SUMMARY-Wednesday-August 21, 2019 - 10 p.m.

BRATISLAVA - Head of the Smer-SD party Robert Fico stated on Wednesday that he only wants the police and the prosecutor's office to do their job in relation to the investigation into the murders of journalist Jan Kuciak and his fiancee Martina Kusnirova and information that even some prosecutors were illegally screened. BRATISLAVA - The National Crime Agency (NAKA) carried out a raid at Mochovce nuclear power plant on Wednesday, TASR has learnt from Police Corps spokesperson Michal Slivka. BERLIN - I want Germany's voice to be heard clearly in Europe, said Slovak President Zuzana Caputova after her meeting on Wednesday with German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, explaining that there is no other European country that has so much experience in overcoming divisions. BRATISLAVA - I'm not going to resign, said Prime Minister Peter Pellegrini (Smer-SD) after the Cabinet session on Wednesday, rejecting information in the media about his readiness to leave the Smer-SD party. BRATISLAVA - The Government hasn't yet approved the so-called hospital stratification health-care reform, but the topic hasn't been closed yet, Prime Minister Peter Pellegrini (Smer-SD) told a press conference after the Government session on Wednesday. BRATISLAVA - The coalition Slovak National Party (SNS) will support Smer-SD's proposal for a fixed minimum wage percentage, but Smer-SD must support a change in the system of calculating the minimum pension, TASR learnt on Wednesday. BRATISLAVA - I reject attempts to draw on pieces of evidence in a calculated manner in order to suit a particular entity during the pre-election period, said Prime Minister Peter Pellegrini (Smer-SD) after Wednesday's Government session in connection with published communications between entrepreneur Marian K. and Alena Zs., who have been charged regarding the murder of journalist Jan Kuciak. BRATISLAVA - The Agriculture and Rural Development Ministry has asked the Government to release funds amounting to €24.23 million beyond the finances already earmarked for the sector in order to take measures related to the discovery of the African swine fever virus (ASFV) in Slovakia, TASR has learnt from a proposal for emergency measures to control and mitigate ASFV and their financial provision that were approved by the Cabinet on Wednesday. BERLIN/BRATISLAVA - Slovak President Zuzana Caputova met with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin on Wednesday, TASR learnt on the same day. BRATISLAVA - At its session on Wednesday the Government gave a mandate to Economy Minister Peter Ziga (Smer-SD) to agree at the General Assembly of electricity utility Slovenske elektrarne (SE) to increase the budget for completing the construction work on Mochovce nuclear power plant (EMO) by €270 million, TASR learnt from the minister after the Cabinet meeting. BRATISLAVA - Opposition Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) party considers the proposal of the governing Smer-SD party that the minimum wage should reach 60 percent of the average salary in the national economy, a loss of judgement and an effort to cover internal divisions between party chairman Robert Fico and Prime Minister Peter Pellegrini (both Smer-SD), with another opposition party OLaNO also speaking about a loss of sound judgement, TASR learnt on Wednesday. BRATISLAVA - The opposition Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) party would have voted for the stratification of hospitals in its first reading in the form of an ordinary law, TASR was told by SaS spokesman Robert Bucek. BRATISLAVA - If the idea of "socialism with a human face" had been implemented and Alexander Dubcek fulfilled the goals of the Prague Spring reform process, Slovakia and Czechoslovakia would have been much further than Austria today, stated Smer-SD Chairman Robert Fico on the occasion of the 51st anniversary of the Warsaw Pact invasion of Czechoslovakia. am