Good evening. Here is the Wednesday, October 16 edition of Today in Slovakia - the main news of the day in less than five minutes.
Bratislava-Košice train trip to take 45 minutes longer
Bratislava main railway station. (source: SME - Marko Erd)
The new train schedule does not include InterCity trains operating between Bratislava and Košice, which means they are most likely to be cancelled, reports the Denník N daily.
However, that does not mean there will be fewer trains. Quite the contrary, Tatran Express trains are to depart every hour instead of two-hour intervals. While it takes approximately 4 hours 45 minutes for an IC train to travel between both cities, an Express train covers the same route in about 5 and half hours, not counting any delays.
The daily reports that the reason is that IC trains have been unprofitable for a long time. At the moment, four pairs of IC trains operate between Bratislava and Košice.
However, the Transport Ministry, headed by Smer nominee Jozef Ráž, will have the final word on their future.
The former head of the Transport Ministry's railway department, Jiří Kubáček, considers the move logical. Since the schedule two years ago took away four stations from the route operated by Express trains, shortening the travel time by an hour, the difference between both categories has diminished.
Greenpeace Slovakia criticised the move, arguing that railway transport needs investment instead of cancellations, as railway transport is the most ecological means of transport.
At the same time, the ministry has announced a public competition to reintroduce regular flights between Bratislava and Košice. The goal is to commence the connection between two of the biggest cities in the country at the turn of March and April next year.
Previously, the flights were operated by Czech Airlines. The company cancelled them in 2018 due to being unprofitable and low interest. Not even higher state subsidies changed the company's decision, reports Index magazine.
Opposition party Progressive Slovakia (PS) asked Transport Minister Jozef Ráž to not cancel the IC trains. In addition, in the next few days the party will be initiating a petition. The Slovensko (formerly OĽaNO) launched its own on Wednesday.
"I know of no other country in Western Europe or in the world that would make rail travel between its two biggest cities take longer. On the contrary, the trend is to go in the opposite direction and we can now see we have it backwards," said PS caucus head Martin Dubéci, as quoted by Korzár, adding that a fast train connection is important for the eastern part of Slovakia.
MORE STORIES FROM THE SLOVAK SPECTATOR WEBSITE
INVESTMENT: South Korean company to invest €170 million in former mining town, creating hundreds of jobs.
TRAVEL: In Jelšava, off-road vehicles take tourists into the depths of an unseen underground world.
TRAINS: Reconstruction of one of the finest examples of Baťa architecture finished, have a look.
If you like what we are doing and want to support good journalism, buy our online subscription with no ads and a print copy of The Slovak Spectator sent to your home in Slovakia. Thank you.
FEATURE STORY
Commuting abroad in droves
(source: unsplash)
When it comes to cross-border commuting in Europe, Slovaks rank among the clear winners. Last year, more than 116,000 people worked abroad. These are people with a permanent residence in Slovakia, but generally travel to another country for a week to work.
"Commuters make up almost five percent of all employed people in Slovakia, one of the highest figures in the European Union," the Institute of Financial Policy (IFP) at the Finance Ministry cites in a report.
EVENT FOR THE COMING DAYS
Documentary film festival
The Kino Lumiere cinema. (source: TASR)
The Jeden Svet (One World) documentary film festival is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. As always, the event showcases the best works of both domestic and foreign documentarians. During 10 days (October 18-27), you will be able to watch a selection of animated films, a documentary about the reconstruction of the Slovak National Gallery, another about a family that lives in the wild, and more. Click here to learn more about the films and get the tickets. The main programme will be screened at the Kino Lumière cinema in Bratislava.
IN OTHER NEWS
Bird flu was reported in the Veľká Fatra National Park after a dead grey heron specimen was found and examined. The animal was found in the territory of the village of Dubové, Žilina Region and showed no signs of any injuries. Migration of birds takes place this time of year, increasing the chance of transmission of bird flu and other diseases. People are advised not to handle dead or sick birds and report any find to a park administration. (NP Veľká Fatra)
According to PM Robert Fico (Smer), prices of bread should drop from January next year thanks to a decrease in VAT. Currently, the lowest bread prices in some chains reach over €1.6 per kilogram; several years ago, it was around €0.83 to €0.90. The PM also did not rule out the possibility that eggs and food for coeliacs could be included in the list of foodstuffs with 5-percent VAT rate. However, Slovak Agriculture and Food Chamber chair Andrej Gajdoš is of a different opinion and said that a reduced VAT will not automatically mean a reduction in food prices as it does not solve the increased costs associated with fees for transaction tax and the tax on profits. (TASR, SME)
Baked bread. (source: TASR)
After last year's record summer season, Košice Airport now reports an even greater influx of passengers during this year's summer, resulting in record season for the second time in a row. In total, compared to previous year, 18.3 percent more passengers came through the airport in the first nine months of 2024 than in the same period of 2023. The most popular destination was by far Antalya in Turkey, followed by Larnaca in Cyprus, Hurghada in Egypt, Rhodes in Greece and Burgas in Bulgaria. (SITA)
According to Slovak Information Service (SIS) head Pavol Gašpar, PM Robert Fico (Smer) didn't order or request any report on the assassination attempt against him from the agency, adding that it would pose a possible conflict of interest. The PM himself denied this as well, saying if anyone requested such a thing, it was opposition MPs. However, on Tuesday, Interior Minister and Hlas party leader Matúš Šutaj Eštok, Fico's coalition partner, confirmed this. Later on the day he corrected himself, saying that he did not talk about the SIS report on the assassination attempt from May 15, but rather a report concerning other potential attacks on the prime minister.
Bratislava airport will switch to winter flight schedule on October 27, during which five airlines will provide regular flights to 19 destinations. In addition, passengers can use charter flights to get directly to 12 exotic destinations such as Qatar, Bahrain, Dubai, Vietnam, Hurghada and more. One novelty will be the first-ever flights from the airport with a Boeing 787-9 aircraft, known as the Dreamliner, launching on October 30 to Mauritius and Phuket in Thailand. (TASR)
Homeless people took photos of their day, their works have been put on display on the Umelka Gallery wall in the direction of the Starý Most bridge. The collection of pictures is called "I have no home, but I live" and was created by clients of the non-profit Depaul Slovakia charity. (source: TASR)
WEATHER FOR THURSDAY: Mostly sunny, with cloud cover increasing throughout the day. Daily temperatures between 10 °C to 17 °C expected. Level 1 wind warning issued for several districts in western Slovakia. (SHMÚ)
OCTOBER 17 NAME DAY IN SLOVAKIA: Hedviga
Thank you for subscribing and reading. It means a lot to us.
P.S. If you have suggestions on how our news overview can be improved, you can reach us at editorial@spectator.sk.
Follow The Slovak Spectator on Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram(@slovakspectator).
