Good evening. Here is the Thursday, July 18 edition of Today in Slovakia - the main news of the day in less than five minutes.
Ministry keeps European Commission letter under wraps
Justice Minister Boris Susko (Smer), front, and PM and Smer chair Robert Fico. (source: SITA)
After an amendment to the Penal Code was approved via a fast-track procedure on Tuesday, Justice Minister Boris Susko said that its purpose was to protect the interests of Slovakia and minimise the risks of losing any EU money.
However, the Sme daily now reports that the European Commission has sent another critical letter to Slovakia, indicating that the fifth change to the code did not avert the risk of losing the funds. According to the daily, minister was supposed to have received the letter six days ago but has yet to say anything about it. Neither he nor the ministry responded to the daily's questions.
In the letter, the European Commission warns the Slovak government that the changes do not take into account all the comments the EC has been making since spring. The full contents are unknown. However, it is related to the amendment approved on Tuesday.
The amendment revives stricter penalties for some economic crimes, but only if they involve European money. In other words, an offender who endangers European money will be punished more severely than one whose acts causes damage to the state coffer.
During the extraordinary session, Susko admitted that Slovakia may face the risk of significant economic damage.
UPDATE: The ministry later on Thursday said in response that it received no letter from the European Commission regarding the withdrawal of eurofunds and called such claims misleading. The ministry is still in talks with the commission either personally, or via letters.
MORE STORIES FROM THE SLOVAK SPECTATOR WEBSITE
HISTORY TALKS: Prayers in the 17th century pleaded for safety from the very soldiers meant to protect them.
MINORITIES: Bratislava's alternative pride event grows bigger in second year.
MONUMENTS: A historic statue in Bratislava's borough of Rača was repainted, now reminding people of the Smurfs.
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FEATURE STORY
The friendlier side of Roman-Germanic relations
Archaeological park showing part of a Roman-Germanic settlement in Cífer. (source: Matúš Beňo)
History portrays them as the bitterest of enemies, but a discovery near a village in western Slovakia almost 60 years ago shows that there was not always a violent antipathy between the Romans and Germanic tribes that lived on the edge of their empire.
TOP 10 EVENTS IN BRATISLAVA
What to do in the capital city?
Last year's Rainbow Pride festival. The caption reads Love Belongs to Everybody. (source: TASR)
Listen to singer, composer and producer Nina Kohout performing on Thursday for free, enjoy a summer evening at Devín, where a DJ will play their set during sunset, support the LGBT+ community and more in this week's .
IN OTHER NEWS
Since the beginning of the year, 41 bears have been killed in Slovakia, according to the Environment Ministry, which deemed them problematic. At the same time, State Secretary Tomáš Kuffa announced new guidelines outlining what to do when an emergency situation is declared in regards to bears in the vicinity of dwellings. However, according to Kuffa, since the document is of an internal nature, it has not been published. In May, 16 bears were reportedly killed in 17 days. (TASR)
Slovakia is interested in actively participating in the reconstruction of Ukraine, said Deputy Prime Minister Peter Kmec, who will take part in the European Political Community summit in UK on Thursday, as the latter country is high on the agenda of the opening session. According to Kmec, a system of financial support for Slovak entrepreneurs with the aim of engaging in restoration and reconstruction projects is being prepared. (TASR)
Last year, the National Health Information Centre (NCZI) recorded 501 suicides in Slovakia, which is 62 fewer than in 2022. The number of suicide attempts also decreased; in 2023, there were 678 suicide attempts, while the year before there were 46 more. The data also shows that last year suicides were mostly committed by men, a long-term trend. However, women predominate when it comes to attempts. (NCZI)
Hungary has promised to extend its assistance in protecting Slovakia's airspace until the end of 2025, Slovak President Peter Pellegrini (left) announced following his meeting with his Hungarian counterpart Tamas Sulyok (right) in Budapest on Thursday. (source: TASR)
Defence Minister Robert Kaliňák (Smer) handed over a new technological line for drilling barrels at the state-owned enterprise ZTS-Special in Dubnica nad Váhom, Trenčín Region. The new line is expected to completely restore the production of barrels for artillery systems, and create new jobs. (TASR)
The Bratislava-based refinery Slovnaft has agreed with the trade unions on a new collective agreement. The previous one expired a few weeks ago. The negotiations, which primarily concern salary increases, have lasted since March and neither side wanted to back down from their conditions. (Index)
More than €100,000 have already been collected to support the Pohoda festival, forced to end prematurely last Friday after a severe storm destroyed a tent. The collection is being organized by a broad platform of cultural centres, festival organisers and representatives of the cultural community. (SME)
Preparations for the concert by legendary band AC/DC in the area of the former Vajnory airport in Bratislava. (source: TASR)
WEATHER FOR FRIDAY: Partly cloudy, occasional showers expected. Daily temperatures between 26 °C to 34 °C. Level 1 high temperature warning issued for south-western Slovakia. (SHMÚ)
JULY 19 NAME DAY IN SLOVAKIA: Dušana
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