MORNING NEWS HIGHLIGHTS - Wednesday, October 2, 2024 - 9 a.m.

TASR brings a quick morning overview of the most important events seen in Slovakia on the previous day (Tuesday, October 1): BRATISLAVA - MP and leader of the extra-parliamentary 'National Coalition/Independent Candidates' party Rudolf Huliak (Slovak National Party/SNS) has demanded that the name of the SNS caucus should be changed. Huliak wants to change the name to 'Slovak National Party - National Coalition/Independent Candidates'. He stated that the three MPs operating in the National Coalition, namely: him, Ivan Sefcik and Pavel Luptak, are responsible for their own actions and should bear the consequences of them without impacts on SNS. Huliak declared that the MPs operating in the National Coalition remain a solid part of the SNS caucus and continue to support the Cabinet of Robert Fico (Smer-SD). "We will absolutely respect the coalition agreement and, based on this fact and the declaration for reconciliation, we've agreed to support the candidacy of a Voice-SD nominee for the post of the House chair," stated Huliak. BRATISLAVA - The name of the Slovak National Party (SNS) caucus won't and can't be changed, SNS chairman Andrej Danko stated in response to the request of MP Rudolf Huliak to add 'National Coalition' to the name of the SNS caucus, seeing this as a betrayal of SNS. Danko believes, however, that the coalition won't have fewer MPs. Nevertheless, the SNS leader distances himself from Huliak. The SNS chief also apologised to opposition MP Lucia Plavakova (Progressive Slovakia/PS) for the vulgar words directed at her by Huliak, and Danko expects the same from him. He also sees Huliak's support for the Voice-SD party on the issue of the parliamentary chair as a betrayal. Danko considered Huliak one of his closest collaborators. Now, he thinks that Huliak agreed with Voice-SD in connection with the election of the House chair. SNS and Voice-SD are disputing this post, as according to the coalition agreement Voice-SD is entitled to it, but Danko is also interested in the post. "We've agreed in the coalition that Peter Ziga [Voice-SD] will remain as acting chairman, that we'll focus on the work for the people," he said. BRATISLAVA - Acting head of the Slovak National Gallery (SNG) Anton Bittner has been dismissed. Daily Sme was the first to break the story on Tuesday, with SNG representative Zuzana Dzurdzikova confirming the information for TASR. Bittner was installed in the position when the Culture Ministry dismissed previous SNG head Alexandra Kusa in early August. BRATISLAVA - The Slovak National Museum (SNM) will be headed by Anton Bittner on a temporary basis. The story was broken first on Tuesday by Dennik N daily, with SNM deputy head Jozef Bednar confirming the information for TASR on the same day. Culture Minister Martina Simkovicova (a Slovak National Party/SNS nominee) dismissed Branislav Panis from the post of SNM director on Monday (September 30). Bittner was dismissed from the post of temporary head of the Slovak National Gallery (SNG) on Tuesday. BRATISLAVA - Health Minister Zuzana Dolinkova (Voice-SD) condemned bomb threats aimed at hospitals on Tuesday. Bomb threats were responded to at Lucenec and Rimavska Sobota hospitals (both Banska Bystrica region) on Tuesday. "The presence of explosives wasn't confirmed in Lucenec, while the necessary steps are still being taken in Rimavska Sobota to ensure the safety of patients, doctors and other staff," announced the minister on a social network. Dolinkova called on people who engage in such activities to stop threatening and restricting the provision of health care. "I believe that such gambling with people's health and lives won't be repeated," she added GENEVA - Slovakia could play an important role in the construction of a new, more powerful accelerator at the European Organisation for Nuclear Research (CERN), and Slovak students and PhD students could also participate in it, President Peter Pellegrini stated during his visit to CERN to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the institution's founding. The head of state said that there should be a greater involvement of students and PhD students from Slovakia in this European organisation, so he is glad that the delegation includes Education Minister Tomas Drucker (Voice-SD). According to Pellegrini, Slovakia should use its know-how and strengthen its science by participating in the CERN projects, which, in his opinion, is one of the world's top universities. ko