(source: SME.sk / Hej,ty)
Good evening. Here is the Thursday, June 23 edition of Today in Slovakia - the main news of the day in less than five minutes.
Slovakia to pay Haščák thousands
Oligarch Jaroslav Haščák. (source: TASR)
Slovakia will have to pay €9,750 to the former head of the Penta investment group, Jaroslav Haščák, following a ruling by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR).
The court upheld a complaint from Haščák, who had originally demanded €66,000 in damages, over wiretapping carried out by the Slovak Information Service (SIS) related to the 'Gorilla' scandal.
Read more about Jaroslav Haščák, one of the wealthiest Slovaks:
Investigative reporter Adam Valček writes about what he learned during the Kuciak murder trial and how it applies in the case of the Penta co-founder.
He was detained in December 2020 and charged with corruption and money laundering, but was later released.
More stories on Spectator.sk
MEDIA: There are serious concerns about media freedom in Slovakia after Slovak politicians approved new media legislation which includes an extended right of reply.
INVESTMENT: Six years after Britain voted to leave the European Union, Slovakia still remains popular among British entrepreneurs.
CULTURE: The Danubiana art gallery in Bratislava is currently exhibiting a range of unique sports cars, including one painted by American pop-artist Andy Warhol.
ENVIRONMENT: Repairs at an iron-ore mine that turned a river in south-east Slovakia orange have finished. But some polluted water is still flowing out of the mine.
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Feature story for today
A new player has entered the Slovak streaming service market. Disney+ offers a huge library of movies, and has invested heavily in translations into Slovak - which is why the service will be more successful than Netflix, translator Michal Mojžiš explains in an interview.
Can a movie be translated in two days? Can translators choose movies they like? Is the job as easy as most people think? Find the answers to these questions and more here.
Picture of the day
People can pick the Lavandula angustifolia and Lavandula stoechas herbs for themselves in the village of Zbehy, Nitra Region, western Slovakia.
Lavandula herbs people can pick for themselves in the village of Zbehy. (source: TASR)
In other news
Weather forecast for Friday and the weekend according to the Slovak Hydrometeorological Institute. Daily temperatures will be in the range of 26 to 31 degrees Celsius. Friday will be mostly sunny, Saturday and Sunday will be partially cloudy.
Bus carrier Slovak Lines is adding two stops to its service to Schwechat Airport in Austria; one in front of Bratislava Main Railway Station, and a second on Einsteinova Street. From June 27, buses will run six times a day on the route. Departure times have been chosen so that they complement IC trains and express trains from all over Slovakia.
Environment Minister Ján Budaj is ready to introduce population controls on brown bears, but first he needs the results of a census on the animals. If the results are given to him in September, regulation could be brought in this season, he said. Budaj is facing criticism after bear attacks have been reported, prompting fears and protests.
Slovakia will support Ukraine and Moldova being given EU candidate status, as well as a European perspective for Georgia. Ukraine joining the EU would benefit eastern Slovakia, according to the PM’s advisor.
This year's Children’s Comenius University will take place without restrictions following an end to anti-Covid measures. The matriculation ceremony took place on June 23. Although children can attend lectures personally, they will be streamed as well. The current year consists of a series of nine lectures prepared mostly by scientists from the Slovak Academy of Sciences and Comenius University. Children will learn about how the universe came into existence, why trains will one day fly, and why wars are waged.
In 2021, more than half of the Slovak population did not travel at all due to the pandemic. In 2019, approximately 3.4 million people travelled either in Slovakia or abroad, but last year that dropped to only two million. This year, Košice and Bratislava airports are operating flights to various destinations. If Slovaks want to fly from Budapest, they will probably have to pay more than before.
From July 1, there will be a number of changes to the timetables for some Bratislava public transport services, including the 23, 27, 50, 57, 58, 67, 68, 70, 74, 87, 139, 145, 147, 151 a 154 lines, while the number 49 trolleybus, that takes people to the Kramáre hospital, will operate so that people can get to appointments before 7 A.M. Meanwhile, during weekdays lines will operate according to a summer holiday timetable.
If you have suggestions on how this news overview can be improved, you can reach us at editorial@spectator.sk.
