(source: SME.sk / Hej,ty)
Good evening. Here is the Thursday, October 20 edition of Today in Slovakia - the main news of the day in less than five minutes.
Slovak government should take a stand against hatred
The European Parliament. (source: TASR/AP)
In a resolution approved on Thursday, the European Parliament called on the Slovak government to take a "clear step" in protecting LGBT+ people from hate crimes.
Last week, after years of intolerance of LGBT+ people fuelled by politicians, the Church, and others, two young people were killed outside Tepláreň, a gay bar in central Bratislava.
Among other things, the resolution also called on the government to take action to stop the violation of LGBT+ people's human rights.
Read more about the LGBT+ people in Slovakia:
Parliament is afraid of granting rights to LGBT+ community, president says.
Years of LGBT+ intolerance in Slovakia culminate in two killings.
Tepláreň was a home, a safe space for LGBT+ people in Bratislava.
What the murder of two LGBT+ people in Bratislava reminds us of.
More stories on Spectator.sk
LANGUAGE: Slovak linguists change the dictionary definition of love.
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Feature story for today
The October 12 terrorist attack on the queer community has shaken the country. But solidarity among LGBT+ people and with the wider public has spread beyond Slovakia’s borders.
The Hague was one of many foreign cities where the queer community and its allies came together to commemorate Juraj Vankulič, who identified as non-binary, and Matúš Horváth, a bisexual man, who were both killed in the Bratislava attack.
In Slovakia, more and more queer people are now asking the question: Is Slovakia my home?
Picture of the day
An official send-off for 40 members of the Police Corps before they are sent on a two-month mission to the Hungarian-Serbian border to help stop illegal migration.
(source: TASR)
In other news
Weather forecast for Friday and the weekend according to the Slovak Hydrometeorological Institute. Friday will be mostly cloudy, with daily maximum temperatures between 12 and 17 degrees Celsius expected. Saturday will be mostly cloudy again, with daily temperatures between 12 and 17 degrees. Sunday will see mostly cloudy weather but daily temperatures will rise to between 15 to 20 degrees.
Police Corps President Štefan Hamran has ordered an investigation into the actions of officers called to an alleged homophobic attack in a Bratislava restaurant last weekend in which two people were beaten after they kissed. According to one of the alleged victims, police tried to downplay the situation and were unwilling to help them file a criminal complaint. The incident is among a number of reports of attacks on LGBT+ people following the killing of two LGBT+ people in Bratislava last week.
The biggest concern for people over 50 is a low standard of life and a rising cost of living, followed by worries over health and a lack of medical care, according to a survey by the Focus polling agency for the Institute for Public Affairs. Other concerns for those over 50 were loneliness, labour market discrimination, and disrespect of the needs of the elderly by the state and among wider society.
The Friedrich Naumann Foundation in Germany has awarded Slovak President Zuzana Čaputová the Freedom Prize for her efforts in the development of civil society and liberal values. "As president, Zuzana Čaputová stands as part of the tradition of Central and Eastern European civil rights activists who successfully promote liberal democracy both in opposition and in government," reads the statement.
Bratislava's Petržalka district has launched a new website with a map and information about cultural facilities, sports fields and playgrounds, greenery, landmarks, and social service facilities. It also gives details on upcoming elections and a list of parking spaces for drivers. The website is currently only in Slovak.
If you have suggestions on how this news overview can be improved, you can reach us at editorial@spectator.sk.
