MORNING NEWS HIGHLIGHTS - Sunday, March 19, 2023 - 9 a.m.

TASR brings a quick morning overview of the most important events seen in Slovakia on the previous day (Saturday, March 18): BANSKA STIAVNICA - A fire broke out on Saturday morning in a historical building on a square in the centre of Banska Stiavnica, which houses a well-known tourist attraction, Katarina Krizanova, a spokesperson for the Firefighter and Emergency Corps Presidium told TASR on the same day, adding that it gradually expanded to other buildings in the city centre. "The exact cause of the fire isn't yet known, but it was probably a short circuit in the electrical wiring," the Banska Bystrica police said. Dozens of professional and volunteer firefighters, soldiers and military firefighters are on the scene in one of Slovakia's UNESCO towns. - President Zuzana Caputova thanked for the help in extinguishing the fire in the centre of Banska Stiavnica (Banska Bystrica region), TASR learnt from her post on a social network on Saturday. "Many thanks go to the professional and volunteer firefighters, soldiers and all willing people who are trying to get the fire under control and are also helping with the removal of valuable relics and historical documents from endangered buildings," she wrote, calling Banska Stiavnica one of the most beautiful places in Slovakia. – An extensive fire in Banska Stiavnica has been stabilised in the afternoon, interim Prime Minister Eduard Heger, and Firefighter and Rescue Corps (HaZZ) President Pavel Mikulasek told a press briefing at the scene of the fire on Saturday, adding that the roof area of the geological museum was still on fire but firefighters were taking steps to prevent its spread. The premier stated that the fire affected and damaged seven buildings. "Many roofs burned down, in some even entire floors," he said, adding that there was no harm to health or loss of life. BRATISLAVA - The Investments, Regional Development and Informatisation Ministry on Thursday announced a €127-million grant for almost 1,500 towns, cities and villages that have taken in Ukrainian refugees. Local administrations can claim a EU-fund grant in compensation for the costs of the care given to the refugees, said ministry representatives at a press conference on the same day. "I encourage mayors to claim the grant. The payment system is rapid and without unnecessary bureaucracy. The grant can be used for regional development," said Vice-premier Veronika Remisova (For the People). BRATISLAVA - The construction of a new cycle bridge for pedestrians, cyclists and rescue forces between the Slovak village of Dobrohost (Trnava region) and the Hungarian village of Dunakiliti has been launched, with the bridge's opening date scheduled for the spring of 2024, state-run Vodohospodarska Vystavba (Water Management Construction - VV) general director Vladimir Kollar told a news conference held in Bratislava earlier this week. The press conference was also attended by interim Environment Minister Jan Budaj, Investment and Regional Development Ministry State Secretary Dusan Velic and Hungarian Transport and Construction Ministry Deputy State Secretary Kondrik Kornel Peter. The approved budget for the project is over €10.4 milion (ex-VAT). The funding of the project has been divided equally between Slovakia and Hungary, and it is being co-financed through the Interreg V-A Slovakia-Hungary Cooperation Programme. The project's partner on the Hungarian side is the Hungarian Transport and Construction Ministry. BRATISLAVA - More than half of the people in Slovakia want shops to remain open on Sundays, according to a survey conducted by the Profesia.sk jobs website, TASR learnt from website's PR manager Nikola Richterova. In the poll they asked people whether they would like the shops to be closed on Sundays. A total of 52 percent of respondents chose the 'clearly no' or 'rather no' options. Exactly 30 percent of the respondents were on the other side. am