(source: SME.sk / Hej,ty)
Good evening. The Wednesday, October 19 edition of Today in Slovakia is ready with the main news of the day in less than five minutes.
MPs' empty words and fear of LGBT+ people
Lawmakers rejected a cohabitation bill, which could have granted minimum rights to LGBT+ couples, on October 19, 2022. (source: Unsplash)
After they condemned the attacks on LGBT+ people in Slovakia, lawmakers were expected to help the community on October 19. Some politicians had hinted at this last weekend.
However, the MPs failed to adopt a cohabitation bill that could have eased the lives of unmarried couples, including same-sex ones. Most coalition lawmakers did not vote for the bill, but PM Eduard Heger promises to help the community later.
President Zuzana Čaputová does not understand the position of most MPs, and she opined in her social media post that they are afraid of the LGBT+ community.
Related: Extremist MPs Štefan Kuffa and Filip Kuffa submitted in September changes to the Education Act to parliament. Inspired by a Hungarian law, they want to ban information about LGBT+ people from being spread in schools.
More stories from The Slovak Spectator website
Conspiracy theories: Research has found that Slovakia is a record holder in the acceptance of conspiracy theories globally.
EU: Slovakia will ask the EU to double the amount of funds it can draw to help deal with the energy crisis.
History: The Modra manor house, a national cultural monument, has been opened to the public.
Women: Two-thirds of women in Slovakia report to have experienced some form of harassment.
If you like what we are doing and want to support good journalism, buy our online subscription. Thank you.
FEATURE STORY FOR WEDNESDAY
From west to east: Foreigners are going to vote
(source: TASR - Jakub Popelka)
Slovakia is heading to the 2022 municipal and regional elections. They will be held next Saturday, October 29. Here's how foreigners with permanent residence in the country are getting ready for election day.
IN OTHER NEWS:
President Zuzana Čaputová spoke at the European Parliament. She stressed that democracy should not die because of "the naivety of democrats", and that rights and freedoms can be exploited and abused. "If we do not protect democracy, we could be the last generation to experience it," she said. The protection of democracy is particularly necessary on social networks, whose business models profit from "hatred, aggression and disinformation."
On Tuesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky appointed Myroslav Kastran as the new ambassador of Ukraine to the Slovak Republic.
Former education minister Branislav Gröhling (SaS) is another politician the Bratislava gunman who killed two LGBT+ people on October 12 had wanted to murder. Smer chair Robert Fico was also on his list, the Markíza television channel wrote.
The Transport Ministry proposes increasing the prices of highway stickers from next year.
President Zuzana Čaputová speaks to MEPs in Strasbourg on October 19, 2022. Click on the picture to watch her speech. (source: TASR - Jaroslav Novák)
The electronic parking system in Bratislava is already working. After an outage it was restored in the early afternoon.
The Constitutional Court announced that it will decide on the referendum on early elections next Wednesday. President Zuzana Čaputová addressed the court on September 13.
To help the EU become climate neutral, MEPs want car-recharging stations every 60 km, hydrogen refuelling stations every 100 km and fewer emissions from ships.
MEPs have awarded the brave people of Ukraine, represented by their president, elected leaders and civil society, the 2022 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought.
If you have suggestions on how this news overview can be improved, you can reach us at editorial@spectator.sk.
