MORNING NEWS HIGHLIGHTS - Tuesday, 17 June 2025 - 9 a.m.

TASR brings a quick morning overview of the most important events seen in Slovakia on the previous day (Monday, 16 June): BRATISLAVA - The first evacuated Slovak nationals arrived in Slovakia on Monday from the Middle East crisis area, along with citizens of other countries, Foreign Minister Juraj Blanar (Smer-SD) told a press conference on Monday evening, adding that further evacuation flights will be carried out in the following days. A total of 30 Slovaks arrived on the evacuation flight, including 25 tourists and 5 employees of the Slovak embassy. The repatriates also included citizens of Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovenia, Austria, Estonia, Spain and Malaysia. "We're already preparing another flight on Tuesday (17 June), which should take the citizens of the Slovak Republic, who are still reporting to us, as well as nationals of Austria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Latvia and France," said Blanar, adding that on Wednesday (18 June) they will repatriate the family members of diplomats who are still in Tel Aviv, along with citizens of Spain, Romania, Italy and Latvia, Austria, the Czech Republic, Hungary and the Netherlands. BRATISLAVA - The content of the government's amendment to the Constitution is the agenda of the Christian Democrats (KDH), and the party shouldn't be denigrated for voting with Smer-SD, said leader of the opposition 'Slovakia' party and MP Igor Matovic ('Slovakia', 'For the People', KU caucus) in Parliament on Monday. The 'Slovakia' party won't vote for the amendment to the constitutional amendment because it considers it to be a fake play by Premier Robert Fico (Smer-SD). It respects the decision of Christian Union (KU) MPs, who want to vote in favour. "I don't find it honest for us to lynch someone here just because they've decided to support their own agenda," said Matovic, claiming that after the amending drafts, the amendment to the Constitution isn't Fico's proposal, but that of KDH. Matovic also stated that the world won't collapse because the proposal has been approved and that there is no need to frighten people with this amendment. BRATISLAVA - The pace of implementing the tasks of the Office of the Vice-premier for the Recovery Plan and a Knowledge-based Economy is faster than planned, and the office is several months ahead of schedule, said Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD) at a press conference on Monday following his meeting with Vice-premier for the Recovery Plan and a Knowledge-based Economy Peter Kmec (Voice-SD) . Of a total of 221 milestones, 93 have already been met. According to the premier, of the total amount of €6.4 billion under the recovery plan, €3.5 billion is currently in Slovakia's accounts, and another payment of €570 million should be on the way. "In total, the Slovak Republic has already practically more than €4 billion in its own account of the allocated €6.4 billion. Of this, about half has actually been spent, and the other half is now being spent on projects that are set and precisely defined in the recovery plan," stated Fico. BRATISLAVA - President Peter Pellegrini hosted a gala luncheon for 30 guests from various fields, including young scientists, athletes, pensioners and Paralympians, at the Presidential Palace on Monday to mark the first anniversary of his inauguration. In the speech that he delivered before the lunch, the president said that he thereby wants to send out a signal that regardless of how people were born, where they come from or what their religion is, the people together form one Slovakia. Pellegrini explained that he didn't want to mark his first year in office with any celebrations or a gala party but to return to the idea of ​​a joint luncheon, as he did after his inauguration. He pointed out that he invited people of different ages, from different backgrounds and with different stories. "I would be happy if during our joint lunch we could talk, in a festive but hopefully very informal atmosphere, and in this special composition send a signal from the Presidential Palace that this is Slovakia, this is perhaps what a cross-section of Slovak society looks like and that coherence and love for each other is what we need most," stated the president. BANSKA BYSTRICA - The Specialised Criminal Court (STS) in Banska Bystrica acquitted ex-director of the Slovak Intelligence Service (SIS) Vladimir P. [name abbreviated due to legal reasons] of the charges against him on Monday. Vladimir P. faced charges of receiving a bribe, misusing the powers of a public official and endangering classified information. The verdict isn't yet final. Although it has been proven that some money was handed over, it hasn't been unambiguously proven that the defendant participated in this and that he received the money, said the judge. BRATISLAVA - The state wants to stop animal cruelty in Slovakia and the increased number of illegal breeding farms from which animals are exported abroad, Agriculture Minister Richard Takac (Smer-SD) told a news conference held on Monday with Interior Minister Matus Sutaj Estok (Voice-SD) in attendance. The two ministers called on the general public to report any suspected animal abuse or neglect. "Slovakia is in first place in terms of unregistered breeding farms, and maybe also in terms of the number of people who have built a well-working business on this, but this will no longer work as it has done for many years," said Takac, adding that animal cruelty is a red line for him. As an example of cruel treatment, he mentioned the case of a 41-year-old man from Bratislava who abused a dog and didn't provide it with veterinary treatment despite the fact that it was suffering from a severe infestation of maggots. The dog subsequently had to be put down due to the severity of the damage. ko