MORNING NEWS HIGHLIGHTS - Saturday, 7 June 2025 - 9 a.m.

TASR brings a quick morning overview of the most important events seen in Slovakia on the previous day (Friday, 6 June): BRATISLAVA - President Peter Pellegrini appointed Martin Venhart to the post of chairman of the Slovak Academy of Sciences (SAV) on Friday. Venhart has thereby started his four-year term, replacing Pavol Sajgalik in the post. In his speech, the president highlighted Venhart's experience at home and abroad, his long-term service in SAV's presidium and his scientific activities. He stated that the new chairman faces the challenging task of contributing towards resuming a dialogue between the professional and lay public and restoring trust in science itself. "The Slovak Academy of Sciences should be and must remain a beacon of truth, facts and scientific evidence. This issue is especially topical today, when part of society seems to have given up interest in scientific knowledge and stopped trusting scientific authorities or institutions. Rejection of medicines, medical care, and sometimes even denial of the most basic knowledge and scientific facts undermine our society at its foundations," noted the president. BRATISLAVA - The Prosecutor-General's Office (PG) has found several shortcomings in connection with the tragic knife attack that took place at a school in the town of Spisska Stara Ves (Presov region) during which the attacker killed two women, TASR was told by PG's Office spokeswoman Zuzana Drobova on Friday. Errors were noted during the transfer of the attacker between schools, and they occurred at both grammar schools. The PG's Office therefore issued two public prosecutor warnings. It also detected irregularities in the procedures of the labour, social affairs and family offices. The Prosecutor-General's Office comprehensively investigated the procedure of Bozena Slancikova Timrava grammar school in Lucenec (Banska Bystrica region) when transferring the student to Spisska Stara Ves United School, under which the latter grammar school operates. "The examination into the matter revealed several shortcomings on the part of the grammar school in Lucenec, consisting primarily in the fact that it submitted to the grammar school in Spisska Stara Ves incomplete pedagogical documentation regarding the student that didn't contain essential knowledge or documents that evaluated the student's behaviour and other essential records of the class teacher about the student," said the PG's Office. The spokeswoman said that the receiving school was provided with information containing only praise from the student's class teacher for excellent grades and representing the school. It didn't inform it of substantial negative assessments of the student's behaviour, in particular aggressive and other inappropriate actions. PRIEVIDZA - The environmental police have uncovered the biggest-ever illegal dog-breeding farm in Slovakia in the districts of Prievidza and Partizanske (both Trencin region), the police have reported on a social network. A total of 853 dogs and puppies were being kept in unsuitable conditions on the farm. The police also carried out three house searches as part of operation called 'Claw'. Environmental police officers carried out the raids in cooperation with employees of the State Veterinary and Food Administration and several regional and food administrations. The animals were intended for export and subsequent sale in Italy, Germany and Belgium. They included cocker spaniels, spitzes, poodles, Maltese dogs, Yorkshire terriers and various crossbreeds. "The dogs were kept in unsuitable conditions, with many of them found in poor health. Over 300 dogs kept illegally in a single family house in the district of Prievidza were confiscated by the regional veterinary and food administration," said the police. BRATISLAVA - Justice Minister Boris Susko (Smer-SD) has filed an extraordinary appeal in the case of businessman Michal Suchoba, who was sentenced to a fine of €90,000 based on a plea agreement, TASR learnt from Alexandra Szakalova from the press department of the Justice Ministry on Friday. It was the SME daily that broke the news first. The minister is requesting that the verdict approving the plea deal be overturned and the case returned to the Specialized Criminal Court (STS) for further proceedings. „The reasons for filing the appeal relate to the absence of elements constituting a criminal offense for which the individual was found guilty. The plea agreement we are challenging through this appeal appears unjust due to this deficiency,” said Szakalova, adding that under the law, this constitutes a valid reason to file an appeal. She explained that the minister is seeking the annulment of the verdict approving the plea agreement due to violations of the relevant provisions of the Criminal Code and Criminal Procedure Code, and is requesting the case be sent back to the STS for further proceedings. BRATISLAVA - President Peter Pellegrini will welcome King Philip VI of Spain to Slovakia on 10-11 June, the President Office's communications department told TASR on Friday, adding that this will be the first official visit by the Spanish monarch to Slovakia in more than twenty years. The office further pointed out that this is a significant milestone in bilateral relations between the two countries. King Philip VI will arrive in Slovakia in the evening of Tuesday, 10 June. He'll be received by President Peter Pellegrini at a ceremony at the Presidential Palace. The visit will include bilateral talks between the two statesmen and a gala state dinner in honour of the royal visit. On Wednesday, 11 June, the Slovak head of state and the king will travel together to Lest training centre (Banska Bystrica region), where they will observe the operations of the NATO Multinational Battle Group in which a Spanish contingent has recently taken over command. A ceremonial muster, presentation of equipment and demonstrations of unit training will take place on the premises of Lest training centre. BRATISLAVA - Slovakia's gross domestic product (GDP) in fixed prices grew by 0.9 percent year-on-year (y-o-y) in the first quarter of 2025, the Statistics Office reported on Friday. Seasonally adjusted, GDP rose by 0.2 percent from the final quarter of 2024. GDP in current prices reached €31.1 billion. The economy recorded a rate of growth of below 1 percent for the first time in two years, while the year before it was as rapid as 3.3 percent. Manufacturing industries maintained a moderate y-o-y growth rate in the first quarter, even though developments last year indicated a weakening. The volume of gross added value in fixed prices reached €22 billion, representing 0.8-percent y-o-y growth in this key component of GDP. Growth in gross added value was posted by nine of the ten monitored industrial branches. The overall figure was mainly influenced by industry, with a y-o-y growth rate of 1.5 percent. The most significant impacts on this result were made by a 19.5-percent increase in the production of rubber and plastic products, 5.4-percent higher output of means of transport and a 5.9-percent increase in the production of machinery and equipment. Conversely, declines were seen especially in the production of computers, electronic and optical products, which went down by 20.1 percent, and in the production of metals, down by 2.5 percent. am