Good afternoon. Here is the Friday, March 3 edition of Today in Slovakia - the main news of the day in less than five minutes.
Slovaks are pessimistic about corruption
'Corruption doesn't exist in high places,' reads a billboard in Bratislava in 2017. (source: SME - Jozef Jakubčo)
Slovaks are in a funk about corruption, a new Transparency International survey shows – but some of their negative perceptions about the problem are not entirely borne out by the evidence.
More than half of the 1,000+ respondents surveyed said they rely on traditional media when gathering information on corruption. The rest depend on less reliable sources that tend to distort the information or are openly biased. These include social media, disinformation media, and so-called 'alternative media'.
The majority of survey respondents think that corruption cases are occuring more frequently now than before the 2020 election. And they think that more of their fellow citizens lack trust in the judiciary than is actually shown by a Eurobarometer survey that regularly measures trust in the justice system.
Other stories from The Slovak Spectator
WEEKEND: Take a look over what there is to do this weekend.
TRAVEL: A night in a castle tower? Just a great plan so far.
BUSINESS: Read about how sharing agendas could help Slovak towns.
CULTURE: Lúčnica, a notable folklore ensemble, has obtained its very own building after 75 years of living and training in rented spaces.
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VIDEO FOR FRIDAY
Lúčnica
Peek into what Lúčnica has to offer.
FEATURE STORY FOR FRIDAY
Top 10 events in Bratislava
Eros Ramazzotti. (source: ramazzotti.com)
A party for children, Italian singer Eros Ramazzotti, and a circus on ice. What's on in Bratislava?
In other news:
Controls on the Slovak border with Ukraine may take longer on Tuesday, March 7, due to the planned Schengen information system updates, which will last from 8:00 to 22:00, the police said.
The Slovak Catholic Charity (SKCH) has provided more than 900 tons of humanitarian aid for Ukraine, valued at more than €5 million. The aid helped both Ukrainian refugees in Slovakia and people that stayed in Ukraine. The charity has its own programme 'Adopcia na diaľku' (Long distance adoption) to help the poorest children in Ukraine. (TASR)
President Zuzana Čaputová has entrusted the interim prime minister, Eduard Heger (OĽaNO), with the leadership of the Health Ministry after the resignation of Vladimír Lengvarský.
The unemployment rate fell to 6 percent in the fourth quarter of last year. In year-on-year terms, the unemployment rate decreased by 0.5 percentage points. Using a year-long average, the unemployment rate reached 6.8 percent in 2021 and 6.1 percent in 2022, the Statistics Office said.
In 2022, the number of unemployed decreased in all eight regions compared to 2021. The most significant absolute and relative decrease in the number of unemployed persons was recorded in Trnava Region. (source: Statistics Office)
WEEKEND WEATHER FORECAST
Slovakia will enjoy sunny or partially cloudy weather on Saturday. The western part of Slovakia will be sunny and clear, with daytime temperatures rising from 10°C to 12°C. Central Slovakia can expect partly cloudy weather and temperatures from 7°C to 14°C. In the eastern part of Slovakia the temperatures will vary from 9°C to 12°C, with partial cloud cover.
Sunday will be cloudy, with snow in northern Slovakia and sleet or rain in the south. You can expect lower temperatures.
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