Good evening. Here is the Wednesday, June 4 edition of Today in Slovakia - the main news of the day in a few minutes.
Pellegrini rejects referendum on Russia sanctions
President Peter Pellegrini. (source: TASR)
President Peter Pellegrini has refused to call a referendum regarding EU sanctions against Russia, reports the TASR newswire. The proposal came from the non-parliamentary, pro-Russian Slovenské Hnutie Obrody (SHO – Slovak Renewal Movement), which sought to ask the public: “Do you agree that the Slovak Republic should not apply sanctions against Russia that harm Slovak citizens, sole traders and businesses?”
SHO said the aim was to increase pressure on the Slovak government, accusing it of presenting tough rhetoric at home while aligning with EU leaders in Brussels — as seen during the most recent sanctions package. The party claimed Pellegrini had previously suggested that sanctions were damaging to Slovakia and hoped he would support their initiative.
Why Pellegrini dismissed the referendum request: Pellegrini cited three main reasons for rejecting the proposal. He said it was ambiguous what “Slovak Republic” refers to — whether it includes state institutions, businesses, or local authorities — which could lead to constitutional conflicts. Similarly, “Russia” was not clearly defined, raising questions about whether it included state bodies, individuals, not to mention the companies, persons from third-party countries targeted for supporting Russia that do not fall under its power. The proposal also did not specify which sanctions are considered harmful or who would determine their impact on Slovak citizens and businesses.
In addition, the president criticised the fact that the question failed to clarify whether it referred to existing sanctions or only future ones.
“A referendum question must be clear, precise, and enforceable. This proposal is none of those things,” Pellegrini stated. He added that he consulted several state institutions that would be tasked with implementing the result, including the Justice and Foreign Affairs ministries, both of which expressed legal concerns.
The president also highlighted a technical issue — the lack of a mechanism to verify the validity of signatures submitted in support of such petitions.
Reactions: SHO accused Pellegrini of violating the constitution, arguing that the president is obliged to call a referendum once 350,000 valid signatures are collected. The party claims to have submitted nearly 400,000. It also stated that if Pellegrini had concerns, he should have referred the matter to the Constitutional Court.
Andrej Danko, leader of coalition and pro-Russian party SNS, called the president’s decision unlawful and said his party’s legal team would support SHO. SNS MPs have also submitted a resolution to the parliament seeking to prevent Slovak representatives from backing further sanctions or trade restrictions against Russia.
Deputy Speaker of Parliament Tibor Gašpar (Smer) said he did not believe the president had obstructed the referendum, but he supported putting an end to the sanctions against Russia “as soon as possible”.
By contrast, opposition parties welcomed the move. Progressive Slovakia’s caucus chair Martin Dubéci praised Pellegrini’s stance, while SaS leader Branislav Gröhling warned the decision could trigger another coalition dispute, adding that Danko might soon label the president “an American agent.”
MORE STORIES FROM THE SLOVAK SPECTATOR WEBSITE
POLITICS: It is too early to say whether Slovakia is becoming the next Hungary, but there are numerous signs it is heading in a similar direction, according to a Belgian MEP.
SOCIAL MEDIA USE IN SLOVAKIA: Although X (formerly Twitter) has never gained strong traction in Slovakia, many of its users there are unhappy with the platform’s owner, Elon Musk, and its perceived ideological direction, shows a new survey.
HERITAGE: A unique ritual dance that is exclusive to the historic Liptov region in northern Slovakia has been proposed for the inclusion in Slovakia’s intangible heritage list.
BRATISLAVA: A stroll through the Old Town, a three-border experience, and a beautiful sunset view are just some of the experiences that the city has to offer.
If you like what we are doing and want to support good journalism, buy our online subscription with no ads and a print copy of The Slovak Spectator sent to your home in Slovakia. Thank you.
INTERVIEW
Feeling half-Jordanian, half-Slovak
Tawfiq Kayaali. (source: Marko Erd)
As Jordanian Tawfiq Kayaali, 47, sits at a wooden table in his Lebanese restaurant Levant, explaining how he ended up in Slovakia, oriental music plays softly in the background, accompanied by the rich aroma of spices wafting from the kitchen. When he first arrived, the sense of freedom was overwhelming. “I’ve always been a bit of a rebel. In our culture, it doesn’t matter how old you are—if you’re not married, you must live with your parents and obey them,” he says in an interview.
EVENT FOR THE WEEKEND
Experience mediaeval times
The Stredovek v Sade medieval festival. (source: TASR)
Bratislava’s Janko Kráľ City Park will once again host the popular Stredovek v sade mediaeval festival, offering historical fencing, dancing, archery, traditional cuisine, period fashion, battle re-enactments and more. Many of the activities will be open for the public to try themselves this Saturday, June 7. Want to learn more? Click here – and here for what’s happening in Bratislava.
IN OTHER NEWS
The amendment to the transaction tax, proposed by coalition party SNS, has passed its second reading in the parliament. If approved, self-employed individuals and small businesses with annual turnovers under €100,000 will no longer be required to pay the tax from October. The opposition has also supported the change but maintains the tax should be abolished entirely. On Wednesday, the SaS party submitted its own proposal to scrap the tax altogether, saying it should never have existed in the first place. (TASR)
A new poll conducted by the AKO agency for JOJ 24 news channel in late May shows only slight changes in party preferences. Progressive Slovakia leads with 21.5 percent, followed by Smer (19 percent) and Hlas (12.1 percent). The Slovensko movement ranks fourth with 8.8 percent, ahead of KDH (7.8 percent), non-parliamentary far-right Republika (7.3 percent) and SaS (7.2 percent). Coalition SNS remains below the parliamentary threshold with 4.2 percent. The poll was carried out by the AKO polling agency for the private news TV JOJ 24 in late May on a sample of 1,000 people. (Noviny.sk)
Culture Minister Martina Šimkovičová has confirmed that a rare marble bust, believed to depict Cecilia Gonzaga and possibly sculpted by Donatello, is safe. However, she said the ministry has yet to decide where it will be displayed, as it first needs to assess its value. The bust was transferred in late May from the eastern town of Levoča to an undisclosed location, prompting criticism from experts and concern among locals. Some residents argue the bust was effectively stolen and could have brought tourism to the town. Posters reading “Wanted” with the bust’s image have appeared in Levoča. A local private broadcaster aired a report on the move after an embargo was lifted on Tuesday. (TASR, Korzár)
Two unidentified men attempted to rob a nursery school in Levice on Monday. Around 20 children and a teacher were present when the suspects were discovered. The teacher was assaulted and injured, and the men fled the scene with a laptop. Security camera footage has been handed over to police, but no further details have been released. (TV Noviny)
One of the suspects in a case involving alleged criminal activity by a neo-Nazi group in Bratislava will remain in custody, the Supreme Court decided in a closed session on Wednesday. (TASR)
The highest level of flood warning has been declared in nine villages in the Prešov Region, with Brežany and Malý Šariš among the hardest-hit. Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer) has pledged government compensation once the damage is assessed. (TASR)
The number of abortions in Slovakia fell to 10,373 last year, including 213 cases involving women without permanent residence in the country. This marks a drop of 868 compared to 2023. Of the total, 5,082 were induced abortions, while 4,663 were spontaneous. (NCZI)
One of two Panter trains financed from the recovery plan, out of a total of five. Railway carrier ZSSK put it into comission on Tuesday operating between Trnava and Kúty in western Slovakia. The train has a capacity of 343 seats. The trains will run Trnava and Banská Bystrica Regions. (source: TASR)
WEATHER FOR THURSDAY: Light cloud cover is expected, with occasional showers or rain possible. Daytime temperatures will range between 29°C and 34°C. A Level 1 high-temperature warning has been issued for several districts in southern Slovakia. See the map for details. (SHMÚ)
JUNE 5 NAME DAY IN SLOVAKIA: Laura
Thank you for subscribing and reading. It means a lot to us.
P.S. If you have suggestions on how our news overview can be improved, you can reach us at editorial@spectator.sk.
Follow The Slovak Spectator on Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram(@slovakspectator).
