MORNING NEWS HIGHLIGHTS - Wednesday, September 16, 2020 - 9 a.m.

TASR brings a quick morning overview of the most important events seen in Slovakia on the previous day (Tuesday, September 15): NEW INFECTIONS: 188 Infections in total: 5,768 DAILY TESTS: 4,323 Tests in total: 390,251 NEW DEATHS: 0 Deaths in total: 38 LIPANY - A total of 19 residents and eight members of the staff have been tested positive for coronavirus in a care home in Lipany (Presov region), although none of them have symptoms of a respiratory disease, said facility director Jana Kolova on Tuesday. "We were tested with RT-PCR tests for the first time yesterday. We learned in the afternoon that eight members of staff and 19 receivers of social services had positive results," said Kolova, adding that all these people have been placed in separate premises. SASTIN - Strict epidemiological measures affected the festivities of Our Lady of Sorrows, the patron saint of Slovakia, with a mere 500 people let in for the central pontifical mass in the national shrine in Sastin (Trnava region) on Tuesday, while only 1,000 were allowed to gather in front of the basilica. As the Slovak Bishops Conference decided that what is usually a national pilgrimage would be only a parish event this time, only three bishops (all from Bratislava) were present in the gap-filled Baroque basilica, where everyone was wearing face masks. Among state officials, the mass in the basilica was attended by Prime Minister Igor Matovic (OLaNO) and central bank (NBS) governor Peter Kazimir. Matovic, who on Monday called on the faithful to "opt to attend the pilgrimage via a television broadcast", as the police would assist with the observance of coronavirus measures, echoed Zvolensky's call for hope. BRUSSELS - Eleven Slovak MEPs backed an initiative on Tuesday calling for the Belgian police to hear the testimony of Slovak witnesses as well concerning the death of Slovak national Jozef Chovanec in a police cell following an airport incident two years ago. The call, initiated by MEP Ivan Stefanec (the Christian Democrats/KDH), was also announced to the Slovak Foreign and European Affairs Ministry. "I've been approached by many witnesses of the incident in the aircraft, which resulted in the restriction of Chovanec's freedom and eventually his death. Many of these people would certainly be able to shed more light on the case and facilitate the investigation. I'm shocked that the Belgian authorities still haven't approached them and questioned them," said Stefanec. KOSICE - The Constitutional Court after a secret vote in its plenum on Tuesday granted permission to remand in custody suspended judge of Zilina District Court Daniel Beres following his detainment by the police as part of an anti-corruption raid on Monday, Constitutional Court chairman Ivan Fiacan announced at a press briefing on Tuesday evening. "The Constitutional Court didn't identify any elements indicating a possible misuse [of power] by the law-enforcement authorities against judiciary [in this case], or any other circumstances according to our previous rulings that would prevent the granting of such agreement," said Fiacan. ko