MORNING NEWS HIGHLIGHTS - Saturday, 12 July 2025 - 9 a.m.

TASR brings a quick morning overview of the most important events seen in Slovakia on the previous day (Friday, 11 July): BRATISLAVA - The legacy of Michal Strenk (Mykhal Strenk in Ruthenian or Michael Strank in English), a native of the Ruthenian village of Jarabina in eastern Slovakia who served in the US Army, is still relevant today, the Foreign and European Affairs Ministry stated on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the first issue of a US postage stamp depicting the raising of the US flag on the island of Iwo Jima, which features Strenk among others. "The raising of the flag on Iwo Jima wasn't just a gesture of victory, it was hope that the Allies could defeat fascist tyranny. Freedom can't be taken for granted, but it is a value for which many have had to pay the ultimate price. That's why Michal Strenk's legacy is relevant even in the current, rapidly changing times, when many fundamental values are being questioned and military conflicts aren't disappearing, but increasing," said Minister Juraj Blanar (Smer-SD). BRATISLAVA - The Investments, Regional Development and Informatisation Ministry continues to approve applications for non-refundable financial contributions and contracts for local authorities, said ministry State Secretary Richard Maracek on Friday following a meeting of the parliamentary committee for public administration and regional development as part of an informal discussion. The committee wasn't quorate due to a lack of MPs. Maracek added that by 18 June of this year, more than €60 million worth of projects had been approved, with this amount increasing to €121 million in the past two weeks. "The contracts stand at €62.4 million, and the decisions over those two weeks are worth €58.9 million. We have another €40 million in the process at the Investments Ministry, and the expectation is that if this trend continues, we'll be close to that €200-million mark by the end of July. This is a figure that we're allegedly somehow blocking and putting the brakes on, but that's not true. The regions are drawing [money], sending in projects and entering figures in the ITMS information system as we've requested," said Maracek. BRATISLAVA - Due to the bad weather from the beginning of this week, there are still currently 34 emergencies in place in towns and villages in Slovakia, Interior Ministry State Secretary Michal Kalinak told a press conference in Gelnica (Kosice region) on Friday, adding that the situation has been stabilised, however. The ministry has extended the deadline for reimbursing costs until 23 July. Both humanitarian aid and assistance under the Civil Protection Act have been activated. BRATISLAVA - Municipalities are ready to draw EU funds, the vice-chairmen of Banska Bystrica, Trnava and Zilina self-governing regions have stated, calling on the government not to take them away in response to the proposed freeze of €200 million that was discussed by the parliamentary committee for public administration and regional development. "Regional self-governments are ready to draw EU funds. We currently have 142 projects approved at the Partnership Council, which make up nearly 80 percent of our allocation assigned to Banska Bystrica self-governing region," said Banska Bystrica self-governing region vice-chairman Jan Beljak. Trnava region vice-chairman Rastislav Mraz added that the situation in the municipalities is now critical, as many of them have been left with just enough finances to keep the lights and heating on. Any investment that's planned in a municipality is almost always linked to European funds. That's why, according to him, it's sad that a number of projects that Trnava Region has already prepared and invested funds in won't be implemented due to the freezing of EU funds. BRATISLAVA - The Slovak Towns and Villages Association (ZMOS) rejects the claims made by Investments Minister Samuel Migal (Independent) who said last week that ZMOS chairman Jozef Bozik had exchanged political neutrality for political career in the Voice-SD party, TASR has learnt from ZMOS spokeswoman Zuzana Spacekova. „We emphasise that according to the statutes of ZMOS, the association is a voluntary, interest-based association of Slovak towns and municipalities, independent of political parties. Our activities are based on the principle of independence,“ she specified. Spacekova noted that in 2023, before the parliamentary election, ZMOS signed memoranda with seven political parties, which, according to her, reflected mutual commitment to work together to achieve the key priorities of municipalities in the new electoral period. BRATISLAVA - The Foreign and European Affairs Ministry dismissed the statements made by opposition Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) MP Vladimira Marcinkova, who claimed on Friday that the government is now bound by an opposition resolution to support the 18th package of sanctions against Russia. Marcinkova stated that two weeks ago she submitted a draft resolution to Parliament, supported by a fifth of the MPs. She stated on social media that such a proposal becomes binding for the government even if no amendments are made to it in Parliament within two weeks, or if no newer resolution is adopted. "Yes, both the foreign minister [Juraj Blanar] and the prime minister [Robert Fico] (both from Smer-SD) have to follow it and vote accordingly in negotiations at the European level," she said. The ministry stated that the parliamentary European affairs committee is tasked with approving Slovakia’s positions on proposals for legally binding acts of the European Communities and the European Union, which are decided at the level of government representatives. However, the ministry claimed that the right granted to one-fifth of MPs under the Constitutional law applies only to stances on “other EU matters.” “It can therefore only be exercised in relation to positions that don't concern proposals for legally binding acts and other acts of the European Communities and the European Union,” the ministry told TASR. The ministry added that in connection with the proposal of the 18th package of sanctions against Russia, Slovakia continues its constructive communication with the European Commission. "We insist on postponing its approval until a satisfactory solution is reached regarding the negative impacts on Slovakia related to the proposed REPowerEU legislation. For this reason, Slovakia maintains its position on the 18th sanctions package," the ministry stated. SREBRENICA - Foreign and European Affairs Minister Juraj Blanar visited Bosnia and Herzegovina on Friday at the invitation of his Bosnian counterpart Elmedin Konakovic, where he commemorated the 30th anniversary of the Srebrenica genocide at the Memorial Centre in the village of Potocari, the ministry’s communications department told TASR on the same day. „At a time when peace isn't a given, we in Slovakia don't forget and remind ourselves how far human hatred can go,“ Blanar said, adding that the tragedy in Srebrenica has forever marked the European continent. „More than eight thousand innocent men and boys were murdered. Their deaths, the suffering of their families and the unhealed wounds on their souls remain part of the collective memory not only of the Western Balkans region, but of the whole of Europe,“ he stated. lin