Good evening. Here is the Tuesday, November 7 edition of Today in Slovakia - the main news of the day in less than five minutes.
Government's attack on NGOs begins
Labour Minister Erik Tomáš. (source: TASR)
The Labour Ministry will change the way the parental pension, a contribution paid by children to their parents' pensions that was introduced by the previous government, works.
The parental pension is enshrined in the constitution, and it is thus difficult to abolish it. Children can choose how they pay the voluntary contribution: social insurance contributions or taxes (2 percent of their income tax).
However, the government wants to go with the second option now.
"We can't cancel it, but we don't event want to," said Labour Minister Erik Tomáš (Hlas), adding that the change could become valid from January 1, 2024.
The announced change would mean less money for various NGOs, though. Many of them obtain money through 2 percent of tax, which people and firms can send them. This change was not discussed with the Government Council for NGOs, an advisory body to the government.
Tomáš wants to obtain roughly €300 million through the change to partially cover the increased 13th pensions.
Zastavme Korupciu (anti-corruption NGO Let's Stop Corruption): This step will harm not only anti-corruption non-profit organisations, but also, for example, organisations that help the elderly or seriously ill people, the NGO said. According to the organisation, PM Robert Fico has started to fulfil his threats that NGOs will be the government's main enemy.
Related: The Smer-led government plans to adopt the 'foreign agents' law.
More stories from The Slovak Spectator website
Politics: A top Police Inspectorate official was stopped by the police in a theatrical way on Monday morning to be told about his prosecution. The opposition accuses the government of intimidating police officers.
Travel: A small town in central Slovakia bets it all on via ferratas, and boulders that, some say, look like faces.
Culture: Get to know Gigi Green, a young Slovak-English singer and songwriter who decided to study international law in the Netherlands.
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FEATURE STORY FOR TUESDAY
What's new in Slovak science
An old Hungarian burial ground from the 10th century on the territory of the future Valaliky Strategic Park, where archaeologists discovered more than 260 graves on June 20, 2023 in Valaliky, near Košice. (source: TASR)
From Eset Science Award winners and archaeological discoveries near Košice to a Slovak scientist who trains chatbots. Dive into our quarterly overview of amazing stories about Slovak science.
EVENT FOR NOVEMBER
Reading for Tehran Streets
From the series Reading for Tehran Streets. (source: Maryam Firuzi)
The Month of Photography event takes place in Bratislava throughout November. One of the events takes place in the Umelka gallery. It presents the photos taken by Iranian artists: Maryam Firuzi and Gohar Dashti.
Time: daily from 12:00 to 18:00
Admission: €3
Venue: Galéria Slovenskej Výtvarnej Únie – Umelka, Dostojevského Rad 2
In other news
Almost 500 Spanish soldiers are currently taking part in a military exercise in the Lešť military training area in central Slovakia. The drill with Slovak soldiers will last one week.
Transport Minister Jozef Ráž (Smer nom.) appointed Alexander Sako new head of the national railway infrastructure company ŽSR on Tuesday. Sako is the ex-husband of Economy Minister Denisa Saková. Saková is a former
defenceinterior minister. Sako is an experienced manager, the ministry said. Former ŽSR director Radovan Štefánek was removed from the post after seven weeks.Slovak National Party (SNS) chair Andrej Danko announced that Bratislava airport director Dušan Kekéti would be appointed Slovakia's tourism and sport minister. The Tourism and Sport Ministry will be established in January 2024. Danko would also like to see the "national menu" be introduced in restaurants. Under the previous Smer-led coalition government, the SNS began to call the state-owned railway carrier ZSSK the "national carrier".
Former diplomat and ex-foreign minister Ivan Korčok has collected the necessary 15,000 signatures to join the presidential race next year. He announced his candidacy in August. Another ex-foreign minister, Ján Kubiš, is also collecting signatures. A presidential candidate can also be proposed by 15 MPs. Speaker of Parliament Peter Pellegrini (Hlas) considers running for the post, too.
The largest Slovak company is Volkswagen Slovakia, according to the latest ranking of the largest companies in Central and Eastern Europe by turnover - Coface CEE TOP 500. (SITA)
The tourist area Alpinka in the Čermeľské Údolie valley near Košice offers a new attraction: a three-level 3D maze. (source: TASR)
WEATHER FOR WEDNESDAY: Prepare yourself for cloudy skies, rain or showers in most regions of Slovakia. The highest daytime temperature will rise to 13°C.(SHMÚ)
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