MORNING NEWS HIGHLIGHTS - Thursday, 3 July 2025 - 9 a.m.

TASR brings a quick morning overview of the most important events seen in Slovakia on the previous day (Wednesday, 2 July): BRATISLAVA - The opposition parties called for a special session of the parliamentary agriculture and environment committee during Tuesday's press conference to discuss with Environment Minister Tomas Taraba (a Slovak National Party/SNS nominee) a solution to the dispute over the Gabcikovo-Nagymaros waterworks system, as they fear that Hungary will receive electricity for free or at the production cost. Taraba dismissed the claims as a hoax, adding that Slovakia hasn't even decided whether the dispute can be settled and whether it can reach an agreement with Hungary, however he stated he'll come to the committee. According to MP Tamara Stohlova from the opposition Progressive Slovakia (PS) party, the minister often refers to Gabcikovo as a national treasure and reminds how much money it brings to the state. „Therefore I'm asking why he wants to voluntarily hand over 50 percent - or half - of this national treasure, this national wealth, to Viktor Orban and Hungary,“ she said. MP Maria Kolikova from the opposition Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) party noted that the state must currently consolidate public finances. According to her, handing over the electricity to Hungary would also reduce the state budget revenues. Kolikova asked where Taraba got the mandate to negotiate when everything was being done "behind closed doors" and secretly. She believes that Prosecutor-General Maros Zilinka should also take an interest in the case. MP Marian Caucik (Christian Democratic Movement/KDH) noted that the committee had lacked a quorum several times in a row now. "Repeatedly, government and coalition MPs don't come to these committees and we lack a quorum. And this is very sad, tragic," he added. „No 50 percent is going anywhere to Hungary,“ Taraba said, noting that his aim is for Hungary not to have the potential to own a share of the dam. He added that any agreement with Hungary must first go through Parliament. The treaty on the construction and operation of the Gabcikovo–Nagymaros Waterworks System was signed in Budapest in 1977 by the prime ministers of the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic and the Hungarian People's Republic. Hungary withdrew from the project in 1989, by which time most of the work on the Slovak side had already been completed. In 1997, the International Court of Justice in The Hague ruled on the dispute between the Hungary and Slovakia, confirming the validity of the 1977 treaty and Slovakia as a successor to Czechoslovakia, while declaring the construction of an alternative solution to be lawful. BRATISLAVA - The police have charged nine individuals, including one policeman and filed a motion for detention for seven of them as part of the operation 'FUNERAL', TASR has learnt from Police Presidium spokesman Roman Hajek. The defendants are suspected of committing offences related to a criminal group, general endangerment, extortion, damage to property, violation of domestic liberty and indirect corruption. The aim of the operation of the Anti-crime Unit of the Office for Combating Organised Crime (UBOK) was to eliminate organised crime in Eastern Slovakia. A total of 18 individuals, including four police officers, were detained. „As part of the operation, we conducted 14 house searches, 19 searches of other premises, 16 personal searches and a number of other procedural actions, in which the Inspection Service Office (UIS), other units of the Police Corps and military intelligence also participated,“ the spokesman added. The UBOK anti-crime unit carried out the operation across the country on Monday (30 June) from the early morning with 426 police officers involved. KIEV - Representatives of the foreign ministries of Slovakia and Ukraine met in Kiev on Tuesday, the Ukrainian Embassy to Slovakia has reported in its statement, adding that the Ukrainian side called on Slovakia to support the new EU sanctions package against Russia and participate in the work of a new special tribunal for the crime of aggression against Ukraine. Director-General of the Political Section of the Slovak Foreign and European Affairs Ministry Martin Kaco along with Ukrainian Foreign Affairs Deputy Minister Olexandr Mischenko held talks in Kiev and at the beginning of their meeting, they jointly honoured the memory of the fallen defenders of Ukraine by laying flowers at the Wall of Remembrance. The Ukrainian side expressed its gratitude to Slovakia for its readiness to supply Ukraine with eight modern Slovak-made Bozena-5 demining machines. Mishchenko confirmed that Ukraine is interested in a constructive dialogue with Slovakia, but at the same time strongly rejected recent statements by Slovak Foreign Minister Juraj Blanar (Smer-SD) regarding the possibility of forgiving Russia. Mishchenko further stated that „such proposals are categorically unacceptable and do not reflect the realities of the war, especially that the aggressor state must be punished for the committed crimes“. Regrading the suspension of Russian gas transit, Kiev stressed that Russia is using the profits from it to wage a 'criminal war' against Ukraine. Therefore, Ukraine called on Slovakia not to contribute to the financing of the Russian military campaign. Both the Ukrainian and Slovak sides mutually stressed the priority of further development of bilateral cooperation. The representatives paid special attention to the issues of Ukraine's integration into the EU. Mischenko expressed gratitude to the Slovak side for supporting Ukraine's European Union membership. Mischenko also appreciated the active work of Slovak volunteer organisations, which regularly collect funds for Ukraine. BRATISLAVA - MPs for the opposition Christian Democrats (KDH) won't take part in the government's Cyril and Methodius celebrations, the KDH communications department told TASR on Wednesday, adding that on Saturday, 5 July, they will commemorate their legacy with a pilgrimage in Nitra. "KDH considers the amount of €750,000 for the celebrations to be disproportionate at a time of consolidation, when citizens and entrepreneurs have to tighten their belts. The government also approved another almost €640,000 for the SNP (Slovak National Uprising) celebrations, confirming its inability to consolidate and save on itself, but only on people and entrepreneurs," stressed KDH. The government has allocated €750,000 for the organisation of the national Cyril and Methodius celebrations. The Defence Ministry is in charge of the organisation. The celebrations will take place on Saturday (5 July) at Devin Castle. The programme will include a presentation of history, demonstrations of craftsmanship and preparation of medieval food. Visitors will be able to get to know the Glagolitic scribal workshop. In the evening, a festive programme will be held with a live broadcast on STVR. BRATISLAVA - Slovakia has managed the fight against foot-and-mouth disease very well, which is also noted by international institutions, including the European Commission, President Peter Pellegrini said at a press conference on Wednesday that was held after a meeting related to foot-and-mouth disease. Pellegrini praised the intensive communication with the Slovak public in this regard, noting that Slovakia has developed clear procedures on how to act when foot-and-mouth disease appears. He pointed out that more than 8,500 animals had to be killed. The head of state highlighted, for example, the Fire and Rescue Corps, which, he said, had carried out various activities, including the transport of special containers. "With the special equipment at its disposal, the firefighters were able to safely transport these carcasses to their final destination," he added. "If the relevant ministries and the relevant authorities of the state hadn't reacted the way they did, today the damage would have been irreversible and would have been so enormous that we can't even imagine," said the president, describing the actions of the state bodies and the security forces as correct. According to him, the spread of foot-and-mouth disease was prevented as much as possible, with the damage kept to the smallest possible extent. Pellegrini added that the handling of the crisis is a lesson for Slovakia that our state forces are capable of engaging in the fight against such a contagion. mf