Good evening. Here is the Wednesday, July 24 edition of Today in Slovakia - the main news of the day in less than five minutes.
What is the state of Slovakia's rule of law?
The seat of the European Commission in Brussels. (source: TASR/AP)
In its annual state of the rule of law report, the European Commission (EC) issued 7 recommendations for Slovakia. These follow up on those from last year that have been implemented either only partially or not at all, reports TASR newswire.
The EC's recommendations concern, among other things, the independence of the members of the Judicial Council with regard to their dismissal and the observance of safeguards for cases in which judges should be held criminally liable for the crime of 'bending the law' in connection with their rulings.
Slovakia should also submit legislative proposals to regulate lobbying and bolster legislation concerning conflicts of interest and asset declarations; no progress in these areas were made last year, according to the EC.
The report further expresses concern over the power of the prosecutor-general to overrule decisions made by prosecutors. Attention was also drawn to the scrapping of the Special Prosecutor's Office, which took place despite EC's concerns that the abolition may have impacted cases under investigation and jeopardised the effectiveness and independence of their prosecution.
The EC also pointed to Penal Code amendments that reduce penalties for corruption and related crimes. Slovakia should also ensure effective and independent investigations and prosecutions of high-level corruption cases.
On the other hand, Slovakia has made some progress in improving the physical safety and working environment of journalists; still, further progress is recommended. The bill regarding scrapping of public broadcaster RTVS and establishing state broadcaster STVR raises concerns about its independence.
The final EC recommendation is to ensure effective public consultation and stakeholder involvement in the law-making process. Slovakia made no progress in this area last year.
MORE STORIES FROM THE SLOVAK SPECTATOR WEBSITE
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TRAVEL: You can find more than you expect in Košice, from historical monuments to culinary experiences, including one of Slovakia's oldest breweries.
EDUCATION: New rules regarding school absence notes issued in order to improve compulsory attendance.
OPINION: Culture Ministry's absolutism will not destroy culture.
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FEATURE STORY
The Košice revolution
Košice in eastern Slovakia. (source: SME-Marko Erd)
Košice has become a popular destination for tourists, thanks to the arrival of low-cost airlines. Most of the visitors have the so-called Košice syndrome.
"They do not know what to expect from this city. Many are pleasantly surprised and even excited, others are disappointed," says Igor Kupec, a co-founder of Local Nomad said, a unique travel agency dedicated to showcasing the lesser-known wonders of Košice and its surroundings. As such, it has become the go-to choice for curious travellers.
FESTIVAL FOR THIS WEEK
The future of culture
On July 26-27, the sixth edition of the Fráj multigenre festival takes place in Rimavská Sobota, southern Slovakia. In cooperation with the [fjúžn] multicultural festival, Fráj will bring a varied selection of musical performances, literature, poetry, films, theatre, discussions and workshops.
The theme of this year's edition is '(Ne)istoty' ((Un)certainty). The organisers want to draw attention to possible threats not only the culture in the region, but in the country as well is facing.
IN OTHER NEWS
According to President Peter Pellegrini, Slovakia might take retaliatory measures against Ukraine for its decision to cut off Russian energy company Lukoil's oil supplies to the country, adding it undermines good neighbourly relations. "I firmly believe that Ukraine will manage to set things right as soon as possible," he said, underscoring that Slovakia is one of the key suppliers of electricity to Ukraine and it has always acted as a responsible partner in the provision of supplies. (TASR)
The General Prosecutor's Office did not find any unlawful intentional or negligent conduct on the part of members of the Prison and Judicial Guard Corps (ZVJS) in the case of the death of former police chief Milan Lučanský, who died in custody in 2020. An investigator of the Interior Ministry's police inspectorate dropped the prosecution in the case in September 2023. Miroslav Radačovský, lawyer of the bereaved, then filed a complaint against this decision, but the complaint was dismissed as unfounded by a prosecutor in February. Radačovský subsequently filed a request for a review of the legality of the investigator's and prosecutor's decision. (TASR, Aktuality)
The state of construction of the Volvo plant in Valaliky near Košice, eastern Slovakia, as of July 23. Areas where car bodies are made, painted, a technical building and infrastructure projects including road paving and pipeline have been constructed. (source: TASR)
President Peter Pellegrini would like to personally meet PM Robert Fico (Smer), adding that the meeting could take place in late August. He also said that he is open to holding a round-table meeting of all leaders of parliamentary parties that he wanted to first hold following the assassination attempt on Fico in May. (TASR)
The salary inequality between men and women in Slovakia increased slightly in 2024. The pay gap is mainly caused by the level of women's higher education, their ability to find a job, maternity leave and child care. Employment in which women and men work also has an impact on wages, reports National Bank of Slovakia in its report on structural challenges of the current year. (TASR)
Currently, more than 15,000 travellers with up to 2,000 vehicles have bought train tickets from Bratislava to Split, Croatia, until the end of this holiday season. Of these, around half have already travelled to the sea. The trains will be operated until early October. Find out more about them here. (ZSSK)
Tourists on rafts on the Dunajec river in the Pieniny national park, northeastern Slovakia. (source: TASR)
WEATHER FOR THURSDAY: Cloud cover will change, occasional showers and rain expected especially in the northern parts of the country. Daily temperatures will rise to between 25 °C to 30 °C, or between 20 °C to 25 °C again in the north. (SHMÚ)
JULY 25 NAME DAY IN SLOVAKIA: Jakub, Timur
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