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Fico lashes out at Slovak media, calls for stricter controls
Est. 3minSlovak Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD/NI) lashed out at major media outlets at a press conference on Tuesday, accusing them of undermining his government and hinting at new possible measures against them, including creating a national media authority.
Russian-style laws on rise in former Eastern Bloc countries eager to follow Georgia’s lead
Est. 4minWith Georgia passing yet another controversial law, this time against LGBTQ rights, a growing number of post-socialist EU states, such as Slovakia, Bulgaria and Hungary, appear eager to adopt similar laws, raising concerns within the EU about violations of its laws and the influence of pro-Russian ideologies.
Fico sues Aktuality.sk’s editor-in-chief outlet over bestselling book about him
Est. 4minSlovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has filed a lawsuit against Peter Bárdy, editor-in-chief of Aktuality.sk, over his bestselling book about him, prompting Reporters Without Borders to strongly condemn Fico's move in the biggest case against a journalist in modern Slovak history.
Slovak MEPs divided over Brussels’ possible move to freeze EU funds
Est. 3minSlovak MEPs are sharply divided over the European Commission's possible move to freeze its EU funds amid concerns over the rule of law, with ruling party members condemning the move as politically motivated while the opposition remains divided.
Internal rift in Fico’s coalition as parties air grievances in public
Est. 3minThe mounting rift between Slovakia’s ruling parties, SNS and Hlas-SD (NI), shows no signs of abating as parties air their differences in the media, and Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD/NI) refuses to intervene publicly.
Slovak MP ousted from parliament over LGBTI sticker, insulted by ruling party MP
Est. 3minThe deputy speaker of the ruling SNS party, Andrej Danko, expelled opposition MP Lucia Plaváková (PS/RE) from a parliamentary session for promoting the LGBTI issue, while another SNS MP, Rudolf Huliak, added to the outrage by verbally attacking her.
Fico takes de facto control of Slovak parliament’s intelligence oversight committee
Est. 3minPrime Minister Robert Fico's government coalition has de facto seized control of the parliamentary committee overseeing the Slovak Intelligence Service (SIS), traditionally led by the opposition, leading to fears about its impartiality and ability to investigate matters such as the alleged purchase of Pegasus spyware and concerns about bomb threats to schools.
Von der Leyen pledges billions of euros for flood-stricken regions
Est. 3minEuropean Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has pledged EU-funded aid to help repair the damage caused by recent floods as she visited the western Polish city of Wroclaw on Thursday.
Slovak opposition leader loses deputy parliament speaker role
Est. 3minThe ruling coalition removed Michal Šimečka (PS/RE) from his position as deputy speaker of parliament in a vote on Monday, with 76 MPs voting in favour of his removal in a secret ballot - the narrowest possible majority, as even three coalition members did not vote in favour of his dismissal.
Fico congratulates Šefčovič on getting ‘trade war’ portfolio
Est. 3minThe Slovak government is pleased with the portfolio given to its nominee, five-time commissioner Maroš Šefčovič, who has added trade, economic security and transparency to his roster, while Transparency International Slovakia reminds of his "non-transparent" 2019 presidential campaign.
Czechia, Poland seek EU help against floods as Slovak government aid deemed insufficient
Est. 6minAs the Polish government plans to apply to activate the EU's civil protection mechanism and the Czech government is exploring whether it can access EU funds for repairs after devastating floods, the government in neighbouring Slovakia has been criticised for not providing enough aid.
Heavy flooding in central Europe has countries seek EU aid, funds
Est. 6minTorrential rains have severely impacted central European countries in the past few days, with Czechia confirming it will use EU funds and Poland announcing it will seek EU financial assistance and possibly activate the EU's emergency mechanism.
Slovakia’s Fico dismissing Pegasus purchase allegations raises eyebrows
Est. 3minSlovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has denied allegations that his government purchased the notorious Pegasus spyware, but an expert interviewed by Euractiv Slovakia has serious doubts about Fico’s claims.
Slovak Environment Minister rejects EU directive on household fossil fuel charges
Est. 3minSlovakia has failed to include charges for emissions from heating and road transport in its latest amendment to its Emissions Trading Act, despite an EU directive requiring member states to do so by 25 September, with Environment Minister Tomáš Taraba (SNS) urging Brussels to revise the directive instead.
Slovak National Party pushes anti-LGBTI+ school bill, echoing Hungarian controversy
Est. 3minMembers of the ruling Slovak National Party (SNS) have bypassed Education Minister Tomáš Drucker (Hlas-SD/NI) to introduce an anti-LGBTI+ bill aimed at schools, despite the European Commission currently taking Hungary to court over similar legislation.
Bomb threats target Czech and Slovak schools
Est. 4minSchools in Czechia and Slovakia faced bomb threats on Tuesday morning, leading to school closures, modified schedules and urgent police investigations.
Slovakia to change rules on NGO involvement in monitoring EU funds
Est. 3minNGOs in Slovakia could soon no longer select civil society representatives to monitor EU funds as the government plans to have this done by the Plenipotentiary for the Development of Civil Society, against the wishes of NGOs.
Slovak ice hockey team reinstates players from Russian KHL, sparking controversy
Est. 3minSlovakia's Ice Hockey Federation SZLH has announced its squad for the Olympic qualifiers, confirming the return of players from the Russian KHL after a two-year hiatus caused by Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Slovakia rejects boycott of Hungarian presidency, cites ‘respect for sovereignty’
Est. 3minBratislava will not boycott the activities of Hungary during its EU presidency, as Slovak President Peter Pellegrini said he saw no reason to punish the sovereign stance of an EU member.
Slovakia’s climate and energy strategy delayed, targets higher gas usage
Est. 3minSlovakia falls behind in submitting its finalised national plan for emissions reduction by 2030, which now includes doubling the natural gas share in central heating systems and lacks a clear timetable for reducing fossil fuel use, raising concerns amongst environmentalists.
Fico compares Trump’s shooting to his own assassination attempt
Est. 2minSlovak Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD/NI), who recently survived a politically motivated shooting, drew parallels between his experience and the recent assassination attempt on former US President Donald Trump, suggesting that their political opponents are inciting public anger and pushing individuals to resort to violence.
Fico’s Smer will not join new Patriots for Europe group, cites ideological divide
Est. 3minSmer-SD (NI) will not join Viktor Orban's new Patriots for Europe group, said party leader and Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, citing a lack of alignment with left-wing or social-democratic principles while criticising the European Socialists for rejecting Smer's re-entry.
Smer MEP pushes to cease negotiations with EU socialists, proposes alternative
Est. 2minMonika Beňová, a Slovak MEP for Robert Fico's Smer-SD (NI) party, proposed ending negotiations with the Party of European Socialists (PES), which suspended the party's membership last year, claiming she would instead present a "different plan" to her colleagues.
Most Slovaks now pro-West as less favour a balanced geopolitical approach – survey
Est. 3minMore Slovaks now favour a pro-Western geopolitical orientation for the country, according to a recent survey, which compared to the same survey last year, shows this group has now overtaken those who prefer a balanced position between Russia and the West.