MORNING NEWS HIGHLIGHTS - Thursday, 17 July 2025 - 9 a.m.

TASR brings a quick morning overview of the most important events seen in Slovakia on the previous day (Wednesday, 16 July): KIEV/BRATISLAVA/PRAGUE - A joint Slovak, Czech and Ukrainian police team is taking action in the Ukrainian town of Dnipro in connection with an investigation into bomb threats at Slovak and Czech schools as of September 2024, the police reported on a social network on Wednesday. One Ukrainian national has been detained during the operation. Investigators of the cyber-crime police department, in cooperation with the counter-terrorism centre and the government's CSIRT cyber unit have been engaged in seizure operations in Dnipro since the early morning. PRAGUE/BRATISLAVA - The activities of a man who was detained in Ukraine by a Slovak-Czech-Ukrainian police team on Wednesday in connection with an investigation into last year's bomb threats to thousands of schools in the Czech Republic and Slovakia were probably financed by a person from Russia, the Czech Security Intelligence Service (BIS), which participated in the international operation, has posted on a social network. The Czech police confirmed the joint operation later in the day, specifying that the National Centre for Combating Terrorism, Extremism and Cybercrime (NCTEKK) was involved in it, as well as BIS intelligence officers. The Czech Police Corps Presidium confirmed that a young man who is suspected of the cyber attacks has been detained. According to the Czech police, the man committed these cyber attacks not only in the Czech Republic and Slovakia, but in many other European countries as well. "The possible involvement of other people who may have organised or financed the sending of threatening emails is currently under investigation," said the Czech Police Corps Presidium. BIS added that activities of the detainee were most likely financed by a person from Russia. Bratislava, 16 July (TASR) – The Slovak Police Corps denied accusations that they concealed information regarding the man detained in Ukraine, labeling such claims as conspiracy theories, TASR learnt on Wednesday. The police emphasized on social media that the amount of information released to the public always depends on the specific circumstances and must not compromise ongoing criminal proceedings. This statement was issued in response to media reports highlighting criticism from Czech security agencies and the Slovak opposition that the Slovak police had reported on the case prematurely - against the wishes of the Czech side - while omitting the fact that the Ukrainian national was likely financed by Russian actors. BRATISLAVA - Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD) declared on Wednesday that Slovakia will never support the European Commission’s REPowerEU gas supply plan, as in his view it will harm Slovak households and the economy, and further reduce the competitiveness of the entire EU. The plan, developed by the European Commission, envisages stopping Russian gas supplies to EU member states as of 2028. Fico stated this in a letter addressed to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, which he also published on social media. BRATISLAVA - President Peter Pellegrini met with NATO Deputy Secretary-General Boris Ruge on Wednesday during a training session of the National Defense Forces (NOS), in which the President has been participating as a volunteer reservist-in-training, at the Turecky vrch training area. Accompanied by Defence Minister Robert Kalinak (Smer-SD), Pellegrini presented the NOS project, which he said Ruge found impressive. TASR learnt the news from the Presidential Office’s press department on the same day. „We in Slovakia want to prevent our young people from being forced into compulsory military service, which is why we introduced this voluntary National Defense Forces program,” Pellegrini explained. BRATISLAVA - The Environment Ministry has requested that the investor behind the Surany battery plant should submit an additional 42 documents and studies, as the environmental impact assessment (EIA) process cannot proceed until these materials are provided, Environment Minister Tomas Taraba (SNS nominee) announced following an emergency special session of the House environment committee on Wednesday. Taraba emphasised that the approval process is being monitored more closely than any other and gave assurances that the battery plant is undergoing a strict evaluation. He also clarified that the ministry’s role is to assess, not to permit the project. "The Environment Ministry is not a building authority. We don't authorise construction. We assess the impact a particular or proposed activity has on the environment. If the impact is negative, we determine whether it aligns with existing standards. If it doesn't, we outline what corrective or additional measures are needed to allow the project to proceed," he stated. ko