MORNING NEWS HIGHLIGHTS - Thursday, May 12 - 9 a.m.

TASR brings a quick morning overview of the most important events seen in Slovakia on the previous day (Wednesday, May 11): BRATISLAVA - Slovakia will cut itself off from Russian oil and gas as soon as possible but this change must be prepared and technically feasible, Prime Minister Eduard Heger (OLaNO) stated after the Government meeting on Wednesday. The EU is currently negotiating an embargo on Russian oil imports. For a time, a time-limited exemption could apply to Slovakia and some other countries. "We want to cut ourselves off as soon as possible. This is Slovakia's position but it must be technically feasible," said Heger, noting that the technical possibilities and time horizon of the change of energy supplier are currently being discussed in the EU. According to him, Central European countries are at a disadvantage because they don't have access to the sea and therefore can't import oil and gas by tankers. BRATISLAVA - The coalition-sponsored inflation aid package wasn't submitted to the Government session on Wednesday because Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) announced that it will veto the source of income for it, Finance Minister Igor Matovic (OLaNO) claimed on the same day, calling on SaS representatives to come to hold talks on the bill at the Finance Ministry. The finance minister gave SaS a week to engage in such talks. "If SaS isn't on board with us, there's a real threat that the package won't be passed by Parliament," said Matovic. At the same time, the finance minister remarked that if increasing taxes for wealthy companies, the rich and oligarchs is a red line for SaS leader Richard Sulik, letting down families with children "in a pinch" and "throwing them overboard" is a red line for him personally and OLaNO. BRATISLAVA - The coalition Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) party doesn't agree with the proposed tax bonus for children but won't veto it, said SaS chairman Richard Sulik following the Government session on Wednesday. The economy minister considers the proposal to be bad and unfair, and the liberals also don't like the fact that it is to be financed by reducing the budgets of local governments. Sulik confirmed that his party won't vote in favour of this proposal in Parliament. BRATISLAVA - Many employees in the education sector are disgruntled, prompting the Slovak Education and Science Labour Union Association (OZPSaV) to go on strike alert and organise a protest gathering in Bratislava on June 15 with an eye towards demanding better working conditions and 10-percent salary hikes for all education employees as of July 1, TASR learnt from chairman of the unionists Pavel Ondek on Wednesday. The unionists expect the Government to reconsider its stance on the education sector and find the finances necessary. They pointed out that the gross minimum wage in Slovakia equals €646. "The average 2021 gross salary of employees in regional education, which includes also bonuses and rewards, stands at €1,387 and it's €1,959 for university teachers," added Ondek. BRATISLAVA - President Zuzana Caputova and her Polish counterpart Andrzej Duda plan to visit leaders of countries, especially in Western Europe, with a more restrained attitude towards Ukraine's candidate status in the European Union, with Caputova suggesting the idea during the talks with Duda at the Presidential Palace in Bratislava on Wednesday. "For the future and prospects of Europe as well as peace in Europe, it's important to talk about Ukraine's position in terms of granting candidate status. This, of course, doesn't automatically mean full membership for which criteria must be met. But we consider the candidate status to be a natural gesture in the difficult situation in which Ukraine is. Moreover, also in the context of its disappearing membership in the Alliance," said Caputova. MARRAKESH/BRATISLAVA - Even though the world faces an unprecedented number of security challenges, the fight against terrorism must not slip our attention, chief of Slovak diplomacy Ivan Korcok stated on Wednesday in Marrakesh, where he attended a session of the Global Coalition Against Daesh, TASR learnt from the ministry press department on the same day. "The Daesh is apparently attempting to use the situation to its advantage, which we can't allow to happen," Korcok said about activities of Daesh, known also as the Islamic State. BRATISLAVA - Slovakia is holding talks with five countries, including Belize and Palestine, on donating its contracted COVID-19 vaccines to them, Health Minister Vladimir Lengvarsky (an OLaNO nominee) reported on Wednesday. Lengvarsky claimed that he's sent a letter to the European Commission, asking it to renegotiate the vaccine supply contract with Pfizer. According to the minister, Poland and Romania have sent similar letters to the Commission as well. BRATISLAVA - Slovakia's coronavirus update for Tuesday, May 10, according to the National Health Information Centre's (NCZI) special website covid-19.nczisk.sk: NEW POSITIVE PCR TESTS: 443 Daily PCR tests: 2,511 NEW POSITIVE ANTIGEN TESTS: 99 Daily antigen tests: 2,274 NEW DEATHS: 8 Deaths in total: 20,002 ko