Good evening. Here is theThursday, July 25 edition of Today in Slovakia - the main news of the day in less than five minutes.
Fico’s salary stuns Slovakia
PM Robert Fico on July 9, 2024. (source: TASR)
In a startling revelation, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico’s salary has been disclosed to be 7.6 times the national gross average, positioning him as the second highest-paid head of government in Europe by this metric. Earning €132,000 annually, Fico’s remuneration underscores a significant disparity when compared to the average Slovak citizen’s income.
Fico, however, trails behind Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who holds the top spot. Meanwhile, Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala ranks third, according to an investigative report by the journalism platform VSquare.org.
The revelation comes amid recent legislative changes that could see Fico benefit further financially. Coalition MPs have passed a law granting him a lifetime salary following a harrowing shooting attack on the prime minister in May.
Despite the high relative salary, Fico does not claim the title of the wealthiest prime minister in absolute terms. Leaders from wealthier nations such as Germany and Austria earn significantly more. For instance, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz commands an annual income of €348,300.
MORE STORIES FROM THE SLOVAK SPECTATOR WEBSITE
Slovak Matters: “I find it strange that Slovaks are perfectly comfortable stripping down to the bare essentials during the summer,” writes Briton Conrad Toft in the latest edition of our Slovak language corner, which this time delves into summer holiday vocabulary.
Investigation: The General Prosecutor’s Office rules out wrongdoing by prison guards in the death of the ex-police chief.
Police: Rožňava police station’s lift ‘irreparable’—Why no fix after five years?
Business: Without the third block in Mochovce and the carmakers, Slovak industry would have been in a deep year-on-year deficit, the detailed data reveals.
Travel: The iconic yet contentious sightseeing tower in the heart of the Tatras might find itself packing up and moving to another location in the future.
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TRAVEL STORY
Baranec trek: Tough climb, rewarding quiet summit
Resting on Baranec's summit after demanding hike (source: Jana Liptáková)
What was promised as an easy forest stroll turned out to be a gruelling 20.5 km hike with a 1,500 m elevation gain. Despite the challenge, the breathtaking panoramic views from the 2,184-metre Baranec summit, including vistas of the Liptov region and neighbouring mountain ranges, made the effort worthwhile, writes our colleague and hiker Jana Liptáková.
WHAT TO DO IN BRATISLAVA
Picnic with a Roman twist
The Ancient Gerulata Museum in Bratislava-Rusovce. (source: Bratislava City Museum)
This Saturday, the Ancient Gerulata Museum, a former Roman camp, will host a vibrant picnic event featuring hands-on activities like crafting jewellery and planting exotic trees. People can also enjoy a guided tour, live music, food, and bird watching in the picturesque Rusovce Park.
There are plenty of other events to explore—just check out the latest edition of Top 10 events in Bratislava.
IN OTHER NEWS
The police are warning about a complete closure of the D1 motorway from kilometre 27 to kilometre 12.5 in the direction from Trnava to Bratislava. The traffic restriction will start on Friday, July 26, at 22:00 and will last until Saturday, July 27, at 12:00.
If Slovakia fails to meet its recovery plan targets, it could lose up to €2 billion, according to a June analysis by government analysts for Prime Minister Robert Fico. The ministries of health and environment are currently facing the most challenges in implementing the recovery plan. Slovakia has two years left to accomplish its goals. (Euractiv)
New regulations could soon require soldiers to have photographs of their tattoos added to the military’s identification records. The proposed change to the Professional Soldiers’ State Service Act, which the Defence Ministry wants to fast-track, aims to keep tattoo images up-to-date throughout the service of tattooed soldiers. This move is also intended to help identify soldiers with tattoos that include controversial symbols, such as those associated with fascism or extremism.
A bear attacked a 34-year-old man on a bicycle on a forest path in Martin district, central Slovakia, on Wednesday evening. The man suffered a leg injury during the encounter and had to be admitted into hospital. (TASR)
Melon harvest in Marcelová, Komárno district, southern Slovakia on Wednesday, July 24, 2024. (source: TASR)
The Socialisti.sk movement has criticised Robert Fico’s government, labelling it as non-leftist. “Instead of working to improve conditions for workers, the government focuses only on its own people and their impunity,” the party stated in a statement on social media. Party leader and former Communist Party member Artur Bekmatov, along with founder Eduard Chmelár, known for his pro-Russian views, are advisers to Prime Minister Fico. The party’s stance shifted following its June congress.
After the European elections in June, Slovakia has won the highest number of positions in the European Parliament ever. Five of 15 Slovak MEPs have been elected to the EP leadership and its committees: Martin Hojsík (Progressive Slovakia) has once again become a vice-president of the European Parliament, Miriam Lexmann (KDH) became a quaestor, Ľudovít Ódor (Progressive Slovakia) has become a vice-chair of the Economic and Monetary Affairs committee of the European Parliament, Ľubica Karvašová (Progressive Slovakia) will be one of the vice-chairs of the committee on regional development, Lucia Yar (Progressive Slovakia) will hold the same functions in the committee on budgets. (Euractiv)
WEATHER FOR FRIDAY: Expect clear to partly cloudy skies. Daytime temperatures will range from 27°C to 32°C, with the northern regions seeing temperatures around 25°C. (SHMÚ)
JULY 26 NAME DAY IN SLOVAKIA: Anna, Hana, Anita, Aneta.
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