MORNING NEWS HIGHLIGHTS - Tuesday, December 24, 2019 - 9 a.m.

TASR brings a quick morning overview of the most important events seen in Slovakia on the previous day (Monday, December 23): BRATISLAVA - During the Christmas holidays the Government under the management of Prime Minister Peter Pellegrini (Smer-SD) along with the National Network and Electronic Services Agency (NASES) intend to buy a building in the Bratislava borough of Petrzalka for a data centre from former J&T co-owner Igor Rattaj for €38 million, leaders of the PS-Together coalition Michal Truban and Miroslav Beblavy stated on Monday, adding that the purchase is a rip-off and that there has been no tender for it. Rattaj stated on the same day that information presented by the two-party coalition is untrue: "These are matters that have been negotiated over a long time. The negotiations, however, haven't come close to such a point [signing a deal], not by a mile." Rattaj added that he wanted to rent out the floors in which the National Network and Electronic Services Agency (NASES) has shown interest to VUB bank. The National Network and Electronic Services Agency (NASES) doesn't intend to buy a building for a data centre hurriedly, as in fact it's been dealing with the issue for a year, said NASES deputy general-director Martin Hrachala. RAJEC - Unknown vandals damaged 20 gravestones dating from the late 19th and early 20th centuries at a remote Jewish cemetery in Rajec (Zilina region) between December 4-22, chairman of the Zilina Religious Community Pavol Frankl reported on Monday. The police in the meantime launched investigation into desecration of a cemetery. Unknown vandals earlier also damaged 59 gravestones at a Jewish cemetery in Namestovo (also Zilina region). Karol Kurtulik, chairman of a civic association called 'Pamataj' (Remember), said that the damage was discovered on December 16. Vandalism such as that discovered in Rajec mustn't be tolerated, said President Zuzana Caputova. "It's a very dangerous game designed to create fear and tension in society. It's affected not only the bereaved and their close ones, but also the entire Jewish community, which yesterday lit the first candle on the Hanukkah menorah," said Caputova. BRATISLAVA - Bratislava Regional Court judge Monika Jankovska, a former deputy justice minister, will face another disciplinary motion, filed on Monday by Judicial Council chair Lenka Prazenkova, the Judicial Council announced on the same day. Jankovska allegedly violated certain duties, while failing to "provide guarantees that she meets the prerequisites for serving as a judge". This has resulted in Jankovska being regarded by the Judicial Council as incapable of carrying out the post. BRATISLAVA - An investigator of the National Crime Agency (NAKA) on Monday filed a proposal at the Special Prosecutor's Office to press charges against Alena Zs., who faces charges in the murder of journalist Jan Kuciak case, Roman O. and Vladimir M. in the case of the murder of Hurbanovo (Nitra region) ex-mayor Laszlo Basternak, the police reported on a social network on Monday. Basternak was shot dead on July 9, 2010 in front of his house by Stefan Kaluz, who's been convicted of the crime in the meantime. According to the police, Alena Zs., Roman O. and Vladimir M. were his accomplices, with one of them ordering the hit. The first mentioned was allegedly helping a candidate standing against Basternak with campaigning in a municipal election. BRATISLAVA - Hungarian company MOL Nyrt., the only stakeholder of Slovak oil refinery Slovnaft, has concluded the process of buying out Slovnaft shares, meaning that trading in Slovnaft shares on the regulated securities market at Bratislava Stock Exchange has come to an end. Slovnaft spokesman Anton Molnar informed TASR that as a result, when the so-called delisting is over, which will be on December 23, Slovnaft will become a private joint-stock company. bub