Good to have you with us! Here is the latest edition of Today in Slovakia - all the top news from Tuesday, wrapped up in one place!
PM Fico’s fate in the hands of a hunter
In the photo, MP Roman Malatinec (foreground, left) announces at a press briefing that he is leaving the Hlas parliamentary caucus as well as the party and is joining the non-parliamentary National Coalition, led by MP Rudolf Huliak (independent, right), in Bratislava on Tuesday, February 4, 2025. In the background are National Coalition members and independent MPs Ivan Ševčík (right) and Pavel Ľupták (left). (source: TASR - Jaroslav Novák)
Tuesday marked the first parliamentary session of 2025, as legislators gathered in the debating chamber to debate and vote on key bills. For Prime Minister Robert Fico’s three-party coalition, it was an opportunity to prove it still had enough fuel – namely, MPs – to govern.
Over recent months, the coalition’s once-comfortable majority has dwindled from 79 to a precarious figure that occasionally dips below the crucial 76 MPs required to keep parliament functional. Well aware of this fragility, the government is focusing solely on the most pressing legislation during the ongoing session: healthcare reforms to prevent a mass exodus of hospital doctors and a construction bill. So far, so good – both bills made it to the second reading and will now proceed under a fast-track legislative procedure.
The coalition party Hlas took steps in late January to strengthen its caucus and shore up its numbers, expelling two of its most vocal internal critics, Samuel Migaľ and Radomír Šalitroš. But it stopped short of ousting two others, Roman Malatinec and Ján Ferenčák, in what has appeared to be a strategic move to divide the four rebels while maintaining a majority of 77 coalition MPs. This figure includes three other defectors who were elected on the slate of the far-right Slovak National Party (SNS) but quit its caucus last October, thus weakening the coalition’s position.
At worst, Fico can count on just 72 MPs – well short of a majority. Tuesday proved that the worst-case scenario is not so far-fetched.
In a surprise announcement on Tuesday, Malatinec declared he was leaving Hlas and joining the trio of MPs who had already defected from the SNS caucus. His new allies include the group’s controversial leader, pro-Russian MP, hunter and mayor of Očová, Rudolf Huliak. The two are said to have a longstanding connection, as they are from the same region.
Huliak, who leads the nationalist National Coalition party, has rewarded Malatinec with the post of deputy chair, putting him in charge of cultural policy – fitting for a man known as a critic of SNS’s Culture Minister and purge-master Martina Šimkovičová, as well as a keen folklore singer and dancer.
Officially, Malatinec says he left Hlas because he lacked the space to advocate for regional issues and culture. But the real reason might be that he was quietly ousted as Hlas’ regional chair in Banská Bystrica, replaced by Lukáš Pellegrini – cousin of President Peter Pellegrini, who reportedly continues to wield considerable influence over the party he founded in 2020 after breaking with Fico’s Smer. In a further twist, Malatinec’s parliamentary assistant is Lukáš Pellegrini’s wife, Lívia.
For now, both Malatinec and Huliak insist they will support the government – they even helped open Tuesday’s session. But the real winner in all this is Huliak himself. Thanks to Malatinec’s defection, he now holds significant leverage over the already fragile coalition: without the four National Coalition MPs, the coalition’s 75 seats would be insufficient to even open a session.
Huliak is making demands. His group wants a ministerial post – specifically, the Environment Ministry, which he was close to securing after the last election, until then-president Zuzana Čaputová blocked his appointment over his climate change denial. The ministry is currently held by SNS, which appears unwilling to cede control, and SNS chair Andrej Danko is refusing to negotiate with Huliak. That leaves PM Fico with yet another coalition headache to solve.
MP Rudolf Huliak (l) and MP Roman Malatinec (r) have known each other for about 20 years. (source: TASR - Jaroslav Novák)
One possible compromise? Huliak and his allies could be placated with positions in state institutions linked to the Environment Ministry – or at the Culture Ministry, which is also controlled by SNS. If they take these jobs, their seats in parliament would be filled by new MPs – potentially more reliable ones.
For now, the coalition remains on a knife-edge, and Fico’s ability to keep it together will be tested in the coming weeks.
Birthday gift: Hlas chair Matúš Šutaj Eštok, who appears to be struggling not just as party leader but also as interior minister, did not comment on Malatinec’s decision on Tuesday. Instead, he posted a picture thanking well-wishers. The interior minister turned a year older on February 4. Funnily enough, former PM Mikuláš Dzurinda also celebrated his birthday on Tuesday.
Oops, he made a mistake: Today’s parliamentary session was never meant to be an extraordinary one. According to the schedule, February 4 was supposed to mark the start of the regular session, with a far more extensive legislative agenda. Moreover, thanks in part to 80-year-old Smer MP Dušan Muňko, the session got off to a rather inauspicious start. Muňko, who has been “rented out” to the SNS party to keep its caucus alive – without him, it would not have enough MPs to qualify – failed to register his presence in time using the chamber’s device. As a result, only 75 MPs were officially present, meaning the session could not begin. Muňko later admitted he had simply made a mistake. He wasn’t the only one “missing”. Šalitroš, Migaľ and even Ferenčák – who remains a member of Hlas – also failed to present themselves, both on the first attempt and the second. Eventually, 76 MPs were counted, just enough to open the session, with Muňko as the crucial 76th MP.
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THEATRE
The untold story of a nation’s conservator
Anikó Vargová in the "Bratislava Heart" play. (source: Robert Tappert )
A new drama, “Bratislava Heart”, brings to life the story of Alžbeta Güntherová-Mayerová, one of Slovakia’s pioneering art historians and conservationists. A woman who fought for cultural heritage amid political turmoil, she faced eviction, personal loss, and constant struggle against bureaucratic ignorance. Despite the odds, she saved irreplaceable works of art and left a lasting mark on Slovakia’s history. The play, staged at the P.O. Hviezdoslav Theatre in Bratislava, resonates powerfully today, as Slovakia’s cultural institutions face renewed political interference under Culture Minister Martina Šimkovičová.
TRAFFIC TROUBLEMAKERS
One with a trailer full of wood, the other ran a red light
Štefan Kuffa (l) and Ladislav Kamenický (r) (source: TASR)
Deputy Environment Minister Štefan Kuffa was involved in a car accident on January 24 after skidding on a motorway near Poprad, eastern Slovakia, while being overtaken by a lorry. The ministry confirmed he was driving a state-assigned Ford Ranger for official duties and passed a breathalyser test. However, questions remain over why he was towing a trailer loaded with wood, given that the vehicle – reportedly funded by EU grants – is allegedly designated exclusively for geological research. Kuffa, a controversial SNS nominee, has admitted paying a fine after the crash, but both the ministry and police have refused to disclose further details.
Meanwhile, Finance Minister Ladislav Kamenický (Smer) was involved in a traffic accident on Monday morning (February 3) when his government Audi, using its right of way, sped through a red light near Bratislava’s Mlynské Nivy shopping centre. Witnesses say the vehicle entered the junction at high speed before colliding with another car. It remains unclear where the minister was rushing to.
IN OTHER NEWS
After a four-month delay, the courts have resumed proceedings in the 2005 murder case of student Daniel Tupý, following the failure of defendant Adam Puškár’s challenge to the judge’s replacement. The regional court rejected his objection, clearing the way for the trial to continue, with hearings set to resume on Wednesday. (SME)
Police say they have identified several masked individuals suspected of attacking people in Bratislava. Further details remain unclear.
The Czech National Committee of the International Press Institute (CZ IPI) has sent an open letter to Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, rejecting his criticism of the Czech media for allegedly overstepping in their coverage of Slovak affairs. Fico, following a meeting with diplomats on Friday, questioned what he described as unwarranted interference by the Czech political and media scene in Slovakia’s domestic politics.
From Wednesday, February 5, Bratislava’s largest university hospital (Univerzitná nemocnica) is restricting visits due to a worsening epidemic situation. The ban does not apply to those accompanying women in labour.
The Interior Ministry’s police inspectorate has ruled out police officer responsibility in the death of a homeless Ukrainian man, according to the investigator following a review of the evidence. The case, in which private security guards remain suspects, has now been handed over to the Bratislava Regional Police Directorate for further investigation.
Slovakia’s inflation surged above 4 percent in January and is expected to remain at this level for most of the year, driven by a fiscal consolidation package that includes a higher VAT rate. Despite government measures to curb energy costs, Slovakia now has the third-highest inflation in the eurozone, trailing only Croatia and Belgium, according to Eurostat data. (TASR)
STVR’s longtime Prague correspondent, Boris Kršňák, has been dismissed with immediate effect, his contract terminated without explanation or thanks. He had spent nearly 30 years at the public broadcaster. Kršňák has recently signed an open letter, along with other colleagues, criticising fellow STVR journalist Matej Baránek for mishandling a political radio programme featuring Prime Minister Fico. Baránek initially stated that he would no longer host the show, but he has since changed his mind. Last Saturday, the programme was not broadcast as there was no one to present it. (Refresher)
Slovakia’s Foreign Ministry has issued a warning about increased seismic activity in parts of Greece, urging travellers to remain cautious. The affected areas include the islands of Santorini, Amorgos, Ios, Anafi, and the Cyclades archipelago. Meanwhile, Slovakia’s embassy in Rome has warned travellers of a 24-hour strike by ground handling staff at Italian airports on Wednesday, February 5. The walkout is expected to cause flight delays and cancellations.
This tree grows at the foot of Lysica Hill (502 m above sea level) above the village of Bošáca in the Nové Mesto nad Váhom district, western Slovakia. The Bošáca pear tree is competing for the title of European Tree of the Year. (source: TASR - Martin Medňanský)
WEDNESDAY WEATHER BRIEFING: Expect mostly clear or partly cloudy skies. There’s also a chance of fog or low cloud sneaking in here and there. Temperatures will play it cool, hovering between 2 and 8°C – chilly, but nothing a good coat and a hot drink can’t handle!
In the photo: a cable car at the Tatranská Lomnica ski resort in the High Tatras on Friday, January 31, 2025. (source: TASR - Veronika Mihaliková)
PARTY TIME: February 5 is Agáta’s special day, so if you happen to know one, don’t forget to send her your warmest wishes. Všetko najlepšie!
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