Disinfecting the buses in Bratislava on March 9. (source: TASR)
This is your overview of news from Slovakia on March 9.
For an overview with comments of the past week, take a look at the latest Last Week in Slovakia.
For all the news about the coronavirus in Slovakia, click here.
Follow this link for more about the election and post-election coverage.
Coronavirus in Slovakia updates
After five cases in the Bratislava Region, the coronavirus infection has been confirmed in the eastern-Slovak city of Košice and in the north, in Martin (Žilina Region).
In reaction to the outbreak of the coronavirus in Slovakia over the weekend, municipalities, regions and organisations around the country have introduced measures. Many schools in the country have been closed.
The crisis staff met at the interior ministry, with both PM and acting Health Minister Peter Pellegrini and the aspiring prime minister Igor Matovič in attendance. They came up with further measures in addition to the ones introduced on Friday: preventive checks are introduced at all border crossings as of Tuesday, March 10, and the organisation of cultural, sports, and public events is banned for 14 days. This includes religious services. All the people coming to Slovakia from Italy, China, South Korea and Iran are required to stay in home quarantine for 14 days.
Coronavirus affects points of tourist interest, a number of attractions and cultural organisations have closed.
The ceremony of handing out certificates to the newly-elected MPs that was scheduled for Tuesday, March 10, was cancelled due to the virus. The Interior Ministry will mail the certificates to the MPs.
General practitioners have the option to prescribe a special sick leave for people who need to be quarantined. Doctors will send it directly to the Sociálna Poisťovňa social insurer to limit the movement of people.
Parents of children whose kindergartens and schools have closed due to the virus can apply for the benefit of caring for a sick relative distributed by the Sociálna Poisťovňa social insurer.
The state-run railway carrier Železničná Spoločnosť Slovensko activated its crisis staff.
The state-run postal company Slovenská Pošta took preventive measures.
Coalition talks and post-election development
The composition of the cabinet of Igor Matovič and more details about the government should be known in a matter of days, Matovič said. (SITA)
Andrej Kiska will no longer participate in the coalition talks. Veronika Remišová will lead the talks for the Za Ľudí party. Kiska announced his decision on Facebook, citing heart problems. Kiska had heart surgery one year ago. There have been rumours that he was planning to withdraw from political life after the election.
Jozef Mihál from the Spolu political party, which did not make it to parliament as part of the PS/Spolu coalition, is leaving the party to return to Freedom and Solidarity (SaS), which he left in 2017. Mihál served as the labour minister in the Radičová government in 2010-2011, now he says he is ready to offer his skills and expertise. Richard Sulík said he hopes he will be useful as executive. (SITA)
Andrej Danko is giving up his post of the Slovak National Party (SNS) chairman after the party did not make it to parliament. (TASR)
In other news
The Bratislava plant of Volkswagen Slovakia produced its 6-millionth vehicle on Friday. It was a electric car for a customer from Sweden. (VW)
Prosecutor of the Special Prosecutor’s Office, Ján Šanta, has appealed the verdict issued in the forged promissory notes case for the private broadcaster TV Markíza. According to the ruling, Marian Kočner was sentenced to 19 years in prison and a financial penalty of €10,000. Šanta has asked to increase Kočner’s sentence to 20 years in prison and forfeit his property.
Also on Spectator.sk today:
