Good evening. Here is theThursday, March 21 edition of Today in Slovakia - the main news of the day in less than five minutes.
Slovakia refuses to support Czech initiative
Czech Republic's Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský, second left, welcomes his counterparts from Poland Radoslaw Sikorski, left, from Slovakia Juraj Blanár, right, and Hungary Péter Szijjártó, second right, as they meet in Prague, Czech Republic, on March 21, 2024. (source: TASR)
Slovakia won't join the Czech Republic's initiative to buy ammunition for Ukraine from third countries, said Foreign Minister Juraj Blanár (Smer) following a meeting of the heads of diplomacy of the V4 countries in Prague on Thursday, writes the TASR news agency.
Hungary won't join the initiative, either. Poland supported the Czech move on Wednesday, however. The Czech Republic is trying to swiftly buy ammunition from countries outside Europe, asking several of its allies to finance this. A number of European countries, including France, have supported the initiative.
The Slovak minister reiterated that there's no military solution to the conflict in Ukraine. He added that Slovakia is not isolated in the world of diplomacy, although Slovakia was not invited to a recent tele-conference on Ukraine.
"We have also achieved results, for example, we managed to have a Slovak citizen removed from the list of anti-Russian sanctions, which was agreed upon by all EU member states. Do you think that if we had been isolated we would have achieved this result?" asked Blanár.
Ministers in Prague also decided to increase the budget of the International Visegrad Fund, which should be headed by Slovak Linda Kapustová Helbichová from summer.
Opposition: "Our neighbour is facing brutal aggression and we expect it to defend itself with pillows and duvets?" asked Progresívne Slovensko leader Michal Šimečka in response to Blanár's decision. He added that the Slovak administration is sabotaging the good name of Slovakia.
FEATURE STORY FOR THURSDAY
The Ukrainian mother who has found a home – and love – in Slovakia
Olena Kulish. (source: The Nest Away From Home)
For Olena Kulish's small family from eastern Ukraine, a simple room in a dormitory accommodation in Bratislava has become a place where she and her children can exist, safely, and can laugh as much as their lives allow them to.
More stories from The Slovak Spectator website
Business: Tatra Banka to introduce change to its price list, including new fees.
Culture: The Slovak Mining Museum has come up with an idea to please collectors and raise money for the restoration of the famous Berggericht museum.
Bratislava: After many years behind a lock, Bratislava may finally open its historic attraction to the public.
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WHAT TO DO IN BRATISLAVA
Pay a visit to the French Institute
Vápenná (source: VaGa)
You can look forward to a film screening at the institute next week or join other hikers on a trip to the Small Carpathians this weekend.
In other news
The General Prosecutor's Office has dropped the charges pressed against former head of the Slovak Information Service, Vladimír Pčolinský, and head of the National Security Office, Roman Konečný. The Office used Section 363 the Criminal Procedure Code to do so. The charges concerned a criminal group that allegedly thwarted investigations into corruption cases.
Electronic Maturita school-leaving exams at secondary schools and the testing of ninth graders at primary schools called 'Testing 9' might be introduced as of 2026, and at some schools even as of next year, said Education Minister Tomáš Drucker (Hlas) on Thursday.
An emergency situation has been declared in several districts in the north of Slovakia due to the occurrence of synanthropic bears, which have got used to living near humans. It applies to the districts of Liptovský Mikuláš, Ružomberok, Žilina, Martin, Turčianske Teplice, Poprad and Kežmarok.
A 52-year-old woman from Senica, Trnava Region, died after being shot dead in the street by her former husband, who fled the crime scene. The police launched a manhunt for the man and a patrol found him half an hour later by a shopping mall near the Jewish cemetery, where he turned the gun on himself.
The Defence Ministry is considering the purchase of four more F-16 supersonic
aircraft, Defence Minister Robert Kaliňák told the Pravda daily. The number could thus increase from 14 to 18 jets.
Exhibitions entitled Silence Will Not Protect Us in the Synagogue - Contemporary Art Centre in Trnava on March 13, 2024. (source: TASR )
WEATHER FOR FRIDAY: On Friday, expect varying degrees of cloud cover across the country, with some areas experiencing temporary reductions in cloudiness. Occasional showers or rain are likely throughout the day, so it's wise to be prepared with umbrellas or rain jackets if you plan to be outdoors. Temperature-wise, the day will range from 10°C to 17°C. Wind speeds will remain light, with breezes reaching up to 20 kilometres per hour. (SHMÚ)
MARCH 22 NAME'S DAY IN SLOVAKIA: Beňadik.
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