MORNING NEWS HIGHLIGHTS - Wednesday, September 4, 2024 - 9 a.m.

TASR brings a quick morning overview of the most important events seen in Slovakia on the previous day (Tuesday, September 3): BRATISLAVA - Nearly 270 schools across Slovakia received bomb threats on Tuesday morning, Interior Minister Matus Sutaj Estok (Voice-SD) has reported, adding that the case is being investigated as a terrorist attack. Although the police haven't found any explosives, the Education Ministry advised the schools concerned to suspend classes until 11 a.m. Education Minister Tomas Drucker (Voice-SD) at the same time called on all schools to check their emails so that they don't find a threatening email too late. BRATISLAVA - The opposition Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) party wants to initiate a special House session to address the situation in the Police Corps and security in Slovakia, MP Juraj Krupa (SaS) announced at a press conference on Tuesday. SaS has begun collecting lawmakers' signatures to that end. "We have repeatedly urged Interior Minister Matus Sutaj Estok to come to the House Security and Defence Committee and present measures to improve the situation in the Police Corps. However, Sutaj Estok has been avoiding lawmakers and has failed to answer the questions. That's why we've decided to initiate a special session on the security situation in Slovakia and the police," said Krupa, adding that the minister would be summoned to the session. BRATISLAVA - A group of coalition lawmakers will file a proposal on Thursday (September 5) to oust opposition's Progressive Slovakia (PS) leader Michal Simecka from the post of the House Vice-chair, Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD) announced at a press conference on Tuesday. The proposal was signed by lawmakers of Smer-SD and SNS. Fico has repeatedly criticised Simecka over the fact that foundations linked to his family relatives, such as Simecka's uncle, mother and partner, have received subsidies from the state. In this context, Fico also stated that an audit launched by the Justice Ministry confirmed violations of the law regarding subsidies in the field of human rights. BANSKA BYSTRICA - The Specialised Criminal Court (STS) in Banska Bystrica on Tuesday found former special prosecutor Dusan K. [name abbreviated due to legal reasons] guilty, but refrained from imposing an aggregate sentence. The prosecution accused him of the crime of accepting a bribe. According to the prosecution, he accepted €50,000 in a specially modified book in exchange for blocking prosecution as the then-head of the former Special Prosecutor's Office in two criminal cases. The verdict is not final. According to the judge, the evidence proved that the act took place. He stated that the sentence handed down so far - eight years' imprisonment and a fine of €100,000 - is sufficient, in his opinion. The defendant was sentenced to that sentence in his first corruption case in May 2022. The case concerned the acceptance of a bribe and the disclosure of information from files. BRATISLAVA - Tourism and Sport Minister Dusan Keketi (an SNS nominee) held a joint press conference with Slovak Ice-hockey Association (SZLH) general secretary Miroslav Lazo on Tuesday to congratulate Slovakia's ice-hockey players on their successful qualification for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and to present Slovakia's plan for organising the World Ice-hockey Championship in 2029. In addition to Slovakia, Hungary and Great Britain are also bidding to host the championship in 2029. Compared to the other candidates, Slovakia is clearly ahead in terms of the quality of its ice-hockey and the popularity and history of the sport. However, it needs to resolve the issue of infrastructure, as the Ondrej Nepela Ice-hockey stadium in Bratislava is the only one that meets the IIHF's capacity criteria at the moment. SZLH is sticking to its plan to hold matches in Kosice as well, as was the case in 2011 and 2019. zel