Good evening. Here is the Monday, January 13 edition of Today in Slovakia - the main news of the day in less than five minutes.
Slovak delegation arrives in Moscow
Slovak Deputy Speaker of parliament Andrej Danko (left) and Russian State Duma chair Vyacheslav Volodin. (source: TASR)
On Sunday, the Slovak House delegation led by Deputy Speakers of Parliament Andrej Danko (SNS chair) and Tibor Gašpar (Smer) arrived in Moscow.
The flight took a path through the Czech Republic, Germany, over the Baltic Sea, the Russian Kalingrad region, Lithuania, and Belarus. According to Danko, they were banned from flying over the Polish territory. However, the Polish Embassy in Bratislava later stated that Poland had received a request to approve the flight, but asked for additional documentation. The Slovak side then changed its route before the request was addressed.
On Monday, the delegation, which also includes MPs Marián Kéry, Ján Mažgút, Richard Glück (all Smer), and Adam Lučanský (SNS), met with Russian State Duma chair Vyacheslav Volodin.
Danko praised Russian President Vladimir Putin for what the country accomplished and how it overcame challenges, and said that "the Russian Federation never tried to force-feed them its stances, unlike Brussels where we feel pressure in certain questions". According to Gašpar, Slovakia would like to "contribute to defusing global tension". Gašpar also added that Duma representatives assured them that Russia does not interfere with Slovakia's internal affairs.
However, for many years activists, the police and the Slovak Information Service (SIS) in its annual reports warned of the spread of Russian propaganda in Slovakia, which started in 2014 in the wake of Russian intervention in Crimea and Donbas. According to a Sme daily article published in early February 2022 after protests against NATO and the US organised by an opposition led by Smer, Russian propaganda made it easier to win the hearts of voters regarding pro-Russian sentiments. Unlike in the past, it was the central campaign topic for the entire opposition in Slovakia.
The opposition lambasted the delegation, saying that it gives Slovakia a bad name and called it a 'bad signal'.
"They make it beautifully clear where they belong mentally, where their heart is taking them," said Foreign Affairs Committee Deputy Chair Tomáš Valášek from Progressive Slovakia, adding that polls show that the vast majority of Slovaks consider themselves members of the West.
Non-affiliated MP Ľubomír Galko believes the trip will amount to nothing, save for 'bringing shame to Slovakia and deepening distrust among Slovakia's partners'. SaS MP Juraj Krúpa, on the other hand, is afraid that should snap elections take place in Slovakia, Russia might get involved in the campaign.
The delegation will also meet with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. They will return on Wednesday, January 15.
MORE STORIES FROM THE SLOVAK SPECTATOR WEBSITE
LAST WEEK: PM Robert Fico is trying to turn attention to gas supplies just as the state is struggling to cope with a devastating cyberattack on the land registry.
BUSINESS: Instant payments are partially available in all Slovak banks, with a full rollout throughout this year, autumn at the latest.
ASTROPHOTOGRAPHY: Today's astronomy picture taken in Slovakia again, shows a bright comet.
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FEATURE STORY
New tram to increase interest in living in Petržalka
Work on the tram extension in Petržalka. (source: TASR)
When the first stage of the Petržalka tram ending at Jungmannova Street was launched in 2016, real estate prices in the area increased significantly, according to brokers and analysts. They now expect a similar scenario once the second stage from Jungmannova to the Janíkov Dvor locality is launched. This should happen in the spring, after the completed line receives all the necessary permits.
EVENT FOR THURSDAY
The best of 2024 movies, series
Illustrative image. (source: SME - Marko Erd)
Movie critic Peter Konečný is once again looking back and recounting all the important, significant movies and series produced in 2024, not just in Hollywood, but in countries all around the world. If you want some tips on what to watch next, make sure this Thursday to be at the Kácečko venue in Bratislava. Grab tickets before they sell out here.
If you are unable to make it to the capital, don't fret. The event is going to take place in other towns across the country as well, specifically on January 21, 23, 24, 28, 30, 31 in Košice, Prešov, Dubnica nad Váhom, Trenčín, Martin, Banská Štiavnica, respectively.
IN OTHER NEWS
Speaking on the 'V Politike' talk show on TA3 private television, PM Robert Fico (Smer) said that should coalition parties Hlas and SNS not resolve their internal disputes, there will be snap election. The other option would be changing the coalition agreement. However, the PM said that he would do everything to make sure that the coalition lasts. Regarding Slovakia's foreign policy orientation, Fico confirmed that nothing would change. Fico first made a fleeting reference at the party congress in November 2024. A month later, he said that the prognosis for snap elections to occur in 2025 is zero. (TASR)
PM Robert Fico has proposed a joint meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Slovakia near the border with Ukraine to discuss gas transit and bilateral relations, according to an open letter he shared on social media. (Facebook)
After a crippling cyber attack last week, the land registry departments are to resume work in 24 districts as of Monday. These include Malacky (Bratislava Region), Skalica, Trnava (both Trnava Region), Nitra, Topoľčany (Nitra Region), Ilava, Myjava, Nové Mesto nad Váhom, Trenčín (all Trenčín Region), Zvolen, Žiar nad Hronom, Rimavská Sobota, Veľký Krtíš (all Banská Bystrica Region), Bardejov, Kežmarok, Prešov, Stará Ľubovňa, Svidník (all Prešov Region), Gelnica, Košice-okolie - Moldava nad Bodvou, Michalovce, Michalovce - Veľké Kapušany, Spišská Nová Ves and Trebišov (all Košice Region). (TASR)
Initiatives My Sme Les (We Are the Forest), WWF and AEVIS unrolled a fabric soaked in red colour in front of the Environment Ministry and call on it to ban wolf hunting. On January 1, a new regulation came into effect, allowing wolf hunting until January 15 with a quota of 74 specimen. The initiatives say that the ministry ignores expert opinions. On the other hand, the ministry says that the goal of the regulation is to introduce rational management of the wolf population in Slovakia. (source: TASR)
Algeria has officially announced that it will open an embassy in Bratislava for the first time in history. Slovak Foreign Affairs Minister Juraj Blanár (Smer) welcomes the move, saying that there is substantial room to cooperate in natural gas supplies. This year, Slovakia is establishing new embassies in Algeria, Australia, Belgium, the Philippines, Malaysia, Tanzania, and a new liaison office in Ethiopia. (TASR)
When it comes to cooperation among opposition parties, Progressive Slovakia (PS) does not exclude anyone. However, according to PS chair Michal Šimečka, due to current development the closest partners are SaS and KDH, as the three parties have joint initiatives as well as events. The rhetoric and hostile attitude of the Slovensko movement (formerly OĽaNO) against other opposition parties excludes itself from cooperation. (TASR)
The investigation of the assassination attempt on PM Robert Fico's life is continuing smoothly and without any problem, according to the General Prosecutor's Office. (SITA)
The renovation of the central bus station in Žilina. (source: TASR)
WEATHER FOR TUESDAY: Very cold night, with level 1 and 2 low temperatures warning issued for districts in central, northern and eastern Slovakia. In valleys the temperature may drop to -20 °C. Throughout the day it will be partly cloudy, temperatures will rise up to 2 °C. (SHMÚ)
JANUARY 14 NAME DAY IN SLOVAKIA: Radovan
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