Good to have you with us! Here is the latest edition of Today in Slovakia - all the top news from Tuesday, wrapped up in one place!
Education unions declare strike alert
Cooks dressed in black at the primary school in Zvolen, central Slovakia, on Wednesday, November 27, 2024. (source: TASR)
Slovakia’s education unions have joined the growing wave of discontent in the public sector, declaring a strike alert over pay and working conditions.
Pavel Ondek, the head of the Trade Union of Education Workers, announced the decision on Wednesday, citing unsatisfactory negotiations with Education Minister Tomáš Drucker (Hlas). “Discussions with the minister have brought no results,” Ondek said. The unions are demanding a 10 percent pay rise for all employees in the education sector starting next year. The starting salary in education is €1,200 gross, which is very little, noted Ondek. Another demand from the unions is to resolve the chaos in education funding.
“We are calling on Prime Minister Robert Fico and Hlas leader Matúš Šutaj Eštok, whose party nominee oversees the ministry, to address the urgent problems in Slovak education,” Ondek said.
The government pledged to raise salaries in its own manifesto, yet for the second year in a row, that promise hangs in doubt. The Education Ministry stated that Minister Drucker remains confident the state will be able to increase wages next year. “We’re talking about a wage increase of roughly 5 to 7 percent,” the ministry said. A 7 percent salary increase would cost the state an estimated €380 million annually. However, according to Ondek, this increase is not enough.
The unions’ warning comes amid increasing pressure on the government, with hospital doctors threatening to quit their jobs over wages and working conditions.
Related: Teachers in Slovakia are set to receive a one-off payment of €800 next year, but unions have criticised the government’s approach to financing education and the chronic underfunding of the sector. Their frustration culminated in the “Schools in Mourning” protest this November, during which teachers and other workers arrived at schools dressed in black to highlight the dire state of education funding.
MORE STORIES FROM THE SLOVAK SPECTATOR
Ban: The Slovak government will prohibit taxis with foreign licence plates from operating in the country starting January 2025.
Mediaeval charm: The mayor of Košice has ruled out plans for skyscrapers.
Exempted: Despite EU sanctions, Slovakia will continue exporting fuels and oil products made from Russian crude to the Czech Republic after January 1, under a temporary exemption arrangement.
Hotspot: Eastern Slovakia is emerging as a hotspot for new investments, yet outdated transport infrastructure remains a major hurdle.
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INTERVIEW
From Slovakia to Hollywood
Kristína Kúdelová. (source: Marko Erd)
From Kate Winslet’s candid silliness to Edward Norton’s nod to Central Europe, a Slovak journalist shares insights from her role judging films for the Golden Globes.
SHARED BY THE POLICE
“Teddy Drop Ear” ends up at the police station
Macko Uško (source: Facebook - Bratislava Region Police)
A passenger was fined by police for insulting officers and refusing to identify himself during a motorway stop in the Senec district, near Bratislava. The man, who allegedly made an obscene gesture at the officers, claimed to be Macko Uško (Teddy Drop Ear), a beloved Polish animated bear from the communist era, also popular in Slovakia. According to police, the individual was taken to the station. The man remained consistently arrogant and was clearly under the influence of alcohol, the police stated. At the station, officers used information systems to confirm his identity – and verify that he is not, in fact, Macko Uško.
IN OTHER NEWS
Prime Minister Robert Fico on Tuesday placed responsibility for resolving the ongoing healthcare crisis squarely on the shoulders of Health Minister Kamil Šaško (Hlas), insisting the minister “knows exactly what to do.” Tuesday’s meeting between the Health Ministry and doctors was cancelled. Fico’s comments come as doctors’ resignations threaten to exacerbate the country’s fragile healthcare system. The prime minister underscored his personal conflict of interest in the matter. “I would prefer not to enter into discussions with people who saved my life [following a shooting attack in May]. I am too subjective and too emotional,” said the prime minister. One of the opposition leaders, Branislav Gröhling (SaS), has sarcastically asked if Fico had a conflict of interest when approving a law change that could see doctors jailed during an emergency situation. Instead of meeting with doctors on Tuesday, the PM held a press conference to talk about a project for constructing state-supported rental housing.
A Slovak government plane once again landed near Russia’s St Petersburg, home to the headquarters of gas giant Gazprom, on Tuesday. It remains unclear who was on board. Just two weeks ago, Economy Minister Denisa Saková (Hlas) travelled to Russia to negotiate gas supplies. The minister has not commented on the secret trips. (Denník N)
The Finance Ministry has come under fire for excluding gluten-free flour mixes from its newly introduced 5 percent VAT reduction. Independent MP Martina Bajo Holečková flagged the oversight, pointing out that gluten-free mixes commonly used by coeliac patients for baking bread and cakes were left off the list of eligible products. Under the current plan, the reduced VAT will apply only to gluten-free bread, pastries, and single-ingredient flours. Bajo Holečková is urging the ministry to correct the error. (SITA)
Catholic clergy will provide pre-Christmas confession services at Slovakia’s two largest railway stations in Bratislava and Košice. In the capital, believers can take advantage of the opportunity on December 20 and 23 between 12:00 and 14:00. In Košice, the service will be available on December 23 from 13:00 to 19:00.
The Interior Ministry has begun issuing ID cards with a new design this week. The updated card features Slovakia’s national colours, with the national emblem and Devín Castle on the front, and the Kriváň peak on the back. This year, the ministry has also introduced several types of documents with updated designs. In addition to passports, the new formats include vehicle registration certificates, residence permits for foreigners, residence documents for EU citizens, and updated driving licences.
A new Slovak ID (source: The Interior Ministry)
Slovakia’s Defence Minister Robert Kaliňák (Smer) announced a breakthrough in negotiations over the country’s purchase of an air defence system from Israel, achieving an extended missile range. The system’s rockets will now boast a range of 150 kilometres, up from the original 75 kilometres. In a bid to bolster domestic defence capabilities, missile production will be transferred to Slovakia. The first system is expected to arrive and begin assembly between late 2025 and early 2026, with subsequent systems delivered at a rate of two per year.
Kaliňák also suggested that the ministry could look into procuring CV90120 tanks in the future. He highlighted their reduced weight as a key advantage. Slovakia’s military currently fields 30 T-72 tanks and 15 Leopard 2 tanks in the A4 variant.
The Defence Ministry has also announced plans to acquire 12 older Black Hawk helicopters, choosing them over the same number of Viper aircraft from the US government. The minister has claimed that Viper helicopters are less effective in winter conditions. Kaliňák indicated that the Black Hawks’ armament could include light and heavy machine guns, Hellfire missiles, and unguided rockets with smart warheads. Beyond combat roles, the helicopters could also support rescue operations and wildfire suppression efforts. Slovakia already operates this type of helicopter. The ministry is planning to purchase Black Hawks from companies linked to Czech oligarch Jaroslav Strnad. The opposition has slammed the decision.
The Defence Ministry plans to establish a new structure of active reserves, with certain segments specifically designated for members of the Armed Forces. For example, the so-called ‘gendarmes’ would assist police in maintaining public order in their free time. Kaliňák emphasised that such a system is successfully implemented in other countries, citing Italy’s Carabinieri as a notable example. The ministry also aims to attract civilians to other parts of the active reserves.
Slovakia’s third new F-16 fighter jet touched down at the Kuchyňa military airbase near Malacky last week, with two more expected to arrive in February and another four slated for delivery in August next year. The first two F-16 jets arrived in Slovakia in July as part of a deal to modernise the country’s air force. Slovakia purchased a total of 14 F-16 fighter jets in 2018. Their delivery has been delayed due to the pandemic. (US embassy)
Christmas markets in Prešov, eastern Slovakia, on December 6, 2024. (source: TASR)
WEATHER BRIEFING: Wednesday will be cloudy to overcast, with occasional breaks in the cloud cover. Isolated light rain or drizzle is possible. Mild temperatures for the time of year, with daytime highs ranging between 2°C and 7°C, and locally around 9°C in western Slovakia and the southern parts of the Banská Bystrica Region. (SHMÚ)
PARTY TIME: Happy namesday to all the Slávas out there! Celebrate in style this Wednesday, December 18—it’s your special day in Slovakia!
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