Good evening. Here is the Friday, September 29 edition of Today in Slovakia - the main news of the day in less than five minutes.
Exploring Bratislava's hidden courtyards: Lucia Lišková's Instagram journey
The view from one of Bratislava's hidden courtyards. (source: Lucia Lišková)
Lucia Lišková, inspired by the need to take her baby for walks, started exploring and sharing photos of Bratislava's hidden courtyards on Instagram. Since April 2022, she's attracted over 8,000 followers to her page. The courtyards, known as "vnútroblok" or "dvor" in Slovak, often have surprising features, from famous fountains to writers' benches, and are among the city most charming – and least known – communal spaces. Learn more about Lucia Lišková's views on these courtyards, and the atmosphere they create, with our recent Spectator College story.
More stories from The Slovak Spectator website
Wildlife: Slovakia faces a conservation challenge from the rapidly spreading ruddy duck, an invasive species that is disrupting the locals with its aggressive nesting behaviour.
Police: Slovakia's Foreigners' Police will continue to operate in a limited capacity until October 8. Officials cite an ongoing spike in illegal migration for the situation. Certain categories of people will still be seen at most offices.
Travel: The picturesque village of Špania Dolina, near Banská Bystrica, has restored an old tunnel once used by miners, making it accessible to visitors and adding to the attractions of this popular tourist destination.
Weekend: The Košice Peace Marathon, Europe's oldest marathon, celebrates its 100th edition in Košice, Slovakia, on Sunday, October 1, attracting thousands of athletes from around the world to its acclaimed historical city-centre course. Discover more about this weekend events in Matúš Beňo's story.
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FEATURE STORY FOR THE WEEKEND
Escaping the crowds: Hiking the High Tatras' Rysy Peak in September
A panoramic view of the High Tatras. (source: Jana Liptáková)
The highest peak in the High Tatras that doesn't require a mountain guide, Rysy, attracts crowds of tourists during the high season, which means that getting to the the summit often involves some queueing. However, one of The Slovak Spectator's intrepid writers decided to tackle it on a workday during September in order to avoid the crowds and enjoy a quieter experience.
Jana Liptáková and her friend spent a night at the Chata pod Rysmi mountain hut, partly to break up the nine-hour round trip – and partly to savour the atmosphere. Read about their rewarding journey, a slight mishap, and how they spent time in the company of fellow hikers from around Europe in Jana Liptáková's story.
EVENT FOR THE WEEKEND
White Night in Bratislava, plus many other upcoming events in our Top 10 events
White Night belongs to lights, lasers and more. (source: Viktor Hlavatovič)
The [fjúžn] festival in Bratislava, running from September 22 to 29, offers a diverse programme focused on migration and foreigners, including concerts, exhibitions, literature, theatre, and more. The Bratislava Music Festival, taking place from September 22 to October 8, features exceptional tenor Piotr Beczala and Dutch pianist brothers Lucas & Arthur Jussen. Moreover, Bratislava hosts the White Night contemporary art event from September 29 to October 1, filling the city with art, people, and a magical atmosphere, find out more details in Ivana Adžić's Top 10 events for foreigners.
Public transport: During the weekend, tram lines 3, 4 and 9 will run on Friday and Saturday evenings at five-minute intervals. They will run until late in the evening. During the nights from Friday to Saturday and from Saturday to Sunday, the capacity of the night bus lines will be increased. Larger vehicles will be deployed. (DPB)
In other news
Starting from October 1, a blanket ban on parking on pavements will be enforced in Slovakia, with parking allowed only in specifically designated areas. Drivers caught violating the new rules could face fines; signs will show where parking is permitted.
As of the deadline for the receipt of ballots at noon today, a record total of 58,779 voters from abroad had cast their votes by mail, out of a total of 72,993 people who applied to vote by post, according to the press department of the Interior Ministry. The ministry reported that votes were received from 104 countries, with the highest number coming from the Czech Republic, followed by the United Kingdom and Germany.
Spanish troops are set to reinforce NATO's Multinational Combat Group in Slovakia, with Lieutenant-Colonel Adolfo Leña Pajares joining the NATO Force Integration Unit (NFIU) in Vajnory, Bratislava, as a demonstration of NATO's solidarity and readiness in response to evolving security challenges following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. (Sme)
A total of 1,737 incarcerated individuals in Slovakia have expressed an interest in voting in tomorrow's parliamentary election. Inmates with Slovak citizenship, permanent residency in Slovakia, and who have turned 18 on or before election day are eligible to vote. (Sme)
Watch a story about the Slovak parliamentary election on PBS Newshour (USA) from September 27 (start at 42:10):
WEATHER FOR SATURDAY
This year's spectacular September weather will wrap up with an overcast day in most of the country on Saturday, with initially clear to partly cloudy skies in the far east. There may be localised showers, especially in the north. Cloud cover should start to thin in the western half of the country during the afternoon. Watch out for isolated fog in the morning. The highest daytime temperature will be between 20°C and 25°C. (SHMÚ).
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