Good evening. Here is the Friday, August 2 edition of Today in Slovakia - the main news of the day in less than five minutes.
Culture minister appoints a flat earther and a Mečiar spokesman to oversee STVR
Culture Minister Martina Šimkovičová during a no-confidence vote in parliament on May 14, 2024. (source: TASR)
Four new members have been appointed by Culture Minister Martina Šimkovičová (SNS nom.) to the Slovak Television and Radio Council (STVR), which will oversee the new state-owned broadcaster. They are Peter Benčurík, Jozef Krošlák, Lukáš Machala and Jarmila Mikušová.
The Culture Ministry announced that a five-member evaluation committee, which met on July 24, interviewed 19 candidates. Three members were selected by the culture minister based on the committee's recommendation, while the fourth was appointed based on the finance minister's proposal.
The remaining five members of the council will be elected by parliament based on nominations from its culture and media committee, with nominations due by August 9 and elections expected around September 6. The formation of the new council follows a law that transformed RTVS (Radio and Television of Slovakia) into STVR (Slovak Television and Radio) as of July 1 and in the process curtailed the mandates of the former general director and oversight body. The council will now have the authority to appoint and dismiss STVR's general director.
Opposition party Progressive Slovakia (PS) criticised the appointments. PS vice-chair Zora Jaurová said the governing coalition had crudely changed the law so that it could instal its own people.
She noted that one of the appointees, Lukáš Machala, who is currently a senior official at the Culture Ministry, has publicly entertained the notion that the Earth might be flat, while another, Jozef Krošlák was a spokesperson for Slovakia's quasi-authoritarian 1990s premier Vladimír Mečiar. In that role he was partial to making blood-curdling (but rarely fulfilled) predictions.
According to Jaurová, the appointments procedure proves that the members of the government coalition "serve only themselves and their people".
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Politics: Justice Minister Boris Susko (Smer) has filed a disciplinary proposal against Supreme Court Justice Juraj Kliment, citing alleged bias and political motivation and seeking to have him dismissed as a judge. Kliment has long been a target of attacks by members and proxies of the ruling Smer party.
Restaurant review: "Until last week, borsch was basically all I knew of Ukrainian cookery," writes Mark Taylor, recounting his visit to a Ukrainian restaurant in Bratislava.
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FEATURE STORY
Triple Kľak. Slovakia's three peaks that may confuse
This Kľak, a hill in the Malá Fatra mountains, is a popular destination for hikers. (source: Jana Liptáková)
Fancy conquering Kľak? First you'll need to decide which one. Hikers face a potential mix-up given that there are three hills named Kľak in Slovakia: one in the Malá Fatra mountains, another in the Veľká Fatra, and yet another (the highest) in the Slovenské Rudohorie (Slovak Ore Mountains). Happily, all offer stunning vistas.
EVENT FOR THE WEEKEND
A romantic date under the stars?
Enjoy a glass of wine on a blanket, in the picturesque surroundings of Pezinok's vineyards. (source: vinopodhviezdami.sk)
Pezinok, a town near to Bratislava, invites you to experience a truly unforgettable and popular event: "Wine Under the Stars”. Experience a magical and romantic atmosphere with a glass of good wine. Bring a (close!) friend.
IN OTHER NEWS
The Defence Ministry has not yet received an official price offer from the US for 12 AH-1Z Viper combat helicopters but will review it once received, the ministry has announced. The US Defence Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) has notified Congress of the upcoming offer. The estimated cost for the helicopters and associated equipment is $600 million, the Pentagon reported this week. When the helicopters were originally offered last year, the cost was reported to be $300 million, but the offer was criticised by the Smer party (then in opposition). After the party took control of the Defence Ministry in October, Defence Minister Robert Kaliňák (Smer) tried to negotiate a discount on a US-built air defence system instead, but appears to have been rebuffed. (TASR)
President Peter Pellegrini, speaking on Roma Holocaust Memorial Day, condemned the spread of hateful ideologies and urged remembrance of the victims of such violence. He emphasised that persecution based on race, ethnicity, religion, social class or political affiliation leads to human suffering and warned against the persistence of similar ideologies today. The memorial day marks the massacre of nearly 3,000 Roma at Auschwitz-Birkenau on August 2-3, 1944, with estimates of around 500,000 Roma and Sinti victims during the Second World War, including about 1,000 in Slovakia. (TASR)
The Slovak Information Service (SIS), one of Slovakia's spy agencies, is monitoring and evaluating potential security risks to Slovakia's interests on an ongoing basis. The agency stated this in its reply to SITA's question about whether it perceives as a security risk Hungary's decision to ease visa restrictions for citizens of Russia and Belarus. Under the National Card programme, which will allow them to enter the European Union without any security controls, they will reportedly be able to move freely to other EU countries. (SITA)
Traffic restrictions due to the stabilisation of an unstable slope above the rock cliff along road I/18 between Strečno and Dubná Skala in the Žilina Region will begin on Monday, August 5, at 10:00. On weekdays, traffic will be restricted to one lane, and on weekends, road I/18 will be completely closed. The first weekend closure is scheduled for August 10 and 11, with the road closing on Saturday at 14:00 and reopening on Sunday at 19:00. An emergency situation was declared on road I/18 on February 9 due to the risk of falling rocks. (TASR)Traffic restrictions due to the stabilisation of an unstable slope above the rock cliff along road I/18 between Strečno and Dubná Skala in the Žilina Region will begin on Monday, August 5, at 10:00. On weekdays, traffic will be restricted to one lane, and on weekends, road I/18 will be completely closed. The first weekend closure is scheduled for August 10 and 11, with the road closing on Saturday at 14:00 and reopening on Sunday at 19:00. An emergency situation was declared on road I/18 on February 9 due to the risk of falling rocks. (TASR)
WEATHER FOR THE WEEKEND
Cloudy to overcast conditions are expected for the weekend, with occasional showers or rain and isolated thunderstorms. High temperatures will range from 22°C to 28°C. The Slovak Hydrometeorological Institute (SHMÚ) has issued a level 1 warning for wind in central and southeastern Slovakia.
NAME DAYS IN SLOVAKIA: Saturday, August 3 - Jerguš,Sunday, August 4 - Dominika, Dominik, Monday, August 5 - Hortenzia.
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