Welcome to Today in Slovakia – your Thursday briefing with the top news in one place.
Sold a power bank, ended up in a drug report
Sam Clarance stands next to a screengrab from the video aired by TV Markíza’s Reflex programme, which falsely suggested he was involved in a drug deal. (source: Courtesy, Sam Clarance)
A foreign resident in Bratislava has found himself at the centre of an unexpected media storm after a second-hand sale was mistaken for a drug deal in a widely viewed Slovak TV report, Oscar Brophy reports for The Slovak Spectator.
Sam Jessan Clarance, originally from India, sold a used power bank for €10 via Vinted in February 2025. Months later, he recognised himself in a blurred clip aired by TV Markíza’s Reflex, which implied the exchange was part of street-level drug activity in the capital.
Clarance, who has no criminal record, was not contacted for comment before the broadcast. While Markíza later issued a private apology, the video remains online, and the station has denied any wrongdoing, citing an unnamed police expert’s assessment of the footage.
The incident comes amid growing concern over drug use in Bratislava’s 500 bytov estate, where Clarance lives. Local residents have called for stronger intervention, criticising both police inaction and rising insecurity.
MORE STORIES FROM THE SLOVAK SPECTATOR
Copy-paste thesis: A Smer MP who once railed against academic dishonesty is now under fire himself, after revelations that his university thesis appears nearly identical to a classmate’s.
Attacks: Foreign students in the city of Nitra say they were assaulted for speaking Ukrainian, fuelling fears over rising xenophobia.
Virus: Slovakia is battling a foot-and-mouth outbreak that has shuttered zoos, paralysed farms and fuelled a storm of online disinformation.
Final pour: After 122 years of distilling tradition, Prešov’s last spirit maker has closed its doors as western competitors take over production.
Skate for free: Bratislava is offering free public ice skating during City Days on 26–27 April – a cool way to spend the weekend with friends and family.
Hidden gem: A low-profile bistro in Trnava quietly serves some of Slovakia’s most stylish and satisfying dishes – if you can find it.
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HISTORY
When a Slovak farm boy changed modern communication
A postcard of the American town of Wilkes-Barre shows antennas for wireless telegraphy; on the right, the Slovak church where Murgaš served. (source: EXPLORE PENNSYLVANIA HISTORY)
Long before smartphones and Bluetooth, a Slovak priest in Pennsylvania was quietly laying the groundwork for wireless communication. Jozef Murgaš, once dismissed by authorities at home, would go on to transmit the human voice by radio — decades before it became mainstream.
VIRAL VIDEO
Horse collapses at Pribylina museum, prompting abuse accusations
An exhausted horse at the Pribylina open-air museum twice collapsed after refusing to pull a carriage. The owner later left the site and sought veterinary care, the museum said. (source: Facebook)
A video showing a horse lying on the ground at the open-air museum in Pribylina, northern Slovakia, went viral this week, sparking outrage over alleged animal abuse during an Easter-themed event.
The footage, shared by the animal rights group SOS Linka pre zvieratá, was reportedly filmed by a visitor who claimed the visibly exhausted horse collapsed while pulling a carriage. The man leading the ride was accused of beating the animal with a whip as parents shielded their children’s eyes. But the video does not show any physical abuse, and eyewitness accounts differ. One attendee told local media the horse simply lay down and refused to move. “No one hit the horse,” she said.
The horse, owned by a local family, was hired externally by the museum, which has now filed a criminal complaint for defamation. “We strongly deny any accusations of animal cruelty,” the institution said, claiming it has a long-standing reputation for responsible care. The exhausted horse and its owner left the museum grounds immediately, with the owner administering first aid, the museum said. The museum has since closed the site temporarily amid fears of a nearby bear possibly spooking the animal. (My Liptov)
IN OTHER NEWS
After a night-time missile barrage on Kyiv, Progressive Slovakia leader Michal Šimečka urged Prime Minister Robert Fico to cancel his planned May visit to Moscow, calling it “an arrogant insult to the victims of this horrific Russian aggression”.
A symbolic 24-hour performance titled “Warning: Culture is Collapsing!” is taking place outside the Culture Ministry until Friday evening (20:30). The event, organised by artists and cultural workers, aims to express alarm at what they describe as the deterioration of the country’s cultural sector under Culture Minister Martina Šimkovičová and her chief of staff, Lukáš Machala. “Institutions are being dismantled, people are being sacked, financial support is collapsing, and our international reputation is in freefall,” the organisers said in a statement. The performance is a free adaptation of the movement installation “Ne-príbeh” (Non-Story), originally created in 2024 by Juraj Korec and Michaela Hučko Pašteková. (video)
Bratislava police have warned of a major closure on the D1 motorway towards Trnava from Zlaté Piesky to Senec, including the D4–D1 ramp. The closure begins Friday evening and will last through Sunday night, with traffic diverted via the old Senecká road and route II/503.
D1 motorway towards Trnava to close this weekend. (source: Facebook - Bratislava Region Police)
A judge has defended his decision not to place extremist Daniel Bombic in pre-trial detention, despite the charged Anti-Semite’s repeated online attacks against individuals and institutions. Specialised Criminal Court Judge Rastislav Stieranka said there was insufficient legal basis to remand Bombic, who recently described the broadcaster TV Markíza as an “Israeli anti-state organisation” and launched vulgar tirades against political and media figures. Among others, Bombic referred to far-right MP Miroslav Suja as a “steroid, disgusting, fat ugly fried bread” and claimed an investigative journalist should “return to vibrators instead of investigative journalism to serve the world better”. In his justification, Judge Stieranka argued that “the mere use of offensive language is not automatically considered hate speech, and not every instance of hate speech constitutes a criminal offence”. He also noted that neither the probation officer assigned to Bombic nor the investigator overseeing his case deemed any of the disputed posts to have criminal implications. Bombic has not faced fresh charges over any of the inflammatory statements. The judge further pointed out that Slovak law provides avenues for those targeted by verbal abuse to seek legal redress. Judge Stieranka also emphasised that society has the power to signal that such views are unacceptable, saying communities could “exclude (or even ostracise) such individuals from among them”. He warned that the public cannot simply wait passively for the courts to protect their rights. The ball is now in the Supreme Court’s court to deliver its opinion. (Denník N)
Unseen footage of the assassination attempt on Prime Minister Robert Fico, broadcast for the first time by Finnish television on 14 April, had already appeared in public months earlier – as part of a promotional video shown at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in the United States. The origin of the leak remains unclear. While Prievidza, a regional TV broadcaster, confirmed it handed the footage to Finnish media and police investigators, Fico’s office has remained silent. As a victim in the case, Fico and his lawyer had access to the investigation file, raising the possibility that the video may have been obtained directly from the case materials – despite a formal information blackout imposed on the investigation. (Denník N)
Protesters in Bratislava called on President Peter Pellegrini on Thursday to reject a controversial law targeting NGOs, warning he stands before an historic decision. Demonstrations under the banner Slovakia is Europe continued across multiple cities, with more planned nationwide and abroad on Friday.
A public letter urging President Peter Pellegrini not to sign the NGO law is delivered by protesters outside the Presidential Palace during the Slovakia is Europe rally in Bratislava on Thursday, 24 April 2025. (source: TASR - Jaroslav Novák)
A 20-year-old Slovak man has been arrested in Vienna as part of an investigation into an alleged Islamic State cell linked to a foiled terror plot targeting Taylor Swift’s concert. Authorities suspect he was involved in planning a separate attack in Istanbul earlier this year. (ČT24)
Paper tickets will cost more from 1 June and the 12-minute fare will be gone. Žilina has approved new public transport tariffs as rising VAT, a new transaction tax, and inflation drive up operating costs, Mayor Peter Fiabáne said. The price of a basic 60-minute paper ticket will rise by €0.30 to €1.30. (My Žilina)
FRIDAY WEATHER BRIEFING: Mostly overcast, with scattered showers and rain during the day – thunderstorms possible. Daytime highs ranging from 13°C to 25°C. Winds up to 50 km/h; stronger gusts expected during storms. Wind warnings are in place for Bratislava, Trnava, Senec and Pezinok, while thunderstorm alerts have been issued across the Prešov, Košice and Banská Bystrica Regions. (SHMÚ)
Emergency crews in Babín, northern Slovakia, were clearing flood damage on Wednesday following intense rainfall across the Orava region on Tuesday afternoon. A third-level emergency alert was declared at 18:00 after heavy downpours and hail swept through areas between Hruštín and Vasiľov. The flash flooding caused significant property damage, destroyed crops, and led to livestock deaths. (source: TASR - Lenka Hanesová)
HAPPY NAME DAY: April 25 is a special day for Marek, so if you know one, don’t forget to send your warmest wishes. Všetko najlepšie!
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