MORNING NEWS HIGHLIGHTS - Friday, 18 July 2025 - 9 a.m.

TASR brings a quick morning overview of the most important events seen in Slovakia on the previous day (Thursday, 17 July): BRATISLAVA - The Declaration of Slovakia's Sovereignty opened the way for all Slovaks to their own independent and sovereign state, President Peter Pellegrini has said in connection with the 33th anniversary of the adoption of the declaration. "Today we have our own state with clearly declared values that should help us all to achieve the national reconciliation that is needed so much," the head of state has posted on a social network. Pellegrini stated that if Slovaks want to fulfil the message of this declaration today, it's enough for them to recall its wording - "Recognising the right of nations to self-determination, we declare that we too want to freely shape the way and form of our national and state life while respecting the rights of everyone, every citizen, nation, ethnic minority and ethnic group, the democratic and humanistic messages of Europe and the world". BRATISLAVA - The Slovak police acted in line with the investigator's instructions when informing the public about the detained suspect concerning recent bomb threats, Interior Minister Matus Sutaj Estok (Voice-SD) declared on Wednesday. Sutaj Estok emphasised that the police only disclosed verified facts and did not have authorisation to publish working investigative theories, including a potential Russian link. "Working hypotheses in ongoing investigations are not meant to be made public," said Sutaj Estok, urging an end to attacks against police officers and the spreading of conspiracy theories. "The order to inform the public about the detention came directly from the investigator and covered only the confirmed fact of the detention — nothing more, no unverified details," said the minister. He emphasised that only information approved for release by the investigator was shared and that the police followed all procedures. Sutaj Estok stressed that working investigative theories, including a potential Russian link, were not meant for public disclosure. "These are only hypotheses within an ongoing investigation," he said. Acting Police Corps President Jana Maskarova confirmed that the police followed legal procedures throughout. Along with Sutaj Estok, she praised the Slovak police and the international team involved in the investigation. She indicated that further information will be released once the embargo is lifted. The minister firmly rejected accusations of secrecy. "The Slovak authorities have never hidden anything. When there is a verified, evidence-based finding, we will inform the public truthfully and responsibly — regardless of who or which country may be involved," he stated. He called on the opposition parties and the media to stop spreading conspiracy theories about alleged cover-ups. BRATISLAVA - Training in the National Defence Forces (NOS) as a reservist is physically demanding and requires strong team spirit, said President Peter Pellegrini during his participation in NOS training at the Turecky vrch military training area. Defence Minister Robert Kalinak (Smer-SD), who is also taking part in the first round of training, shared a similar view. Responding to criticism of his involvement, Pellegrini noted that he could have spent his holiday "lying on a beach in Greece", but considered his choice to undergo training to be more productive. He described the NOS project as a better alternative to compulsory military service. Pellegrini revealed that he's signed a five-year contract, and he expressed interest in further training with an engineering unit in Sered. He also stated that in the event of natural disasters, he is prepared to be mobilised and assist the population, despite holding the highest office in the country. Minister Kalinak confirmed that the training is physically difficult, remarking that he was surprised by the intensity of the schedule, which begins with a 5:30 a.m. wake-up call followed by morning exercises. Kalinak announced that he will donate his €3,000 training allowance to a military foundation. He rejected claims that NOS reserve training — available for civilians at a cost of €1,500 — is merely an expensive promotional campaign for the Slovak armed forces. BRATISLAVA - The Czech Security Information Service (BIS) won't comment on criticism from Slovak politicians regarding its public disclosure of a likely Russian link in the investigation into last year's bomb threats targeting schools, BIS spokesman Ladislav Sticha stated on CT24 on Thursday, adding that what matters is that the perpetrator was successfully arrested. TASR learnt the news from its special correspondent. „For BIS, as a member of the international team, the focus should remain on the essence. In a highly successful joint operation, we apprehended the perpetrator who had terrified thousands of families in the Czech Republic and Slovakia last year. We restored peace of mind to citizens so they no longer need to fear for their children. Nothing else is more important,” Sticha said. Slovak Interior Minister Matus Sutaj Estok on Thursday criticized BIS for releasing information that the detained Ukrainian suspect may have been financed by a Russian actor. He warned that such public airing of working hypotheses could endanger the investigation. „Uncontrolled leaks of speculative information to the media can complicate the investigation, jeopardize its success, and even allow the perpetrator to erase evidence,” he said. The Czech Police Presidium also declined to further comment on the case, with spokesman Jozef Bocan stating the matter had already been sufficiently addressed. „At this stage, it is crucial that the purpose of the criminal proceedings is fulfilled,” Bocan told Novinky.cz. BRATISLAVA - The Ministry of Investments, Regional Development and Informatization (MIRRI) has cancelled a €50-million funding call for digital transformation projects under the Recovery and Resilience Plan, citing serious irregularities and flaws in the original design. Minister Samuel Migal (independent) said the decision was a response to risks posed by suspicious applicants and was made in the interest of transparency and accountability. Reacting to criticism from opposition MP Jan Hargas (Progressive Slovakia), who warned the funds could be lost, Migal defended the cancellation. „We discovered several questionable companies — some with no employees, others possibly shell companies, or firms with outstanding debts to the state. We cannot support a system where hundreds of thousands or even millions in grants might be diverted through the Recovery Plan,” he stated. Migal acknowledged that some high-quality projects may have been affected by the cancellation but stressed the ministry’s commitment to protecting public funds. He also lamented the lack of tools in Slovakia to properly vet applicants and pledged that all future calls under his leadership would be conducted transparently and in line with national rules. MIRRI Deputy Minister Radoslav Stefanek added that the decision to cancel the call was not taken lightly. He said the ministry is now working on alternative ways to allocate the funds effectively. lin