Good evening. Here is theWednesday, November 15 edition of Today in Slovakia - the main news of the day in less than five minutes.
Daniel Tupý murder trial begins
Parents of murdered Daniel Tupý. (source: TASR)
On the evening of November 4, 2005 Daniel Tupý, a 21-year-old Comenius University student, was stabbed to death on the Tyršovo Nábrežie embankment in Bratislava's Petržalka borough.
The case has remained open for 18 years but in late March this year, the National Crime Agency formally accused Bratislava lawyer, Adam Puškár, of being an accomplice in the murder.
On Wednesday, the trial began at the Bratislava I Municipal Court. Puškár has rejected a plea bargain and has protested his innocence.
The parents and brother of Daniel Tupý, accompanied by their attorney Roman Kvasnica, were present at the hearing. They are claiming €250,000 in damages.
"For 18 years, Slovak state authorities have not been able to determine who committed the act. My clients are constantly under stress, at some point there were even attempts to portray Daniel Tupý as a drug addict, which runs counter to reality," Kvasnica said.
Adam Puškár's defence claimed that the indictment was illegal, filed prematurely, and that evidence does not prove the charges against him. They have demanded Puškár be acquitted.
A witness, Vladimír Mladíček, testified that he and a group of right-wing extremist sympathisers were at the embankment at the time of the murder and described the act. The main hearing was adjourned to January 8, 2024.
MORE STORIES FROM THE SLOVAK SPECTATOR WEBSITE
OPINION: Why you should be interested in Robert Fico's war against media. His actions threaten you too.
BRATISLAVA: Capital to hike property tax and waste disposal fee to plug budget holes.
BUSINESS: Germany's shrinking economy remains a concern for Slovakia.
LAW: Gold-plating is a problem in Slovak legislation, says expert. The country has adopted measures to eliminate the practice.
REFUGE: Persecuted Iranian writer finds refuge in Bratislava.
ADVERTORIAL: If you can't find a way, create one! Don't discourage others from doing "impossible" things.
If you like what we are doing and want to support good journalism, buy our online subscription with no ads and a print copy of The Slovak Spectator sent to your home in Slovakia. Thank you.
FEATURE STORY FOR WEDNESDAY
What's it like to run a mountain hut
The Chata pod Rysmi mountain hut. (source: SME Archive - Vladimír Šimíček)
The uninitiated might say that running a mountain hut is good business. But is it really?
"Even a good summer season won't pay for the rest of the year. We love mountains. If we didn't, we wouldn't be here," says Igor Fabricius, keeper of the Štefánikova Chata hut in the Low Tatras.
And while you're at it, read an interview with a legendary porter, and Jana Liptáková's night at the Chata pod Rysmi hut.
EVENT FOR SATURDAY
One for theatregoers
The National Theatre resides near the river Danube, which makes for a great walk. (source: Marko Erd, SME)
This Saturday promises a treat. The annual Theatre Night will be held in many towns across Slovakia, allowing you to sit back, enjoy, watch, or even participate in the performances. For the program, participating towns and more click here.
IN OTHER NEWS
In October 2023, core inflation stood at 7.6 percent, while net inflation reached 7.1 percent, the Statistics Office reported on Wednesday. (TASR)
Police rejected a criminal complaint filed by Smer over the donation of Slovakia's MiG-29 fighter jets to Ukraine under the government led by Eduard Heger in March. At the time, the party claimed that the move would drag Slovakia into the war in Ukraine. (TASR)
On Wednesday, Interior Minister Matúš Šutaj Eštok (Hlas) temporarily appointed Ľubomír Solák as Police Corps chief. Rastislav Polakovič, who was previously in charge of the police, will be taking up a new position as head of the traffic police. (TASR)
The president received credentials from the new ambassadors of Poland and Egypt, Maciej Ruczaj and Ayman Aly Kamel, respectively.
The photovoltaic panels and green garden on the roof of the Presidential Palace are part of a project to make the building the first carbon neutral institution in Slovakia by 2030. (source: TASR)
WEATHER FOR THURSDAY
Partly cloudy, cover increasing during the day. Snow expected above 1,200 metres. Daily temperatures between 5 °C and 13 °C. Level 1 wind warning issued for both Low and High Tatras mountain ranges and surrounding areas. (SHMÚ)
Thank you for subscribing and reading. It means a lot to us.
P.S. If you have suggestions on how our news overview can be improved, you can reach us at editorial@spectator.sk.
Follow The Slovak Spectator on Facebook and Instagram (@slovakspectator).
