This is Today in Slovakia – Friday, 18 July edition. Welcome.
Hello from Bratislava, where packs of teenage boys have lost their minds. Did they have good reason? That’s debatable.
I was on a bus near Bratislava Castle this afternoon when it ground to a halt – overrun by teens clutching phones, ready to film a celebrity sighting. A black SUV, bodyguards, police, the whole circus. Word spread: a famous American YouTuber was in town. The bus filled with kids racing to his next location, while others tracked him like a migrating bird.
It was IShowSpeed (real name: Darren Jason Watkins Jr.), who has 42 million YouTube subscribers and nearly as many Instagram followers. A total mystery to me.
So, in the name of journalism (and because it was a slow news day), I watched his stream. The 20-year-old tried Slovak food, got stuck in a restaurant lift (the highlight, according to many in Slovakia), attempted wakeboarding (poorly), whinged about the internet and the rain (phrase of the day: “We laggin’.”), and quite often shouted at children (though, to be fair, he also did stop for selfies and signed football jerseys) – all while acting like the main character in Europe.
I’m still processing what today says about Slovakia, or the world, when teenagers are this obsessed with someone who’s – let’s be honest – not exactly a livestreaming genius. His other talents – apart from being glued to his phone – remain unknown to me, for now.
And even though he seemed to know nothing about Slovakia (at one point asking about the ocean and sharks here), he wore our football jersey, praised our food (and Kofola), learned some Slovak words and phrases (including “Fico” – blissfully unaware it was the name of our notorious prime minister), and gave Slovakia a rare moment in the global spotlight. Better PR than our own government manages.
Now, onto the rest of the news – slightly less chaotic, but no less real.
Žilinka in the spotlight (for once, not just for the wrong reasons)
General Prosecutor Maroš Žilinka (source: SME/Jozef Jakubčo)
While he may not boast 42 million YouTube subscribers, General Prosecutor Maroš Žilinka does have 50,000 followers on Facebook – and, unlike the American livestreamer, he tends to keep a lower profile in the traditional media. Recently, however, his name has returned to the media spotlight – and mostly for the usual reasons.
The famously media-shy Žilinka, who reportedly rides a €10,000 Pinarello road bike (thank you, Slovak tabloids), has spent fielding more criticism than praise. But in a rare twist, here are three decisions for which he has received – if not applause, then at least a nod of reluctant approval.
The Ďurka U-turn: Žilinka recently scrapped last year’s charge against police investigator Pavol Ďurka, who had been accused of abuse of power. According to Žilinka, the charges were legally shaky and ignored mitigating circumstances – including workload, new fatherhood, and a long commute. At the heart of the matter was the so-called “reťazenie väzby” – the repeated pre-trial detention of suspects, in this case Patrik Vidašič of the Takáčovci crime group – which Slovak law does not explicitly forbid. Ďurka, part of the sidelined “Čurilla” investigative group, had been under scrutiny by the Interior Ministry’s special police inspectorate team. To complicate matters, the case prosecutor, Michal Žeňuch, is under fire for allegedly inappropriate remarks about the “Čurilla” group and political ties to the ruling Smer party. That said, Ďurka still faces three other charges.
The government flight protest: Žilinka also filed a formal protest over Interior Minister Matúš Šutaj Eštok’s August decision to deny a freedom of information request about a June 2024 government flight to Germany for the Slovakia–Belgium match at Euro 2024. His argument? That the decision lacked proper legal reasoning and failed to balance two constitutional rights: personal data protection versus the right to public information. Translation: the Interior Ministry did not do a proportionality test. Žilinka insists the public has a right to know how taxpayer money is spent – including on flights for ministers, deputy speakers, and an entourage of roughly 20 government officials. The ministry, naturally, claims the trip was official business, not a football jolly.
No lifeline for Bombic: Žilinka rejected a request to apply Section 363 in the case of Daniel Bombic, a far-right extremist and antisemite recently charged with 26 counts of extremism. Bombic is represented by none other than David Lindtner – a former judge, current legal adviser to PM Robert Fico, and partner at the defence minister’s law firm, Kallan Legal. The specifics of Lindtner’s legal manoeuvre remain unclear. In a twist of satire, Bombic publicly thanked Žilinka for the rejection.
Motive watch: So why these moves now? Some observers suspect it might have something to do with parliament recently voting down a proposal for Žilinka to receive a lifetime pension. Just saying.
Real estate dreams: Žilinka also wants a bigger office. In a report to parliament – to be debated after the summer – he argues the General Prosecutor’s Office has long faced space shortages and needs a new building. As SME points out, they are not alone: the Supreme Court is in the same boat, split across several sites.
The General Prosecutor's Office building in Bratislava (source: SME - Gabriel Kuchta)
And one final footnote: It is not all reform and rationality. According to SME, sensitive cases were – at least for a time – being handed to two prosecutors, Katarína Habčáková and Martina Cibuľová, even when those cases did not fall under their remit. Both became notorious for legally unusual decisions (see: Čurilla group) and reportedly enjoyed special treatment within the institution.
MORE STORIES FROM THE SLOVAK SPECTATOR
PREMIER’S PERCH: Following the assassination attempt on Robert Fico, Slovakia is planning a renovation of the prime minister’s Košice base, complete with upgraded security and luxury features – all bankrolled by an EU-backed fund.
VILLA FIASCO: A luxury villa on Croatia’s coast – long rumoured to belong to PM Robert Fico – is back in the spotlight.
PAWS & PETROL: At a petrol station in central Slovakia, a ginger cat named Mico has become the main attraction – outshining fuel prices and coffee with his charm, loyalty, and a prime nap spot by the windscreen fluid. Here’s more good news.
BRATISLAVA’S BEST: From mediaeval jousts to open-air film nights and bustling Old Town markets, Bratislava is serving up 10 top events in the coming days no foreigner should miss.
PIROHY & PROGRESS: In the remote village of Ulič, a small food company is transforming lives by offering local Roma women stable employment – proving that inclusion can thrive even where job prospects are scarce. But wait – there’s more.
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PHOTOGRAPHY
Slovak on a steel beam
The iconic photo Lunch atop a Skyscraper. Slovak Gustáv Popovič is said to be first from the right. (source: WIKIMEDIA/CC)
One of the world’s most iconic photographs – Lunch atop a Skyscraper – may feature a Slovak mason from beneath the High Tatras. Gustáv “Gusti” Popovič, believed to be the man on the far right holding a bottle, left behind a cryptic note in a family photo album: “Don’t you worry, my dear Mariška, as you can see I’m still with bottle.” While other nations claim the men as their own, one Slovak village has already etched his legacy in stone.
IN OTHER NEWS
Summer outings in Slovakia are becoming pricier, with higher VAT and rising costs pushing up entry fees to water parks and pools by over 10 percent, says 365.bank analyst Tomáš Boháček. A family weekend at a domestic resort can now rival the cost of a short seaside holiday abroad, narrowing the gap between local and foreign getaways. (SITA)
Slovak Railways (ŽSR) has issued a fresh warning to parents and the public, urging vigilance as risky behaviour near tracks – from playing on railway lines to climbing on wagons – continues to pose serious threats to children’s lives. Incidents of vandalism, dangerous stunts and attempts at selfies near high-voltage wires are rising, with ŽSR stressing that even brief inattention can have fatal consequences.
Thailand faces a persistently elevated risk of terrorist attacks, the Slovak Information Service (SIS) warned, noting that while the security situation is currently stable, stricter measures remain in place.
The Slovak Red Cross has launched a crowdfunding campaign to raise awareness of drowning deaths, symbolised by a paper boat folded from alarming statistics. With around 120 drownings annually – most in summer – the organisation is calling for public support to improve education and rescue equipment via www.zachrannalodka.sk.
A 40-kilometre protest march set off from Slatinka on Friday, calling for fair decision-making over the planned Málinec pumped-storage power plant. Activists warn the project threatens local communities and drinking water, while the environment ministry insists it will bring economic benefits without compromising water sources.
The opposition continues to accuse the Health Ministry of running a non-transparent ambulance tender, demanding clarity from Minister Kamil Šaško (Hlas) and the emergency services command. Despite the minister’s absence from a failed extraordinary committee meeting, his deputy pledged full transparency and said the tender results would be reviewed personally. (TASR)
Slovakia is prepared for a potential electricity blackout, with SEPS taking preventive steps including system upgrades, simulations and cross-border coordination. While recent outages in Spain and the Czech Republic have raised concerns, Slovak grid operators stress that international cooperation and ongoing monitoring help safeguard stability. (SITA)
WEEKEND WEATHER BRIEFING
Sat: Mostly fine, brief cloudier spells. Isolated morning fog, local showers or storms in the north and east. Highs 20°C–29°C.
Sun: Sunny to partly cloudy. Showers or storms rare. Warm, locally muggy. Highs 27°C–32°C, cooler in the north.
Mon: Mostly sunny, clouding over in the afternoon with isolated storms. Very warm. Highs 30°C–35°C, cooler in Orava and near the Tatras.
Elena Jakabová and her front garden – a mosaic of dry concrete, coloured glass and paint – outside a residential block in Myjava, Thursday 10 July 2025. (source: TASR)
ON THE WEEKEND NAME DAY RADAR: 19 Jul – Dušana; 20 Jul – Iľja, Eliáš; 21 Jul – Daniel. Best wishes to all celebrating.
WEEKEND IN SLOVAKIA: Colleague Matúš Beňo has top tips for making the most of Slovakia – think Venice vibes, high-altitude style, and Tatra thrills.
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