Good evening. Here is the Friday, February 7 edition of Today in Slovakia - the main news of the day in less than five minutes.
Protests continue across Slovakia and abroad against the Fico government
Demonstrators attending the "Slovakia is Europe!" protest organised by the initiatives Not in Our City and Peace for Ukraine in Freedom Square, Bratislava on Friday, February 7. (source: SITA,)
This evening, February 7, mass protest gatherings have been taking place in more than 50 cities across Slovakia. The demonstrations are in response to the actions of Prime Minister Robert Fico’s government, which organisers claim is weakening Slovakia’s alliances within the European Union and NATO.
"Slovakia belongs to a free and democratic Europe. We will not allow our country to be dominated by authoritarian practices and pro-Russian propaganda. Citizens have the right to assemble and express their views in a respectful yet firm manner," the organisers emphasised.
The protests, organised by non-profit organisation Mier Ukraine (Peace for Ukraine) and local civic activists and platforms, and were held in dozens of cities, including Banská Bystrica, Banská Štiavnica, Bardejov, Bratislava, Čadca, Dolný Kubín, Dunajská Streda, Gelnica, Humenné, Komárno, Košice, Levice, Liptovský Mikuláš, Malacky, Martin, Myjava, Nitra, Nové Mesto nad Váhom, Nové Zámky, Pezinok, Poprad, Považská Bystrica, Prievidza, Revúca, Rimavská Sobota, Ružomberok, Senec, Senica, Spišská Nová Ves, Trnava, Vranov nad Topľou and Žilina.
In a repeat of a similar demonstration two weeks ago, Freedom Square in Bratislava was filled with people, with an estimated 42,000 to 45,000 attending, according to SafetyCrew, the company that ensures safety at the gathering. Various cultural figures, students, actors, pastors and activists spoke to the assembled crowd.
Among the speakers in Bratislava was Boris Kršňák, a long-time reporter from Prague for public broadcaster RTVS (which last year was reformed as a state-controlled broadcaster and renamed STVR), whose contract was recently cancelled.
"A public broadcaster must spread truthful information. And in that case, the journalist must seek the truth. That cannot be done by putting the truth at one end of the table and a lie at the other. What’s in the middle is not the truth," he addressed the crowd.
He reminded everyone that yesterday, the Czech Supreme Court issued a ruling to cancel the acquittal of a primary school teacher who taught students that there was no war in Ukraine.
"In the justification, it was written: A lie is not an opinion. And that’s true even if the perpetrator is convinced it is. The fact that there is a war in Ukraine is not a matter of opinion. It is a fact," Kršňák told the people.
Representatives of nine student organisations also spoke, including Simon Omaník, who refused to shake hands with President Pellegrini at a recent awards ceremony – something for which Prime Minister Fico said the student should have been "slapped".
Omaník urged young people not to let themselves be "intimidated by attacks from government officials, but to stand up for their opinions and not be afraid to defend them."
"Intimidating and deterring us, that's what Robert Fico wants," Omaník told the crowd.
Slovaks have also been holding protests abroad, with mass gatherings in Prague, London and Paris, among other locations; around 40 people expressed their opinions in Stockholm.
Related:
Prime Minister Fico questioned the protests via a Facebook post headlined: "I am asking why people are actually protesting today." He also shared an article from the TASR news agency reporting that Paula Pinho, the chief spokesperson for European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, had told TASR that the commission has no indication that Slovakia is considering leaving the European Union.
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FEATURE STORY
Ecocapsule Box: The future of affordable, off-grid living
This Ecocapsule Box appeared on the Danube embankment for one day. (source: Tomáš Manina)
Ready to escape the hustle and live off the grid? Ecocapsule's new Box is changing the game with affordable, sustainable and mobile housing. Starting at €55,000, this innovative, energy-independent home could be your answer to minimalist living. Want to learn more about this revolutionary design? Keep reading!
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Have you ever tried soy candles? Learn how to create these low-smoke, long-lasting candles from 100-percent natural soy wax that will beautifully decorate your home. For more details about when and where check out our Top 10 events for foreigners in Bratislava.
IN OTHER NEWS
A prosecutor has proposed four years' probation and financial penalties ranging from €80,000 to €1,000 for three lawyers - Zoroslav Kollár, former judge Richard Molnár and attorney Tomáš Kulák - accused of bribery and influencing court decisions. The charges against them are based on the testimony of a judge-turned-state's-witness, Vladimír Sklenka, who has alleged that the defendants influenced the courts. The defence is seeking the lawyers' acquittal, arguing that the evidence is insufficient and Sklenka's testimony is not reliable. The verdict in the case will be delivered on February 10. (Hospodárske Noviny)
In 2023, 12.7 percent of Slovaks worked from home, with 7.8 percent doing so occasionally and 4.9 percent regularly, according to ISA and Eurostat. Entrepreneurs use remote work more than employees, with nearly 39 percent of business owners with staff working from home. Among Slovakia’s neighbours, Austria leads in homeworking (27.9 percent), while the Netherlands (51.9 percent) and Sweden have the highest rates in the EU. (TASR)
The Ministry of Investment, Regional Development and Informatisation (MIRRI) is launching a national project aimed at mapping brownfield sites across Slovakia. To identify underutilised industrial areas, it will allocate €2 million. (SITA)
An experienced Slovak crypto investor, Daniela, lost thousands of euros to a sophisticated scam exploiting a vulnerability in cryptocurrency exchange Binance. The fraud began with a fake security alert, leading her to call what appeared to be an official Binance number. A scammer posing as a support agent tricked her into importing a compromised crypto wallet, allowing them to steal her funds. Daniela reported the case to police and Binance, but the platform declined to refund her, stating the funds had been transferred outside its system. Experts warn that crypto scams are becoming more advanced, urging investors to verify transactions and never share private wallet details. (Denník N)
OneRepublic will headline LOVESTREAM 2025. While the main star of Saturday night, August 16, will be the phenomenal Post Malone, the first headliner of the weekend on Friday, August 15, will be OneRepublic.
General Prosecutor Maroš Žilinka has strongly urged politicians to avoid undue interference in the work of law enforcement authorities and to refrain from publicly undermining their activities. His statement comes in response to media remarks made by Juraj Gedra (Smer), head of the Government Office. In his reply, Gedra stated that he fully respects law enforcement bodies. However, he considers it both the right and duty of politicians to publicly ask questions and convey the public's concerns regarding the scrutiny of the Covid-19 pandemic period. This public exchange of opinions was the first to take place between the ruling coalition and Žilinka, who has so far refrained from criticising the government.
In the photo, people are walking around Skalnaté Pleso (lake) in the High Tatras on January 31, 2025. (source: TASR - Veronika Mihaliková)
WEATHER FOR THE WEEKEND: It promises to be mostly cloudy to overcast over the weekend, with brief intervals of reduced cloud cover. Daytime highs will range from 2°C to 7°C, rising to 8°C on Sunday, but with some valleys experiencing temperatures of between 0°C and 2°C. The Slovak Hydrometeorological Institute has issued a Level 1 warning for wind in Trenčín and Trnava Regions. (SHMÚ)
TIME TO CELEBRATE: Zoja, Zdenko and Gabriela are the lucky ones celebrating their name days this weekend! Saturday, February 8 - Zoja; Sunday, February 9 - Zdenko; Monday, February 10 - Gabriela.
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