(source: SME.sk / Hej,ty)
Good evening. The Wednesday, November 16 edition of Today in Slovakia is ready with the main news of the day in less than five minutes.
First disinformation on Polish deadly blast appears
PM Eduard Heger holds a press briefing with Defence Minister Jaroslav Naď and MFA Rastislav Káčer on November 16, 2022, in the wake of a deadly blast in Poland. (source: TASR - Martin Baumann)
Following Tuesday's fatal explosion in Przewodów, Poland, caused by a missile fired most likely from the territory of Ukraine, Slovakia has recorded the first disinformation stories about the incident.
"Please, be cautious and verify every source," PM Eduard Heger warned people on Wednesday, stressing that Slovakia is well protected against missile attacks.
MFA Rastislav Káčer said that they are monitoring 'a whole gallery' of hoaxes trying to question the responsibility of Russia. Politicians, domestic and foreign, stressed that the incident would not have happened had there been no Russian invasion of Ukraine.
He added that Russia is trying to escalate the conflict and since it sees that it is not succeeding, it is doing so in the cruelest way and trying to cause as much suffering as possible to ordinary people.
"Yesterday's attacks were disgusting, because they wanted to prevent people from accessing heat and electricity and to make people's lives as complicated as possible."
Russia fired around 100 missiles on Ukraine on Tuesday, the largest attack on the country's energy infrastructure. The missile attack also affected the Druzhba oil pipeline, suspending Russian oil supplies to Slovakia and other countries in the region for a day.
The Slovak Economy Ministry announced on late Wednesday afternoon that oil supplies had been renewed.
Poland: President Andrzej Duda said on Wednesday that the missile that hit Przewodów, a town near the Polish-Ukrainian border, and killed two people, was not 'an attack on Poland'. He continued to say that the S-300 missile was Ukrainian, which Ukraine denies. For now, no evidence shows that Russia fired a missile to attack Poland. "There are many indications that it [S-300] was used for air defence, used by Ukrainian defence forces," the Polish president said. The blast occurred at 15:40 on November 15, just 300 m from the nearest residential area. Polish PM Mateusz Morawiecki said that it may not be necessary to activate Article 4, an instrument used to start consultations within NATO whenever a member of the Alliance feels threatened. (Gazeta Wyborcza)
Police officers work outside a grain depot where, according to the Polish government, the explosion of a Ukrainian missile killed two people in Przewodów, Poland, on November 15, 2022. (source: TASR/AP/Michal Dyjuk)
Material: In addition to 30 BVP vehicles, Slovakia will send material to Ukraine that will help civilians get through the winter. This should include clothes and electric generators, the government said on Wednesday.
Air defence: Germany has announced that its Patriot air defence systems will remain in Slovakia at least until the end of 2023. The German Defence Ministry said that continuation of the mission in 2024 is not ruled out.
Military: The Chiefs of General Staff of the Armed Forces of the V4 countries have held talks in Slovakia on mutual cooperation, support for Ukraine and illegal migration in recent days.
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More from The Slovak Spectator website:
Energy: The government adopted a document outlining the rules based on which households will receive cheap electricity.
Energy: Slovak Innovation and Energy Agency expert Michal Ilovič offers advice on heat pumps and solar panels to house and flat owners.
Travel: A waterfall in the Liptov region is now lit up.
Holiday: Slovakia will commemorate the 1989 Velvet Revolution on November 17, which is why shops will remain shut. Several protests should take place in Bratislava. Learn more about the revolution through stories in our archive.
EVENT FOR THURSDAY
Tyršák kicks off its winter edition
(source: Facebook/Tyršák)
Instead of sand and summer drinks, Tyršák Beach near the Old Bridge on the Petržalka bank of the Danube in Bratislava will radiate Christmas vibes in the coming weeks.
Visitors to the venue can taste the Christmas punch, mulled wine, Christmas delicacies, as well as see an exhibition devoted to the 1989 Velvet Revolution and buy traditional hand-made products.
The event starts at 15:00 on November 17. The venue will be open from 15:00 to 24:00 on weekdays and from 12:00 to 24:00 on weekends.
On November 19 and December 10, the Bazaar event will also be held at Tyršák. People can buy second-hand clothing there.
IN OTHER NEWS:
The number of reported cases of syphilis increased by 76 percent last year. In 2021, there were 294, and in 2020, 167. The number of reported cases of gonorrhea also increased last year. There were 424 cases, the highest in the past six years. Most cases were reported in the Bratislava Region, the National Health Information Centre said.
The no-confidence vote against Interior Minister Roman Mikulec (OĽaNO) did not take place on Tuesday as only 53 MPs were present in the debating chamber. Speaker Boris Kollár (Sme Rodina) postponed the vote to December 1.
The National Crime Agency detained former Nové Mesto mayor Rudolf Kusý on Wednesday due to suspicions of corruption. Kusý ran for Bratislava mayor two weeks ago but came in second. The arrest is not related to his pre-election campaign, assessed as the most expensive and non-transparent by Transparency International Slovakia. However, the police are looking into the financing of his campaign as well. Though not a Christian Democratic Movement member, he used the party's transparent bank account to receive money from unknown sponsors.
Artist and photographer Michal Kern exhibits his works at the Environment Ministry on the occasion of the 33rd anniversary of the Day of the Fight for Freedom and Democracy on November 16, 2022. (source: TASR - Jakub Kotian)
The hospital in Liptovský Mikuláš closed its paediatrics department on November 11. Child patients will not be admitted until November 30. The Žilina Region, which is the founder of the hospital, claims that the reason is its reconstruction, but the SME daily claims the reason is the lack of highly skilled nurses.
Nearly 4,470 illegal migrants have been detained in Slovakia since late September.
If you have suggestions on how this news overview can be improved, you can reach us at editorial@spectator.sk.
