MORNING NEWS HIGHLIGHTS - Saturday, 21 June 2025 - 9 a.m.

TASR brings a quick morning overview of the most important events seen in Slovakia on the previous day (Friday, 20 June): TEHRAN - The Slovak Foreign and European Affairs Ministry has temporarily closed its embassy in Tehran, Iran, due to the ongoing military escalation between Israel and Iran, prompting a full evacuation of the diplomatic mission, with the remaining staff scheduled to leave Iran on Friday, TASR learnt from the ministry's communications department on the same day. Slovak Foreign Minister Juraj Blanar decided on the temporary closure of the Slovak Embassy in Iran on Thursday. The measure will remain in place until the overall security conditions in Iran are assessed as favourable for the return of diplomatic staff. VATICAN CITY - This week, Slovak Foreign and European Affairs Minister Juraj Blanar visited the Pontifical Slovak Institute and the College of Saints Cyril and Methodius in Rome and paid respects to the millennium-old legacy of the Slavic apostles, Saints Cyril and Methodius, at the Basilica of Saint Mary Major (Santa Maria Maggiore), TASR has learnt from the ministry's communications department. “The first contacts with the Holy See from the territory of present-day Slovakia were established by Saints Cyril and Methodius already in the 9th century. Today, modern Slovak diplomacy continues the legacy of the Thessalonian brothers, and as the Slovak nation, we are rightfully proud of these co-patrons of Europe,” Minister Blanar stated. The Thessalonian brothers codified and promoted Old Church Slavonic over a thousand years ago, which, alongside Latin, Greek, and Hebrew, was recognized by the Holy See as the fourth official liturgical language and was sanctified by Pope Adrian II in the Basilica of Saint Mary Major. “This historic site is forever etched in the history of our nation,” emphasised the head of Slovak diplomacy. BRATISLAVA - If President Peter Pellegrini supports an increase in defence spending at the upcoming summit of North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) member states, he'll do so without a government or parliamentary mandate and on his own responsibility, chairman of the coalition Slovak National Party (SNS) and House Vice-chair Andrej Danko said at a press conference on Friday, admitting, however that the president has the constitutional right to decide on this issue. The Presidential Palace responded to Danko by saying that the head of state will coordinate his position with Premier Robert Fico, Defence Minister Robert Kalinak and Foreign Affairs Minister Juraj Blanar (all Smer-SD). "President Peter Pellegrini will coordinate his position at the NATO summit in The Hague with the premier, the defence minister and the foreign minister," the President's Office told TASR. "He [the president] doesn't have a mandate, such a mandate can't be one round-table where you get coffee and one pagach," said Danko, alluding to the meeting of political party leaders who discussed the issue with the head of state at a round-table. Pellegrini, according to him, did not receive a "blank cheque". BRATISLAVA - Slovakia transported a total of 224 people from the Middle East between 16-18 June, including Slovaks and citizens of 24 other countries, the Foreign Ministry's communications department told TASR on Friday, adding that the evacuation was carried out by eight flights of a government aircraft and special flights of a military aircraft between Bratislava, the Jordanian cities of Aqaba and Amman and also Larnaca in Cyprus. "In cooperation with the Defence and Interior Ministries, the Foreign Ministry managed one of the most challenging evacuation operations, which we launched immediately after the escalation of tensions in the region," said Foreign and European Affairs Minister Juraj Blanar (Smer-SD), adding that among those evacuated were diplomats, employees of international organisations and embassies, tourists, journalists and families with small children. The ministry noted that in addition to the evacuation of 69 of its own citizens, Slovakia provided free capacity on board Slovak aircraft to 155 nationals of other countries. BRATISLAVA - In connection with a Naegleria fowleri infection case, eight out of ten samples taken on 14 June preliminarily confirmed the presence of various types of amoebae, according to Chief Hygienist Tatiana Cervenova, with further analysis underway to specify the exact species and determine the source of transmission. The mode of transmission of the infection caused by the microorganism Naegleria fowleri is still being investigated. At the same time, hygienists are also working on the results of water samples taken on Sunday (June 15) and Monday (June 16), from the swimming pool in Sturovo (Nitra region) by staff from the Regional Public Health Authority in Nove Zamky. Public health authorities will conduct special water sampling for the presence of amoebas in addition to regular inspections of swimming pools and water samples. Inspections of the swimming pool are related to the death of an 11-year-old boy who was infected with the microorganism Naegleria fowleri. The boy attended a swimming course in Sturovo in early June. The thermal swimming pool complex has been closed as a preventive measure since Sunday, June 15. KOSICE - Kosice Mayor Jaroslav Polacek is preparing to set up a new political party called 'Kosice 2030 Movement', TASR learnt on Friday. The party's preparatory committee, which includes not only Polacek but also Kosice city spokesman Dusan Tokarcik and Annamaria Sykorova, has notified the Interior Ministry of the collection of the necessary signatures from citizens. The announcement is published on the Interior Ministry's website. The collection of signatures from the people who agree with the formation of the party began on 11 June, according to the announcement. "The political party will use the abbreviation 'Kosice2030'," reads the notice. am