(source: SME.sk / Hej,ty)
Good afternoon. The Friday, July 2 edition of Today in Slovakia is ready, providing the main news of the day in less than five minutes. We wish you a pleasant read.
Sme Rodina blocked stricter rules for the unvaccinated
Boris Kollár, chair of Sme Rodina (source: TASR)
Coalition party Sme Rodina blocked the cabinet-proposed amendment that would make vaccination or negative Covid test results a requirement to enter restaurants, fitness centres and other facilities, despite the six-hour coalition session the previous day.
The law introducing this use for the Covid passes was expected to be on the programme of the ongoing parliamentary session, but due to the refusal of Sme Rodina it was postponed until later.
Chairman Boris Kollár said that it will be submitted to the next parliamentary session after the coalition partners agree on a compromise. He and his party insist that people must not be divided into two categories, vaccinated and unvaccinated, and that the PCR tests that unvaccinated people will be required to take to be able to enter, for example, a restaurant, must not be paid from their own pockets.
Sme Rodina objects against the law even though its two ministers voted to approve it at the cabinet session on Wednesday.
Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) insists that the vaccinated must enjoy advantages.
The passing of the law does not affect the new rules on borders, which as of July 9. On the same day, the Czech Republic introduces a similar regime on its borders, changing the definition of a vaccinated person. One vaccine dose will no longer be enough for people to be considered immunised.
The parliament did pass the amendment that enables the Finance Ministry to announce alottery to motivate people to get a jab. Another financial reward can be claimed by adults who persuade another adult to get vaccinated between July 1 and October 31.
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Coronavirus and vaccination development
In Slovakia, 2,030,946 vaccinated people have been vaccinated with the first dose and 1,587,668 people are fully vaccinated.
Everyone who returns from abroad, even those who only went shopping in a town close to the border, is obliged to register at korona.gov.sk/ehranica when returning to Slovakia. This is also an obligation of those who are vaccinated and do not have to go into quarantine. Registration might be checked by the police, the Health Ministry claims.
Photo of the day
Slovakia has the same mural as Prague, Budapest, and Warsaw. Read more in Spectacular Slovakia Weekly, in which we write about Americans learning Slovak folk songs, Princess Diana's visit to Bratislava, and non-cultivated edible plants.
The mural is painted on a building at 3 Gorkého Street in Bratislava on the occasion of the creation of the Visegrad Group 30 years ago and the Polish Presidency, which ended on June 30. The same mural can be found in Prague, Budapest and Warsaw. (source: Twitter/V4 Presidency)
Feature story for today
Three out of four of the addressed successful and high-ranking female attorneys agree that it is harder for women to make their way in law. Prejudice, which men do not face, is one of the reasons.
In other news
Travel agencies will get state aid in the form of repayable financial assistance to secure their liquidity. The Finance Ministry estimates that tour operators will need approximately €60 million.
All shops will be closed on July 5, as it is Saints Cyril and Methodius Day, a state holiday.
During the last three days, the National Criminal Agency (NAKA) has detained and charged 14 people with tax crimes and the establishment and support of a criminal group. Those charged are former leading representatives of the Financial Administration and employees of the tax office at various levels of management.
Igor Matovič registered for the Sputnik V vaccination before the registration closed on Wednesday. (Denník N)
Slovakia's brown bear intervention team dealt with a problematic bear and her two cubs that were causing damage between Hrebienok and Starý Smokovec in the High Tatras. They were sedated and moved to the wild nature of the High Tatras.
Slovaks spend two to three hours on social networks every day. Only 2 percent of people do not use social media at all. Social networks are more popular in Slovakia than in the Czech Republic, where the average time spent on them is 30 minutes less. (AMI Digital Index)
Do not miss on Spectator.sk today
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