SUMMARY-Thursday-February 20, 2020 - 10 p.m.

BRATISLAVA - The overall unemployment rate still stands at about six percent, although it recorded a small hike of 0.1 percentage point in January, but a slight increase in January is a recurring phenomenon, stated Slovak Central Bank (NBS) analysts on Thursday. HELSINKI - Excellent bilateral ties, efficient co-operation within the EU and other international organisations as well as conflict prevention were some of the issues discussed between Foreign and European Affairs Minister Miroslav Lajcak and his Finnish counterpart Pekka Haavisto in Finland on Thursday, TASR learnt from ministry press department on the same day. BRATISLAVA - Criticism of Prime Minister Peter Pellegrini (Smer-SD) by the extra-parliamentary Progressive Slovakia (PS)-Together coalition on EU funds stems from misapprehension of the process of negotiations on the EU budget, prime minister's spokesperson Patricia Macikova told TASR in reaction to a news conference given by the coalition on Thursday. BRATISLAVA - President Zuzana Caputova sent a telegram of condolence to her German counterpart Frank-Walter Steinmeier over Wednesday's (February 19) shooting in the town of Hanau, TASR learnt from President's spokesman Martin Strizinec on Thursday. BRATISLAVA - Independent lawmakers centred around Miroslav Beblavy were blocking a session of Parliament while fully aware that they can no longer be fined for their misconduct in the current electoral term, House mandate committee chair Juraj Blanar (Smer-SD) declared on Thursday. BRATISLAVA - Chairman of 'For the People' party and ex-president Andrej Kiska hasn't been questioned by police yet regarding two videos that are supposed to implicate him in shady land deals, TASR learnt on Thursday. mf