Good evening. Here is the Friday, May 17 edition of Today in Slovakia - the main news of the day in less than five minutes.
Several offers of foreign medical care for PM Fico have been received by the government
Robert Kalinak speaks during a media briefing outside the F. D. Roosevelt University Hospital in Banská Bystrica, where Robert Fico is being treated. (source: TASR)
Deputy Prime Minister Robert Kaliňak says that Slovakia has received several offers to abroad for medical treatment. The prime minister remains in hospital in Banská Bystrica after being shot multiple times by an assailant on Wednesday, May 15.
"We have never had any doubts that he was in the best hands [in hospital in Slovakia]," Kaliňak said, adding that the government was nonetheless grateful for the offers.
A decision about transferring Fico to a hospital in Bratislava is not being considered yet, Kaliňák said, adding that his state of health will determine that.
MORE STORIES FROM THE SLOVAK SPECTATOR WEBSITE
Politics: What happens in Slovakia when the prime minister is incapacitated? There seem to be some grey areas.
Travel: The Gothic Route NGO is renaming its annual event "Forgotten Heritage" to highlight lesser-known sacral monuments in the Gemer-Malohont region.
Good news: In this week's selection of feel-good stories, we bring stories about a Slovak-food-inspired restaurant in Brooklyn, New York, the first public observatory in Bratislava, and the beauty of poppies.
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FEATURE STORY FOR THE WEEKEND
TikTok as a way to address depression
Ľubka Kováčik. (source: SME - Marko Erd)
Influencer Ľubka Kováčik, known for her humorous TikTok videos, openly discusses her struggles with anxiety and depression. She encourages others to seek therapy early on. Read our interview with her here.
EVENT FOR THE WEEKEND
Night-time art
Last year's edition of Night of Museums and Galleries in Žilina. (source: TASR)
This Saturday, museums, galleries, and institutions across Slovakia will open their doors for the popular annual event, the Night of Museums and Galleries. It's a great opportunity to experience art at night!
IN OTHER NEWS
One of the largest Slovak banks, Tatra banka, reported a major service outage on Friday. According to the Down Alarm site, clients started reporting problems around lunchtime. On Friday night, the bank's website and internet banking still did not work.
Prime Minister Robert Fico underwent almost two hours of further surgery on Friday. His condition is stable but still serious, announced Deputy Prime Minister Robert Kaliňák (Smer) and Miriam Lapuníková, the director of the hospital in Banská Bystrica where he is being treated. (TASR)
Kaliňák has not yet considered the offer made by President Čaputová and President-elect Pellegrini for a joint meeting of party leaders. He stated at a press conference that he understands their effort to calm the situation after the assassination attempt on the premier. He added that they have not discussed the offer yet within the Smer party or with Fico. The meeting is scheduled for Tuesday.
The prosecutor is requesting pre-trial detention for the accused man who is accused of attempting to murder Prime Minister Fico on Wednesday. The Specialised Criminal Court will decide on the detention request on Saturday. The accused, Juraj C., faces charges including attempted murder. (TASR)
Forward Marko Daňo returns to the Slovak ice hockey team's line-up for Saturday's crucial match against France after missing the previous three games. Defenceman Mário Grman is expected to play despite a minor health issue. The team spent Thursday engaging in various activities, with captain Tomáš Tatar playing golf and others taking a city walk before resuming training on Friday. The team won 4:0 against Poland on Wednesday. Tomorrow's match with France will be broadcast live on TV JOJ from 20:20. Slovakia will face Latvia on Sunday. (TASR)
WEATHER FOR THE WEEKEND
The weekend weather is expected to be cloudy, with occasional showers and rain – take your umbrella if you're going out! Daytime temperatures will range from 19°C to 27°C. (SHMÚ)
NAME DAYS IN SLOVAKIA: Saturday - Viola, Sunday - Gertrúda, Monday - Bernard
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