MORNING NEWS HIGHLIGHTS - Monday, 16 June 2025 - 9 a.m.

TASR brings a quick morning overview of the most important events seen in Slovakia on the previous day (Sunday, 15 June): BRATISLAVA - Slovakia will ask the European Union (EU) foreign ministers to postpone the vote on the next package of anti-Russian sanctions, Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD) stated at a press conference on Sunday, adding that the issue of a complete ban on Russian gas imports after 2027 and possible compensation for damages Slovakia would be incurred in such a case should be addressed first. "I've asked the foreign minister [Juraj Blanar (Smer-SD)] to officially request the meeting of foreign ministers to postpone the discussion on these sanctions until the problem of so-called repowering, that is, stopping the flow of gas, oil and nuclear fuel from the Russian Federation to Europe, has been resolved," said Fico. The government thus wants to use the vote on the sanctions, which must be approved unanimously, to negotiate concessions for Slovakia on a deal to end Russian energy imports, which is expected to be adopted by a majority and Slovakia is likely to be outvoted on it. BRATISLAVA - President Peter Pellegrini is doing everything he can to appear non-partisan but sometimes his partisan past catches up with him, which is understandable because that time is very short, Premier Robert Fico (Smer-SD) said in response to a journalist's question on the evaluation of Pellegrini's first year as head of state. Fico considers it to be important that he has correct relations with the president. "The president is trying to pursue non-partisan politics, but it's hard to disengage when you were a party chairman. It's important for me that we have correct relations, we communicate," stated the prime minister. BRATISLAVA - Speaking on TA3's discussion programme 'V politike' (In Politics) on Sunday, Slovak National Party (SNS) chair Andrej Danko stated that the joining of political parties is a good idea of Premier Robert Fico (Smer-SD) and it should be discussed. "We need to start talking about how to stabilise the political system so that everyone won't set up a political party here, because that causes anarchy in the governance of the state. And we'll meet during the summer. We should also talk about how to set up individual mechanisms for elections," said Danko. The SNS leader also announced his participation in a round table convened by President Peter Pellegrini on increasing defence spending. In this context, Danko stressed that he's against raising the defence spending and would be fundamentally opposed to increasing it next year. BRATISLAVA - I'm going to visit Kiev, President Peter Pellegrini said on STVR's discussion programme 'O 5 minut 12' (Five Minutes to Twelve) on Sunday, adding that he has already informed his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy that he'll start preparing the visit. The head of state doesn't want it to be just a courtesy visit, but to have some positive content for both sides. Pellegrini pointed out that a developing Ukraine is a huge opportunity for the whole of eastern Slovakia in the long term. "I've recently met with President Zelenskyy at the summit in Vilnius ... and I've already expressed my position that we'll start preparing the visit and I've asked the Ukrainian side for some content, so that it isn't just a courtesy visit. So that we could find some positive content for both sides, so that we could send a positive signal," said the Slovak president, adding that it's necessary to look to the future after the end of the war, when Ukraine starts to reconstruct and develop. "This can benefit Slovakia, which is on the border with Ukraine, which is on the border of the European Union, and it can really be a huge boost for the elimination of regional differences within Slovakia," he added. ko