Good evening. Here is the Monday, February 10 edition of Today in Slovakia - the main news of the day in a few minutes.
USAID money used in Slovakia for political purposes, claims PM Fico in letter to Elon Musk
Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer). (source: TASR)
Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer) has sent a letter to Elon Musk, the current head of the US Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), requesting information about grants provided to Slovak NGOs and media through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), reports the TASR newswire.
"It's indisputable that USAID money was used in Slovakia for political purposes, aimed at distorting the political system and favouring certain political parties," Fico wrote in the letter, adding that "based on incomplete public sources, it's clear that USAID has supported these entities with grants totalling several million dollars in a relatively short period".
In order to separate useful and beneficial projects from "blatant interference in Slovakia's internal affairs", Fico is requesting Musk to facilitate access to information regarding grants and funding provided to NGOs, media, and individual journalists operating in Slovakia.
Fico added that he is ready to meet with Musk in person, as he considers the issue to be serious. Moreover, the prime minister would also like to discuss with Musk other projects mutually beneficial for Slovak-American relations.
USAID oversaw humanitarian, health care, and emergency programmes in approximately 120 countries around the world and has an annual budget of nearly €43 billion.
Fico as a YouTuber: Progressive Slovakia leader and opposition figure Michal Šimečka called Fico's letter a disgrace. "Robert Fico has completely lost touch with reality," he said, adding that the prime minister should focus on defending Slovak industry instead. "His favourite, Trump, is threatening a trade war that would hit Slovakia the hardest in the entire EU. But that would require real work from Fico—negotiations, strong alliances with other EU countries. And that is beyond him. He's not at the table, no one takes him seriously, we risk being pulled out of Europe—and so all he has left is a YouTube career," Šimečka said.
First Facebook, then X: PM Fico first posted a picture of himself writing the letter on Facebook, owned by Mark Zuckerberg, on February 10. The photos appeared on Musk's X platform a day later.
Ex-ministers: A group of former Slovak foreign ministers has slammed PMFico's decision to address a letter to Elon Musk, arguing that if he wanted to appeal to a key player in US politics, he should have written to Donald Trump instead. Musk, they pointed out, is not Fico's protocol equivalent. "But then again, he does love communicating with oligarchs. And this one happens to be the world's richest man," former foreign minister Miroslav Wlachovský said. Former minister Rastislav Káčer points out that USAID cut financial aid to Slovakia a few years ago. (SME)
From our archive: USAID ending Slovak funds.
LGBT+ community: Slovak LGBT+ organisation Inakosť has successfully established a community centre in Bratislava, thanks to financial support from the US Embassy. The centre is set to open in a few weeks, but with a change in administration in Washington, further backing is unlikely. "The grant has been definitively closed and will not be renewed. Under the current US government led by Donald Trump, we do not expect any form of support," said Martin Macko, director of Inakosť. Without alternative funding, the organisation may be forced to scale back its services. The US Embassy has been a longstanding supporter of Slovakia's LGBT+ community. (Pravda)
MORE STORIES FROM THE SLOVAK SPECTATOR WEBSITE
LAST WEEK: Much ado about one far-right extremist. The ruling Smer party has disturbing links to the indicted neo-Nazi.
ENVIRONMENT: Minister Tomáš Taraba plans to build a hydroelectric power plant, leaving the mayors of the affected villages in central Slovakia to decide whether they want to "save a few cottages or lose a project that might bring millions".
POLITICS: Fico in trouble? Smer losing its most loyal voters, polls reveal.
BOOKS: New Knihobox service brings 24/7 book pickups to Petržalka Library.
POSITIVITY: Love is more than words—it’s action. The IWCB turns love into kindness and support, making a real difference in the lives of those in need.
SCHOOLS: Design Education, introduced into school curricula over two decades ago, remains relatively unknown outside the education community.
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FEATURE STORY
Beware your idols
Gary Oldman. (source: WIKIMEDIA CC)
Isolated from others, disintegrating, with a bottle in his hand. Such was a character in a script Gary Oldman got from his favourite director Paolo Sorrentino. There was no need to ask further details. The former knew exactly what to do with it. Isolated from others, disintegrating, with a bottle in his hand; it was what he had been for many years, until he reached a point where he would either pull himself together or die. In an interview with the Sme daily, Oldman opens up about his past, how he decided not to throw away his talent and put up a fight.
EVENT FOR FRIDAY
Music is in the air on Valentine
The Pink Whale venue on the river Danube. (source: TASR)
Looking for a place to visit on Valentine's? The Pink Whale venue on the Danube will be holding its popular Mýška Valentine party, headlined by alternative band Berlin Manson, followed by shoegaze bands Cold Gawd and Soft Blue Shimmer from the US and more. Thanks to several DJ sets, the party will last until early Saturday morning. Get your tickets here.
IN OTHER NEWS
The General Prosecutor's Office has dismissed a criminal complaint against Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer) for his December meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The complaint was filed by the Mier Ukraine (Peace for Ukraine) association and one citizen. Prosecutor Aurel Pardubský dismissed the complaint at the end of January, stating that it had no criminal legal basis and was based solely on a political interpretation. (Denník N)
The completion of the fourth reactor block of the Mochovce nuclear power plant, Nitra Region, is proceeding according to plan, said general director of the Slovenské Elektrárne Branislav Strýček power utility. Fuel loading should take place in the last quarter of this year and electricity should start being supplied to the grid at the beginning of 2026. In December, the block passed an important milestone, a so-called cold hydro test. Other types of tests will follow. (TASR)
The Slovak under 16 ice-hockey players won bronze at the 2025 European Youth Olympic Winter Festival in Georgia in a 7-6 overtime win over Sweden. Natália Geröová scored the winning goal. (Sportnet)
Slovak biathlete Michaela Straková won gold at the 2025 European Youth Olympic Winter Festival in the 10 kilometre individual race. Overall, this is the fourth gold medal in total Slovakia won at EYOF events. (Sportnet)
Slovak biathlete Michaela Straková with the gold medal. (source: TASR)
President Peter Pellegrini handed over credentials to five new Slovak ambassadors. Valér Franko will lead the diplomatic mission in Lebanon, Tomáš Kozák in Belgium and Luxembourg, Peter Bak in Slovenia, Milan Zachar in Argentina and Zdenek Rozhold in Cuba. (TASR)
The Otvorená Kultúra (Open Culture) platform and 14 NGOs announced a protest against violence towards vulnerable groups. The meeting will take place in front of the Interior Minister on Wednesday, February 12, at 17:00 and is a response to an increase in violent acts against national, ethnic groups, the LGBTI minority, as well as homeless people. Recently, a homeless man from Ukraine died due to a beating after he was caught shoplifting in a shopping mall in Bratislava. (SITA)
Visitors to the Slovak Opal Mines near the village of Červenica, eastern Slovakia, are looking for opals during a guided tour. (source: TASR)
WEATHER FOR TUESDAY: Sunny to partly cloudy skies, fog might appear in the morning in some places. Night will be cold, with temperatures in valleys dropping to minus 14 °C. Daily temperatures will rise to between 2 °C to 8 °C. (SHMÚ)
FEBRUARY 11 NAME DAY IN SLOVAKIA: Dezider
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