Good evening. Here is the Friday, April 12 edition of Today in Slovakia - the main news of the day in less than five minutes.
KHL players won't represent Slovakia in the World Cup
Slovakia's ice hockey team opened their World Cup preparation programme with a 3-0 victory over Switzerland in Humenné. (source: Slovenský zväz ľadového hokeja)
The Slovak Ice Hockey Federation has announced that ice hockey players who currently play in the Russian Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) will not be selected for the national team representing Slovakia at the 2024 IIHF World Championship in the Czech Republic.
The federation acknowledged the right of every eligible Slovak player to represent the country, but said all current Slovak players in the KHL were unavailable for various reasons. None of the players currently in the KHL have yet represented Slovakia.
After the Russian invasion of Ukraine, several hockey federations, including those of Sweden, Finland, the Czech Republic, Latvia and France, banned players who had signed with KHL clubs from representing their national teams. This decision came as Russia continued to use the KHL for ideological purposes, even mandating clubs to support military operations in Ukraine through propaganda distribution at games.
However, the Slovak Ice Hockey Federation didn't follow suit, arguing that players weren't violating international agreements or Slovak laws and citing the Olympic Charter, which emphasises sport as a unifying tool. Ice-hockey legend Michal Handzuš resigned from the Committee of the Slovak Ice Hockey Federation in protest against its decision.
More stories from The Slovak Spectator website
Opinion: A reader points out some parallels between Peter Pellegrini's election as president and Karl Marx's Hegelian aphorism: history repeats itself, first as tragedy, second as farce.
Culture: News of a heartwarming rescue of a rare owl in Slovenský Raj, resulting from cooperation between cyclists and conservationists.
Nature: A deputy environment minister reportedly took a low-level helicopter flight over an area in the Malá Fatra mountains where rare eagles and falcons nest. Such flights are supposed to be banned.
Weekend: Experience a weekend of diverse activities, from exploring the kingdom of ice to celebrating jazz and wine, culminating in the historic Národný Beh (National Run) from Devín to Bratislava.
Good news: Another selection of feel-good news, one of which tells the story of a Slovak doctor helping out at a small hospital in rural Kenya. Read this story, and others, here.
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SHORT STORY FOR THE WEEKEND
Who are the wealthiest Slovaks?
(source: Pexels)
The Haščák family surpassed Ivan Chrenko to become only the second Slovaks to make it onto Forbes list of the world's richest people. Their fortune is estimated at 1.8 billion US dollars. Chrenko, who was the first Slovak to appear on the Forbes global list, in 2017, retains an estimated wealth of 1.6 billion US dollars.
10 EVENTS FOR NEXT WEEK
American football in Bratislava
(source: Ticketportal)
Witness the excitement of the biggest Slovak derby in the Czech American Football League as the St. Nicolaus Monarchs take on their rivals, with tickets priced at €3-€6.
Another nine events worth experiencing this weekend can be found here.
IN OTHER NEWS
The European Commission is seeking clarification from the government of Robert Fico regarding the fate of prosecutors since the Special Prosecutor's Office was abolished. In particular, it wants to know why they were removed from cases. The opposition is criticising the government for potentially jeopardising the allocation of European funds; Deputy Prime Minister Peter Kmec rejects the opposition's claims. The Progresívne Slovensko party is urging Prime Minister Fico to address the situation in Brussels and take responsibility to prevent a halt in European funds.
The leaders of the ruling coalition parties – Smer, Hlas and the Slovenská Národná Strana – have decided that government ministers will no longer appear on the Sunday political debate show "Na telo" on TV Markíza. The decision follows a similar boycott against TV JOJ, which later cancelled the affected show, Na hrane. The move is notable as "Na telo" is one of the most watched political discussions in the country. By contrast, government ministersand MPs have appeared in online discussions with a neo-Nazi conspiracy theorist, Daniel Bombic, who is wanted by Slovak police. They were following Robert Fico's lead from June last year. (Denník N)
Due to high demand, Slovak police are struggling to process passport applications. It's being attributed to an announced increase in fees, and people preparing for summer vacations. Nearly 234,000 passport applications have been received since the beginning of the year, representing a 90-percent increase compared to the same period last year. The standard 30-day processing time may be extended due to the overwhelming demand, with fees ranging from €50 to €150 depending on the processing speed.
Slovak sites have joined the Via Mariae pilgrimage route in the rurAllure app, offering accessibility information and historical facts. The route spans diverse regions, providing spiritual enrichment and showcasing cultural landmarks. Supported by the EU, rurAllure promotes cultural cooperation and sustainable tourism. (TASR)
WEATHER FOR THE WEEKEND
The weekend promises to be mostly clear, with no rainfall expected. Daytime temperatures will range from 21°C to 28°C on both Saturday and Sunday. (SHMÚ)
NAME DAYS IN SLOVAKIA: Saturday - Aleš, Sunday - Justína, Monday - Fedor
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