It is Friday – welcome to Today in Slovakia. Let’s dive into the news and ride the weekend wave.
Goodbye Chapayev?
Prešov (source: TASR - Milan Kapusta)
The city of Prešov, eastern Slovakia, wants to rename Čapajevova Street – and the move has triggered a local storm.
WHY: The proposal is part of a broader initiative to scrub public spaces of ideologically loaded names. The idea reportedly originated inside City Hall, not from grassroots complaints.
WHY CHAPAYEV? Vasily Chapayev, a Red Army commander, was lionised by the Soviet regime – think films, statues, legends – and the communist-era Czechoslovak regime duly followed suit. But accounts of his brutal treatment of civilians during the Russian Civil War have turned his name into a historical hot potato. He has no connection to Prešov or Slovakia.
COMING NEXT: If approved by city council, Čapajevova will be reborn as Ulica armádneho generála Rudolfa Viesta (Army General Rudolf Viest Street), in honour of the 1944 Slovak National Uprising hero. The change would take effect from 1 December 2025.
THE BACKLASH: Parts of Slovak social media are having a meltdown. Complaints range from ideological overreach to bureaucratic chaos. “If you rename it, we’ll be forced to deal with new documents and fees. Congrats, geniuses,” one commenter fumed. Others worry it is the beginning of a slippery slope: “So we’ll rename every street remotely linked to Russia?”
BUT WAIT: The city insists the panic is overblown. Officials say citizens who live on the street will have 30 days to update documents for free. ID cards and addresses will be amended without charge. Some systems will even update automatically.
STILL, NOT EVERYONE IS CONVINCED: “Remember the chaos when Red Army Street became Levočská?” one resident asked. “It took three months to sort.”
FLASHBACK – WHO WAS CHAPAYEV? Vasily Ivanovich Chapayev (1887–1919) fought (and died) in Russia’s civil war on the Bolshevik side. A hero in Soviet propaganda, he is also remembered for his ruthless methods. In places like Slovakia, once under Soviet ideological sway, his name stirs more scepticism than pride.
NOT JUST CHAPAYEV: The Čapajevova saga is not Slovakia’s first street-naming controversy – and it will not be the last.
The village of Varín, in Žilina Region, made national headlines when it was forced to rename a street bearing the name of Jozef Tiso, Slovakia’s wartime priest-president, who was executed in 1947 as a Nazi collaborator. After years of resistance, the village finally complied in 2024. The street is now named after Monsignor Jozef Noga, a local-born Catholic priest and papal prelate who died in 2002.
In Dolný Kubín, also in Žilina Region, the General Prosecutor’s Office has taken issue with a square being named after Bishop Ján Vojtaššák. Prosecutor Peter Mihál argued the bishop was a representative of the 1939–1945 Slovak regime and decided to challenge the name in court after the town rejected his objection. Vojtaššák’s legacy remains contested: he was a victim of show trials under communism in the 1950s, but also accused of betraying a Jewish resident and participating in the wartime “Aryanisation” process.
THE TAKEAWAY: Street names are never just signs. In Slovakia, they can become battlegrounds of memory – and every corner has a past someone would rather forget.
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‘Go to hell’: Mocking signs criticising Robert Fico’s pro-Russian stance have appeared on bridges in eastern Slovakia.
Slovakia are out – but Suslov stole the show: No one at the U21 Euros took more hits or turned more heads than Tomáš Suslov, whose bruising brilliance made him the tournament’s most fouled and fearless playmaker.
A second life: With railway beams, mountain grit and volunteer spirit, locals brought a forgotten footpath in the Veľká Fatra back to life.
Spectacle above and beyond: From rare northern lights and soaring fighter jets to record-breaking U21 football viewership, Slovakia had a week full of spectacle, speed and stardust.
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PROFILE
From Prešov to prime time
Alois Havrilla (source: WIKIMEDIA CC)
Alois Havrilla arrived in the US not knowing a word of English – yet became one of America’s most admired radio voices. The Slovak-born announcer won national acclaim for his diction, performing on over 100 NBC programmes and teaching music over the airwaves. He never made it back home, but his voice reached millions.
SPOTTED (AGAIN)
Tibor Gašpar visits the Russian Embassy. Again
Tibor Gašpar (l) and Russian Ambassador to Slovakia Igor Bratchikov (source: Facebook - Russian Embassy in Slovakia)
Smer MP and Deputy Speaker of Parliament Tibor Gašpar made yet another appearance at the Russian Embassy in Bratislava – his third visit in under two months, according to Denník N.
THE OCCASION: On 20 June, Gašpar attended the unveiling of busts honouring wartime Soviet marshals Ivan Konev and Rodion Malinovsky, and General Ivan Petrov – commanders credited by Russia with liberating Slovakia from Nazi occupation.
REWIND: Just 10 days ago, Gašpar joined Deputy Speaker of Parliament and Slovak National Party (SNS) chief Andrej Danko and other politicians at a Russia Day reception. In May, he celebrated Victory Day with Russian diplomats. Earlier this year, he and five other coalition MPs travelled to Moscow at the invitation of the State Duma. Upon his return, Gašpar publicly floated the idea of Slovakia leaving the EU and NATO.
OH, AND: In the spring, Gašpar travelled to Volgograd for a commemorative conference where President Vladimir Putin also made an appearance. Gašpar addressed the full hall in Russian, stressing the importance of peace – without once mentioning Moscow’s ongoing war against Ukraine.
WHY IT MATTERS: While Slovakia’s foreign policy remains officially Euro-Atlantic, the frequent public appearances of a senior parliamentary official at Russian state events – including those glorifying the Soviet military – raises fresh questions about the country’s geopolitical alignment under the current government.
IN OTHER NEWS
Slovakia has temporarily closed its embassy in Tehran and is pulling out its remaining diplomatic staff from Iran, the Foreign Ministry announced.
A Slovak spa resort says initial tests show no trace of the deadly brain-eating amoeba Naegleria fowleri in its pools, following the death of an 11-year-old boy who had visited the site. Health authorities earlier confirmed the presence of amoebae at the Vadaš Thermal Resort in Štúrovo but have not yet identified the exact species. The facility remains closed pending an official decision from regional health officials.
NGOs are calling for a lobbying transparency law, arguing the country lags behind 16 EU states that already have clear rules. Transparency International Slovakia, Via Iuris and the Stop Corruption Foundation want a public register of lobbyists and the officials they meet. Out of 150 MPs, only seven – all from the opposition – responded when asked about their meetings with lobbyists.
Culture Minister Martina Šimkovičová is under fire for purchasing a €158,000 luxury limousine, which opposition leader Igor Matovič (Slovensko) claims was used for her April trip to the Vatican – chauffeur included. Her ministry allegedly failed to meet legal transparency requirements, prompting the opposition Slovensko movement to argue the contract is invalid.
Poprad Airport in northern Slovakia, majority-owned by the state, has been caught illegally selling alcohol. Staff reportedly charge tourists for soft drinks at the till while handing over canned alcoholic beverages – avoiding proper tax. (Denník N)
Slovakia may be receiving more natural gas than official pipeline data suggest, according to Economy Minister Denisa Saková, who dismissed opposition calls to sue Russian supplier Gazprom for under-delivery. While data from the Slovak transmission system show only around 9.5 million cubic metres arriving daily via Hungary and Austria, Saková said state-owned utility SPP is currently receiving 12 million – mostly under diversified contracts, not directly from Russia. (Denník N)
Harvesting of winter barley in the fields near Dunajská Streda, southern Slovakia, on June 20, 2025. (source: TASR - Michal Svítok)
WEEKEND WEATHER BRIEFING: It will be sunny on Saturday, with highs of between 23°C and 29°C. Sunday will bring a few clouds and even warmer temperatures, ranging from 26°C to 31°C. (SHMÚ)
ON THIS WEEKEND’S NAME-DAY RADAR: Alojz on Saturday, Paulína on Sunday, and Sidónia on Monday.
BEFORE WE GO: Tamara Zinchenko has your Bratislava plans covered, with a curated list of what’s on so you can soak up the city in style. Ready to wander beyond the capital? Matúš Beňo’s weekend picks are your perfect excuse.
Enjoy the weekend while it lasts. Matúš Beňo’s got your Monday sorted.
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