Good evening. Here is the Monday, November 25 edition of Today in Slovakia - the main news of the day in less than five minutes.
Author of new anthem arrangement on who it is for
From left: Culture Ministry's chief of staff Lukáš Machala, composer Oskar Rózsa, and extremist Daniel Bombic AKA Danny Kollár. (source: Facebook/NaDruhomBrehu)
Two prominent personalities of the Slovak disinformation scene, namely culture minister's right-hand man Lukáš Machala and composer and musician Oskar Rózsa, who has been commissioned by the government to produce a new musical arrangement of the national anthem, travelled to the UK together and met anti-Semitic extremist Daniel Bombic, reports the Sme daily.
In a photo posted to social media, they were shown posing next to Bombic as he displayed a neo-Nazi "white power" symbol using the fingers of his left hand.
"Don't you dare associate me with neo-Nazism or mention this term in regards to me in any way," Rózsa said in a video, who then responded to criticism regarding the new arrangement.
"I'm not making this anthem for you. You still don't get it that it's not your anthem," he said, adding that it is for "a completely different group of people. And believe me, there are significantly more of them than there are of you – no matter how loud you are. Your time is running out".
The ministry will pay €45,600 for the arrangement. Rózsa himself will earn €20,000 while the rest will cover the production.
Bombic faces charges of extremism, dangerous stalking, defamation, and dangerous electronic harassment and is hiding in London. On January 30 next year, he will be heard by a court in regards to his extradition. Although Bombic has resisted extradition to Slovakia for a long time, he claims the opposite to his fans on social media.
Related: Several members of the Slovak anti-fascist movement are calling on the government to dismiss Lukáš Machala as the Culture Ministry's chief of staff over the picture with Bombic. Otherwise, it would be clear that the government tolerates extremism. They point to Culture Minister Martina Šimkovičová blaming queer people for the decline of Europe and mentioning the "white race" in this regard as well. They also condemn Rózsa's attacks on the LGBT+ community and saying that one's group time is running out. The opposition party SaS also called for Machala's dismissal. (SITA)
MORE STORIES FROM THE SLOVAK SPECTATOR WEBSITE
LAST WEEK: Thanking Putin while wearing Slovak army uniforms, two men show what is wrong with Slovakia.
MINORITIES: A foreigner recalls his coming out in Slovakia. After all, the country is not exactly known for its progressive stance on LGBT+ issues.
FESTIVITIES: Prices of Christmas market delicacies have increased compared to last year. What to expect?
DEVELOPMENT: Inspired by Paris and Utrecht, historic waterway may return to the wider Košice centre.
BUSINESS: Courts deal with disputes concerning police war and late gas supplies from Russia.
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY: Flavour or brand? How Slovak lawyers fight for a popular name and other unusual disputes.
FOOD AND DRINKS: Take a culinary tour of Bratislava, with stops at Savoy and Verne.
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INTERVIEW
Of humans and robots
AI and robotics expert Igor Farkaš. (source: ESET Science Award/Linda Kisková Bohušová)
Many movies have shown what a world with robots and artificial intelligence might look like. Are we already in one of those worlds? In an interview, Igor Farkaš, an expert on AI and robotics who won this year's ESET Science Award in the Outstanding Academic in Slovakia, talks about why robotics is focused on humanoid machines, and how cognitive science can provide inspiration for robotics and AI.
EVENT FOR THE WEEK
Listen to inspirational music
The Slovak Radio building in Bratislava will be one of the venues of the Next music festival. (source: TASR)
Taking place between November 27 - December 1, the Next music festival aims to celebrate exploratory music and sonic art by showcasing electronic music experiments, freeform improvisation, and audiovisual projects, among many other things. The event will take place in several venues in Bratislava and in addition to performances, it will offer workshops, discussions and other activities even for the general public. Find out more here.
IN OTHER NEWS
On Tuesday, the final parliamentary session of this year is set to begin. The coalition's goal of passing the budget for the next year will be put to a test as it currently has 76 MPs. Deputy Speaker of Parliament and SNS chair Andrej Danko is convinced that the coalition will be successful. It was from this party's caucus that three MPs defected in October, putting the coalition under pressure. In addition, Interior Minister Matúš Šutaj Eštok (Hlas) should face a no-confidence vote on Tuesday, initiated by opposition MPs who criticise him for the current situation in the Police Corps, including the police brutality that saw a homeless man beaten to death in November.
Last year, the police recorded a total of almost 2,400 cases of violent and moral crimes committed against women and girls in Slovakia. (TASR)
Last Friday, the Christmas tree in Hlavné Námestie square was lit to open this year's Christmas market. (source: TASR)
On Friday, the reigning basketball champions of Spain defeated Slovak players 76-72 in double overtime on the road. However, the Slovak team were about to shock the basketball world after taking the lead in the third quarter, but the Spaniard Santiago Yusta scored a spectacular three-pointer just four-tenths of a second before the buzzer, securing the second overtime and eventually winning. (Sportnet)
On Saturday, Bratislava police and firefighters saved a moored ship that started to sink in the Danube River due to leakage into its sub-deck. The situation was resolved in several hours. No one was onboard the ship while it was sinking. 15 firefighters were deployed. (SME)
The situation in the Slovak financial sector is developing favourably and its resilience is high, according to the current Financial Stability Report presented by Slovakia's central bank (NBS). (TASR)
Thanks to the first heavier snowfall, locals and visitors of the High Tatras could enjoy the first sledding of the season over the weekend. (source: TASR)
WEATHER FOR TUESDAY: Cloudy to overcast skies, locally foggy and occasional, rain and showers especially expected in the west. Daily temperatures up to 10 °C. Level 1 wind warning issued for the mountains in central and north Slovakia. (SHMÚ)
NOVEMBER 26 NAME DAY IN SLOVAKIA: Kornel
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