(source: SME.sk / Hej,ty)
Good evening. Here is the Thursday, July 7 edition of Today in Slovakia - the main news of the day in less than five minutes.
Promising gas deposits near Trnava?
In 2021 Eustream was the second most profitable company, in 2022 it placed fourth with a slightly decreased revenue and profit. (source: TASR)
The 1960s was a golden era for natural gas extraction in Slovakia. The amount extracted at the time would cover a third of the country's current consumption. However, extraction today is only a fraction of what it once was, and is shrinking.
Slovakia is highly dependent on gas imports from abroad. However, as the war in Ukraine continues, companies are looking again at local deposits. One promising deposit could be near Trnava, and the Nafta company wants to drill a well at the location.
The company says the deposit could cover up to ten percent of Slovakia's annual consumption, although it is thought that in reality that would not be the case.
Read more on the gas situation in Slovakia:
In May, state utility SPP announced that supplies for Slovakia are secured until the end of 2023.
What are the options if Slovakia wants to wean itself off Russian gas?
More stories on Spectator.sk
INTERNET EXPLORER: Some electronic services provided by the state which are managed by the Interior Ministry continue to require the use of the obsolete and decommissioned browser.
JÁN KUCIAK: Four years after the murder of Slovak investigative journalist Ján Kuciak and his fiancée Martina Kušnírová, US director Matt Sarnecki shot a documentary remembering them both.
THE VOLVO INVESTMENT: What should people in eastern Slovakia expect from the new plant?
If you like what we are doing and want to support good journalism, buy our online subscription. Thank you.
Feature story for today
Prices of residential real estate in Slovakia keep setting new records, driven by low interest rates and low supply.
Not just in Bratislava and the surrounding areas, but a massive shortage of residential real estate is being reported in almost every major city in Slovakia.
Rudolf Bruchánik, analyst with the Bencont development company, says that prices of new flats in Bratislava have gone up by between 10-40 percent year-on-year regardless of the locality or what phase of construction they are in.
Picture of the day
Soldiers cleaning outside the historic building of the National Council in preparation for a meeting of the army commanders to discuss the current situation in Europe and what it means for Slovakia.
Soldiers cleaning the space before the historic building of the National Council in the preparation of the meeting of the army commanders. (source: TASR)
In other news
The Pohoda multi-genre festival opened on Thursday. The biggest festival in the country will this year see performances from the likes of Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, The Libertines, Flumes, The Metronomy and many others.
The first case of monkeypox was confirmed in Slovakia.It is highly likely the infected person, aged between 20 to 59, picked up the virus abroad. The patient has been isolated and hospitalized. Relevant authorities have contacted all close contacts of the patient and have instructed them to monitor their health and what to do in the event they have any symptoms. Slovakia will purchase vaccines for the disease, as the country expects sporadic outbreaks.
The new Volvo factory near Košice, which will produce electric cars, will increase Slovakia's gross domestic product by 1.3 percent. The investment worth more than one billion euros could create around 12,000 new jobs. The factory will produce electric cars.
The rate of positive PCR and antigen Covid tests has risen above 40 percent. The most cases were detected in Bratislava.
The University Hospital of Louis Pasteur in Košice has issued a ban on visiting patients in its departments following a rise in the number of patients with Covid-19. The hospital has introduced testing of patients before admitting them, as has the hospital in the Šaca district in Košice.
Defence Minister Jaroslav Naď (OĽANO) admitted this year's defence budget could increase to two percent of GDP. He said this would depend on the national budget and the political situation, adding that devoting two percent of GDP is already accounted for in the proposed budget for the next year. Most Slovak military technology is old. According to experts, the country needs to modernize its equipment.
The weather forecast for Friday and the weekend according to the Slovak Hydrometeorological Institute. Friday will be partially cloudy, with some precipitation in the north. Daily maximum temperatures will be between 21 and 26 degrees Celsius. Both Saturday and Sunday will be partially cloudy with maximum temperatures between 22 and 27 degrees expected. If you want to use your weekend to see something new, a new railbike circuit has opened in Košice, as well as the biggest maze in central Europe.
The level of the Domaša dam lake in eastern Slovakia is falling amid a persistent drought and is now approximately four to five meters lower than it was in the spring. The situation is similar at all bodies of water in Slovakia. In the past few weeks, several districts in Slovakia reported water shortages.
From July, the restored chairlift on the Kamzík hill will operate on a summer schedule from Tuesday to Sunday, from 10.00AM to 18.00PM. During autumn, repair work will continue.
If you have suggestions on how this news overview can be improved, you can reach us at editorial@spectator.sk.
