MORNING NEWS HIGHLIGHTS - Friday, October 7, 2022 - 9 a.m.

TASR brings a quick morning overview of the most important events seen in Slovakia on the previous day (Thursday, October 6): PRAGUE - If Russian President Vladimir Putin loses his leverage over Europe, a great deal of uncertainty will disappear, which would stabilise gas markets and the prices of the commodity, Slovak Prime Minister Eduard Heger (OLaNO) stated following the afternoon portion of the European Political Community (EPC) summit in Prague on Thursday. According to Heger, Putin only cares about his own benefit. "He wants to generate the same revenues [as Russia had before] for notably decreased supplies [of gas]," said the premier. BRATISLAVA - Slovakia is pushing for the introduction of a price cap on natural gas and supports its joint purchase by EU countries, stated Prime Minister Eduard Heger (OLaNO) at a meeting with European Commissioner for Energy Kadri Simson on Thursday, TASR was told by the Government Office on the same day. "In the fight against high energy prices and in the area of ​​reducing dependence on energy sources, the European Union needs a unified solution of solidarity. Instead of proposals that contribute towards deepening the differences between countries with the consequent adoption of national measures, we need a solution that takes into account the specific situation of each member state," said Heger. VALLETA - Slovak President Zuzana Caputova on Thursday met with eleven EU counterparts belonging to the Arraiolos Group in Valleta, Malta, with their talks focusing on the security situation in Europe and energy crisis, TASR has learnt from Caputova's spokesman Martin Strizinec. "We all face the same challenges - high energy prices, Moscow's arbitrary reduction of gas supplies to Europe and Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine," Caputova said. At the meeting, the president spoke with her counterparts from Greece, Portugal, Italy and Poland about cooperation in the field of energy and a joint European response to the energy crisis. Caputova called these countries important players in the transport of natural gas to Europe, adding that cooperation with them can boost Slovakia's energy security. VIENNA - Austria will extend the period of temporary checks on its border with Slovakia by 20 more days, i.e. until October 28, Austrian Interior Minister Gerhard Karner announced on Thursday. The Czech Republic announced the same step on Wednesday (October 5). BRATISLAVA - The salary hikes for health personnel, passed by Parliament on Wednesday (October 5), won't stabilise the hospital personnel, head of the LOZ doctors' labour union Peter Visolajsky declared on Thursday. According to Visolajsky, it's also necessary to address the eight other demands raised by LOZ. "The fight for better patient treatments, better running of Slovak hospitals and better conditions for doctors is not over yet," he said. BRATISLAVA - The driver who killed five people while driving under the influence of alcohol in Bratislava on Sunday will be prosecuted at large, Bratislava I District Court decided on Thursday, releasing the man from detainment. The prosecutor in the case has filed an immediate appeal against the ruling, which will be dealt with by Bratislava Regional Court on October 14. The motion to remand the driver in custody was filed due to concerns he might flee, as he's facing a severe punishment that could range from 20 to 25 years in prison to a lifetime sentence, and that he could continue to behave in an identical or similar way at large. BRATISLAVA - A ban on displaying symbols of movements, organisations, communities and ideologies promoting a certain sexual orientation on the buildings of state institutions won't be introduced, as MPs didn't support a draft amendment to the law on state symbols of the Slovak Republic and their use tabled by Independent MP Tomas Taraba and coalition lawmaker Gyorgy Gyimesi (OLaNO). The bill was criticised in particular by coalition MPs, who reproached Gyimesi for submitting it jointly with an opposition MP. Prime Minister Eduard Heger (OLaNO) even called on Gyimesi to withdraw the bill, but to no avail. BRATISLAVA - Opposition Smer-SD chair Robert Fico rejected any notion that he had convened an extraordinary parliamentary session on Thursday to intimidate law enforcement. Fico spoke in response to claims of the SaS party, according to which the Smer-SD intends to intimidate the law enforcement and undermine the rule of law in an effort to stop the criminal prosecutions in cases involving former Smer-SD nominees and Fico himself. On Thursday, Parliament convened at the extraordinary session, initiated by Smer-SD, to hold the law enforcement liable over alleged missteps in the prosecution of corruption cases. ko