News digest: PS leads in revived state opinion poll, but SaS would be out

Good evening. Here is the Valentine’s Day (Friday, January 14) edition of Today in Slovakia – the main news of the day in less than five minutes.

Slovak government resumes political polling after 16 years

The Statistical Office last published a politicial opinion poll in 2009, during the first government of Robert Fico. (source: TASR)

The Statistics Office last conducted an election poll over 16 years ago, when it recorded a six-percentage-point drop in support for Smer. Not only did the office refuse to publish the results of that poll, but it subsequently ceased all political polling.

Now, under the leadership of former Smer MP Martin Nemky, the office has revived polling through its affiliated organisation Infostat. On February 14, it released its first political survey since 2009, conducted by Infostat’s Centre for Social Research. The data, however, was collected between January 27 and 31, meaning it does not reflect recent political developments, such as widening fractures in the governing coalition, mass public protests, and diplomatic tensions.

The decision to resume polling stems from the programme of Prime Minister Robert Fico’s fourth government. The coalition – comprising Smer, Hlas, and the Slovak National Party (SNS) – pledged to provide an "objective reflection" of society, with regular reports on democracy in Slovakia. These surveys will also be broadcast on state television.

Survey results

The poll, conducted via face-to-face interviews with 1,098 respondents, found Progressive Slovakia leading the poll with 24.6 percent, followed by Smer at 22.7 percent, and Hlas on 13.7 percent. Only two other parties attracted sufficient support – of more than 5 percent – to enter parliament: KDH (8.7 percent) and Republika (5.2 percent).

Notably, Infostat’s findings on SaS significantly differ from those of other agencies such as AKO, Focus, and Ipsos. While these firms reported SaS support at 6.3–7 percent in January, Infostat measured it at just 3.2 percent – its lowest level since the 2023 parliamentary elections.

Questions remain regarding the survey’s methodology and transparency. Infostat has not disclosed key methodological details, the commissioner of the poll, or direct contacts for those responsible for the research.

MORE STORIES FROM THE SLOVAK SPECTATOR WEBSITE

• Weekend: How about spending Valentine's weekend in a castle or – what could be more romantic – enjoying a candlelit concert? Get more tips for hiking or for hidden gems in northern Slovakia here.

• Good news: A Slovak footballing talent who is thriving in Turkey, an Instagram-famous dog with its own full-time manager, and Bratislava Airport sees passenger numbers rise in January. Here is our fresh selection of feel-good news to brighten up your day.

• Pro-Russian manoeuvres: A proposed referendum in Slovakia designed to overturn EU sanctions on Russia has gained unexpected momentum, but legal and turnout challenges may complicate its prospects. First, the president will need to make a decision.

• Follow the money: Skpay, a payment system which is co-owned by the state-owned post office, has been fined €50,000 for failing to report suspicious transactions exceeding €16 million.

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FEATURE STORY

The future of education in Slovakia

"Blended learning" programmes are being offered by Slovak universities. (source: Pixabay.)

Online learning offers flexibility, but it also presents challenges in terms of technology, motivation and social interaction. Slovak universities are embracing "blended learning," combining online and in-person education for the best of both worlds. Find out how institutions like Comenius University and UNIZA are adapting to this evolving educational model.

EVENT FOR THE WEEKEND

Happy Valentine's Day

Valentine's is here, spend the day or the weekend with your loved ones. (source: Pixabay.)

The Good Life Club has prepared a fantastic Valentine's party, perfect for spending the evening with your significant other or a great opportunity to find love. Check out these and other offers in The Slovak Spectator's Top 10 Events section for a range of ways to celebrate and enjoy your weekend.

IN OTHER NEWS

• US President Donald Trump spoke with Vladimir Putin, the leader of Russia, about resolving the war there before he called Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky. That prompted strong criticism from European leaders – except for Hungary’s Viktor Orbán and Slovakia’s Robert Fico, who welcomed Trump’s approach. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz warned against a “dictated peace,” while NATO chief Mark Rutte insisted that Ukraine must be involved in negotiations. Ukraine’s former foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba said Trump’s actions weakened Kyiv’s position, comparing them to the decisions made at the late-WWII Yalta Conference. Meanwhile, Orbán argued that Brussels’ stance on Ukraine was politically and morally unacceptable. (Sme)

• Hungary's Sovereignty Protection Office has accused the Eastern Border Initiative (TEFI), a consortium of independent publishers, of being politically biased and funded by the European Commission for propaganda. TEFI members, including Slovakia’s Sme daily, reject these claims, affirming their commitment to journalistic independence. The initiative focuses on Central European security and combating disinformation. The European Commission has referred Hungary’s sovereignty law to the European Court of Justice for breaching EU law. (Sme)

• During Slovakia’s nationwide cormorant count in January, fishermen recorded over 14,000 cormorants, including thousands migrating from Hungary and Ukraine. The count, which involved over 130 locations, revealed a decrease in the wintering population compared to last year. The highest number was recorded at the Kráľová Reservoir (1,386 birds); significant numbers were also seen along the Danube near Bratislava. Despite the decrease, cormorants continue to cause damage to local fisheries. (Sme)

• Bratislava will replace concrete curbs on the Vajanského Embankment cycle path with safer, more visually appealing separators. Mayor Matúš Vallo announced that the change comes after discussions with the Ministry of Transport and the Regional Traffic Inspectorate. The new separators will be made from recycled plastic, with sloped edges to make them safer for cyclists and more forgiving for cars. The creation of the short section of cycle path in central Bratislava has caused extraordinary controversy, exploited by politicians, including ministers, who have sought to leverage the discontent of motorists. (SITA)

• A Russian drone with a high-explosive warhead hit the steel cover on the decommissioned Chernobyl nuclear plant’s Reactor 4 during Thursday night. The Slovak Nuclear Regulatory Authority (ÚJD) stated that the explosion had caused no damage to the underlying concrete sarcophagus and radiation levels remain unchanged. As a result, there is no immediate radiation risk to Slovakia. The ÚJD is continuously monitoring the situation in Ukraine, receiving updates from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and Ukraine's nuclear oversight authority. Despite a fire on-site, no increase in radiation levels has been detected in the area, as confirmed by the available radiation measurement databases. Public sources for reliable radiation safety information include the Slovak Public Health Authority and EURDEP. (SITA)

Pope Francis met Slovakia's Prime Minister Robert Fico, right, at The Vatican on Friday, February 14, 2025. (source: Vatican Media, Vatican media via AP)

WEATHER FOR THE WEEKEND: It should be clear to partly cloudy on Saturday and mostly cloudy on Sunday. It will be icy both days, with daytime temperatures on Saturday between -1°C and 4°C, falling to -3°C to 2°C on Sunday. There may be isolated snow showers. The Slovak Hydrometeorological Institute has issued a Level 1 warning in Košice Region for wind and low temperatures, and in Banská Bystrica, Prešov and Žilina Regions for low temperatures. (SHMÚ)

TIME TO CELEBRATE: Pravoslav, Ida and Liana, and – last but not least! – Miloslava are the lucky ones celebrating their name days this weekend: Saturday, February 15 - Pravoslav; Sunday, February 16 - Ida and Liana; Monday, February 17 - Miloslava.

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