MORNING NEWS HIGHLIGHTS - Thursday, May 23, 2024 - 9 a.m.

TASR brings a quick morning overview of the most important events seen in Slovakia on the previous day (Wednesday, May 22): BRATISLAVA - The District Prosecutor's Office in Banska Bystrica has launched a criminal investigation into the leaking and publishing of information from Premier Robert Fico's (Smer-SD) medical files following last week's assassination attempt on him, Prosecutor-General (PG) Maros Zilinka has posted on a social network. Based on an instruction of a Banska Bystrica district prosecutor, a criminal investigation was launched on May 17 concerning the offence of unauthorised handling of personal data, said Zilinka. Fico was seriously injured by multiple gunshots fired by a 71-year-old man following an away-from-home government session in Handlova on May 15. BRATISLAVA - The condition of Premier Robert Fico (Smer-SD) is stable, but still serious, corresponding to the extent and seriousness of the injuries that he suffered, said Vice-premier and Defence Minister Robert Kalinak (Smer-SD) following the Security Council session on Wednesday. "Moving the premier to Bratislava today or in the next few days is out of the question," said Kalinak, stressing that the premier's condition is being constantly evaluated by the medical team. "The team decides on further procedures and on setting treatment based on the results of examinations," said Kalinak. We definitely cannot talk about the prime minister already undergoing rehabilitation," he stressed, repeatedly pointing to the seriousness of Fico's injuries. BRATISLAVA - The police are currently investigating 48 cases of public approval of the attempt on Prime Minister Robert Fico's (Smer-SD) life along with hateful speech and threats against political representatives, Interior Minister Matus Sutaj Estok (Voice-SD) reported after a session of the State Security Council on Wednesday. "It's highly likely that the number of investigated cases might even end up doubled," warned Sutaj Estok. Bodyguards have been assigned to several constitutional officials, mostly coalition politicians but also to one representative of the opposition. BRATISLAVA - Interior Minister Matus Sutaj Estok (Voice-SD) wants to address the issue of the official residences for top three constitutional officials and plans to discuss it with the Parliament's Office, the President's Office and the Government Office, TASR learnt on Wednesday. "We need to re-open talks on this in order to find out which of the real estate properties are suitable, also in terms of security measures [...] At the moment, the discussion hasn't even gotten off the ground," said the minister. The minister finds it unacceptable that three top constitutional officials don't live in residences that meet certain security standards, but in their own homes instead. He wants the issue to fall under the remit of the Government Office and plans to set up systemic measures. "So that we won't enable [protesting crowds] to build gallows in front of homes of politicians," warned Sutaj Estok. The minister will also submit additional measures to bolster security. "These are going to be divided into some short-, mid- and long-term measures, which will stem from talks of the working group," he claimed, adding that aside from the protection of constitutional officials, protection is to be extended as needed to various institutions and individuals as well. BRATISLAVA - Last week's attempt on Prime Minister Robert Fico's (Smer-SD) life is being investigated at the moment as an aggravated attempt at premeditated murder, although it can't be ruled out that this legal classification might change at a later stage, Prosecutor-General Maros Zilinka declared after a session of the State Security Council on Wednesday. Zilinka underlined that investigators work with various versions. "As for some questions emerging in society as to why this isn't being prosecuted as a crime of terrorism, I'm answering that it's possible that the deed might get reclassified, but only based on results of the investigation," he said. The Prosecutor-General reiterated his call on the media to refrain from publishing comments on the ongoing investigation. He reassured the public that more information will be released once it becomes possible. "Right now, however, we're in the early stage of the investigation and it's necessary to dispel all speculations and doubts." zel