MORNING NEWS HIGHLIGHTS - Thursday, May 8, 2025 - 9 a.m.

TASR brings a quick morning overview of the most important events seen in Slovakia on the previous day (Wednesday, May 7): PRAGUE - As part of his first foreign visit in the post, House Chair Richard Rasi (Voice-SD) met Chamber of Deputies Speaker Marketa Pekarova Adamova in Prague on Wednesday, TASR has learnt from its special correspondent in Prague. Rasi is also scheduled to meet Senate Chair Milos Vystrcil and Czech Premier Petr Fiala, and he'll be received by President Petr Pavel at Prague Castle later on Wednesday. High on the agenda of Rasi's talks with the most senior Czech representatives will be economic issues, cross-border cooperation, energy, transport and defence. They will also discuss further regional cooperation between Slovakia and the Czech Republic within international groupings, namely the Visegrad Four (V4: the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia) and the Austerlitz Format (S3: Austria, the Czech Republic and Slovakia). BRATISLAVA - Slovakia recognises the strategic goal of reducing the European Union's (EU) energy dependence on third countries, but the proposal to completely halt gas, oil and nuclear fuel imports from Russia, presented by the European Commission (EC) on Tuesday (May 6), is unacceptable for Slovakia in its current form, said Premier Robert Fico (Smer-SD) on Wednesday, adding that such a step would significantly damage the competitiveness of both the EU and Slovakia. "A huge amount of data is available to me suggesting that we are entering into an extremely dangerous game. We do recognise the strategic goal of reducing energy dependence on third countries, and Slovakia is ready to work on this jointly with the European Union. However, I reject committing suicide, this is simply economic suicide to go to the point at which gas, nuclear fuel, oil, everything has to end just because a kind of new Iron Curtain is being built between the Western world and the Russian Federation and some other countries," stated the premier. BRATISLAVA - Several ministers of Robert Fico's (Smer-SD) cabinet are uneasy about his planned trip to Moscow, speaking about the risk of damaging the country's image abroad. This has emerged from statements that they made before the cabinet session on Wednesday. Investment Minister Samuel Migal (Independent) said that he wouldn't travel to Moscow for the celebrations in the current situation. He doesn't view it as suitable at least from the security viewpoint. No information about the premier's agenda is available to him. "It is exclusively an affair of the Government Office and the premier," he said. BRATISLAVA - At its session on Wednesday the government decided that checks on the borders with Hungary and Austria reintroduced due to foot-and-mouth disease will be extended until July 7. Temporary checks at Slovakia's borders with Hungary and Austria were resumed due to the occurrence of foot-and-mouth disease among cattle in several locations in Hungary, along with the subsequent transmission and spread of the disease to Slovakia. The government decided to reintroduce checks on April 7. Originally, the measure should have expired at midnight on May 7. BRATISLAVA - Attacks on judges are also attacks on justice and the independence of the judiciary, said President Peter Pellegrini in his speech on the appointment of new judges of general courts in connection with Wednesday's armed assault on a judge in Zilina region. "Although we don't yet know whether this act was related to her work, I must condemn such an act unequivocally. Attacks on judges are also attacks on justice and the independence of the judiciary. I therefore hope that this act will be investigated as soon as possible and that it won't be repeated," said the head of state. BRATISLAVA - The opposition is calling on Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD) to cancel his planned trip to Moscow for the 80th anniversary celebrations of the end of WWII in the interests of Slovakia. At a joint press conference on Wednesday, representatives of opposition parties Progressive Slovakia (PS), Freedom and Solidarity (SaS), the Christian Democrats (KDH) and the non-parliamentary 'Democrats' stated that they consider this move to be a disgrace and another low point for Slovak foreign policy. They warned that it risks undermining trust among Slovakia's allies and partners. According to them, Fico isn't going to Moscow to represent Slovakia, but to serve his own interests. They also pointed out that he's the only EU prime minister planning to attend the event. BRATISLAVA - President Peter Pellegrini on Wednesday signed an amendment to the law on non-profit organisations, as the President's Office hasn't found any reasons why this law in its approved wording could be in conflict with the Slovak Constitution or European law, TASR was told by the President's Office's communications department. According to the head of state, the significant changes made during the discussion of the law in Parliament eliminated the risk that the legislation wouldn't be in line with European Union law, which would entail possible sanctions for Slovakia. He believes that the public has the right to know more about how NGOs are funded. BRATISLAVA - Estonia won't allow a government aircraft with Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD) to fly over its territory, TASR learnt from premier's post on a social network on Wednesday. The prime minister described this as a deliberate attempt to thwart his visit to Moscow. "It's extremely disruptive to our whole programme, it's complicating things because we are no longer able to make the agreed scheduled times tomorrow evening, May 8, in Moscow," he stated. Nevertheless, he said they are doing their best to find an alternative route that would ensure they would be able to attend the wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier on Friday (May 9) morning and then be able to attend four "extremely important" bilateral meetings. lin