting in Petržalka (source: Ivana Vrabľová, Petržalka borough)
The Umenie v Petržalke (Art in Petržalka) community has successfully finished a second project to restore original artworks that were painted on blocks of flats in the largest borough of Bratislava soon after they were constructed, beginning in the 1970s.
Following the 2015 reconstruction of a painting entitled Mier (Peace), Umenie v Petržalke has now restored the second of eight monumental paintings.
Read a selection of positive stories from Slovakia.
EVENTS IN BRATISLAVA AND SLOVAKIA
It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas
Christmas decorations in Bratislava. (source: BKIS Lucia Benedigová)
Towns all over Slovakia are currently opening their Christmas markets, with more to follow suit in the coming weeks. Find out here where the markets are being opened this weekend. In addition, get tips on other activities, including a board gaming event, and a suggested hike.
Or, if you're not feeling particularly Christmassy, be sure to check out our selection of events in Bratislava, where you can find a Cuban Night, a film festival and more.
IN OTHER NEWS
Had a presidential election taken place in November, Hlas chair Peter Pellegrini would have won with 40 percent of the vote, a survey carried out by the AKO polling agency on behalf of private station TV Joj has shown. However, he has yet to announce if he will run for the office. Ex-foreign affairs minister Ivan Korčok would have ended runner-up with 30.4 percent of votes. An earlier November poll by the Ipsos polling agency showed the former had the best chance of becoming Slovakia's next president. (TASR)
The convoy of trucks waiting to cross the Slovak-Ukrainian border at Vyšné Nemecké-Uzhhorod is currently about 13 kilometres long, according to police. The crossing point has come under pressure following a blockade of four Polish-Ukrainian border crossing points in recent weeks. Polish hauliers are demanding that the EU reintroduce a permit system to limit the number of Ukrainian lorries entering the EU. Slovak hauliers have supported their initiative and on Saturday will decide whether to block the Slovak border crossing.
On Friday, Kia Slovakia manufactured its seven-millionth engine at its plant in Teplička nad Váhom, Žilina Region, the company announced, adding that it was a 1.6-litre petrol aggregate that will be fitted to a plug-in hybrid version of the Kia Sportage model. The company launched production in Slovakia in 2006. (TASR)
A total of 115 new professional soldiers took their military oath on the premises of the Háj Nicovô memorial in Liptovský Mikuláš, northern Slovakia on Friday. They were the last group among almost 1,100 new soldiers to join the ranks of the Slovak armed forces this year. (TASR)
Speaker of Parliament Peter Pellegrini (Hlas) is set to visit Prague on November 30. The president of the upper house of the Czech parliament, the senate, Miloš Vystrčil, says that he wants to ask Pellegrini about the Slovak government's recent moves affecting the media and the police. (TASR)
Participants in the 10th edition of the Noc Vonku (Night Out) event, held by the Vagus civic association. The event aims to bring attention to the worsening situation of homeless people in Slovakia. (source: TASR)
WEATHER FOR THE WEEKEND
Throughout Saturday, cloud cover will change, with rain and snow falling in many places. Daytime temperatures of between -3°C and 6°C are expected. Sunday will be similar, with more snow expected in northern parts of Slovakia. Daily temperatures will be between -5°C and 4°C. (SHMÚ)
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