(source: TASR)
Good evening. Here is the Friday, April 5 edition of Today in Slovakia - the main news of the day in less than five minutes.
Slovakia will elect its next president on Saturday, April 6. You can follow live updates on our website on Saturday night.
Some Slovak villages still struggle to get water
The well in Malá Lehota, Banská Bystrica Region, pictured in 2017. (source: Ján Krošlák)
In Slovakia, the lack of access to mains drinking water remains a pressing concern for over 500,000 individuals residing in nearly 450 villages.
This enduring challenge underscores significant disparities in access to basic necessities across the country, with many communities relying on inadequate well water for their daily needs. Initiatives such as those underway in Blatná Polianka, a village in eastern Slovakia, highlight the urgent need for infrastructure development to ensure equitable access to clean drinking water for all citizens.
Last year, the government-backed Environmental Fund approved projects totalling €75 million that were intended to improve water infrastructure and address the longstanding issue of water access in under-served areas. The Environment Ministry says it plans to launch new grant calls in 2025.
More stories from The Slovak Spectator website
Business: A Slovak company has sold a licence to produce its AirCar flying car to a Chinese investor, paving the way for manufacturing and expansion into the rapidly growing Chinese aviation market.
Culture: A new film about an endangered bird species, the Western Capercaillie, is struggling to get a release amidst bureaucratic – and possibly political – tussles over the conservation challenges facing Slovakia.
Good news: This week's good news reports on a British tourist's casual snack tasting in Bratislava. Read other inspiring and quirky stories on The Slovak Spectator website.
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FEATURE STORY FOR THE WEEKEND
Slovak scientist to climb Mount Everest
Lucia Janičová (source: Courtesy of Lucia Janičová)
Slovak scientist Lucia Janičová, who lives in Great Britain with her daughter, is planning to become the first Slovak woman to conquer Mount Everest. She aims to inspire and motivate women to trust themselves more by embarking on the historic ascent – she herself only started mountaineering eight years ago, with little prior experience.
EVENT FOR THE WEEKEND
Unravelling rumours, hoaxes and conspiracy theories
SAVinci Scientific Café (source: SAV)
Zuzana Panczová from the Institute of Ethnology and Social Anthropology of the Slovak Academy of Science (SAV) will discuss the origins, impact and cultural resonance of rumours, hoaxes and conspiracy theories throughout history at Kácečko on Kamenné Námestie in Bratislava on Monday, April 8, at 19:00. Entrance is free!
In other news
Anti-Semite Daniel Bombic, with whom government politicians like to debate, used to heil and meet with leading neo-Nazis. The Sme newspaper obtained photos in which Bombic, for example, undresses and puts a rainbow flag on his genitals and buttocks.
Kia Slovakia has manufactured nearly five million cars and over seven million engines in its 18 years of operation near Žilina. The factory in Teplička nad Váhom, which has an annual capacity of 350,000 cars, started production in 2004 and has since produced four models. Employing 3,800 people directly and around 6,000 when suppliers are included, the average monthly wage for production workers exceeded €2,400 last year. (TASR)
The Christian Democratic Movement (KDH) opposes adding a provision on abortion rights to the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, citing the paramount importance of the right to life and member states' exclusive competencies. They plan to propose an amendment in the European Parliament to reject the initiative, emphasising the need to protect life at all stages. (TASR)
Slovakia's Foreign Ministry is advising travellers to reconsider travel to southern provinces of Thailand due to security risks, citing incidents like arson and bombings that have targeted various establishments. (TASR)
The Zastavme Korupciu (Let's Stop Corruption) foundation has criticised the government's decision to pay unscheduled €500 blanket bonuses to police, firefighters and rescuers, hinting at potential voter influence tactics. MP and paramedicFrantišek Majerský of KDH stressed the necessity for systematic salary increases over populist gestures, calling for fair compensation for deserving professions. (SITA)
The reopening of the revitalised presidential garden in downtown Bratislava on April 5, 2024. (source: TASR)
WEEKEND WEATHER
The weather on Saturday will be partly cloudy in the afternoon in the western half of the country, with occasional showers or drizzle in some places, mainly in the north and east. Isolated thunderstorms are possible during the day, but overall it should be very warm. Daytime temperatures of between 17°C and 22°C could rise to as high as 27°C on Sunday. (SHMÚ)
NAME DAY IN SLOVAKIA: Saturday - Irena, Sunday - Zoltán, Monday - Albert.
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