MORNING NEWS HIGHLIGHTS - Tuesday, 22 July 2025 - 9 a.m.

TASR brings a quick morning overview of the most important events seen in Slovakia on the previous day (Monday, 21 July): BRATISLAVA - Milan Rastislav Stefanik remains a lasting role model and inspiration, Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD) has stated on the occasion of the 145th anniversary of Stefanik's birth. Fico called on people to draw inspiration from Stefanik's actions and motivation from his sincere devotion to Slovakia. According to Fico, the anniversary is also an opportunity to reflect on Stefanik's legacy and the message that he still represents. "It was Stefanik who returned to us the power of veto in deciding the future fate of Slovakia. Today, we once again find ourselves in a similarly pivotal period, as was the case at the beginning of the 20th century. We can be inspired by his deeds and motivated by his sincere relationship with Slovakia. Stefanik urges us with the words: 'Let each of us be better today than we were yesterday, and our homeland will be great and glorious'," the prime minister wrote on social media. BRATISLAVA - It is time for Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD) to finally stand up for Slovakia's real economic and national interests, Martin Hojsik, Vice-president of the European Parliament and a member of the leadership of the opposition Progressive Slovakia (PS) party, said on Monday. Instead of continuing dependence on Russian fuels, Fico should push for a complete ban on steel imports from Russia, Hojsik stated at a press conference on Monday. "We are once again calling on Prime Minister Fico and the entire Slovak government to finally act in Slovakia's interests, to urge other European leaders – those who still talk to him – to implement an immediate and full ban on steel imports from the Russian Federation. This would support not only Slovakia's steel industry but also the entire European sector," said Hojsik. BRATISLAVA - Instead of across-the-board energy subsidies, the government should launch a broad programme to insulate and modify houses so that energy consumption in them will decrease, opposition MP Jozef Hajko (Christian Democrats/KDH) stated on Monday in response to comments made by Economy Minister Denisa Sakova (Voice-SD) on Sunday (20 July). The opposition party is appealing for money from EU funds to be used purposefully, for investments. "Economy Minister Denisa Sakova admitted on Sunday that unspent billions of euros from EU funds could be used next year for energy support for households, but this will be targeted. Sakova spoke about targeted aid at the parliamentary economic committee last year, but then came the end of the year, and [Robert] Fico's [Smer-SD] government decided to continue the across-the-board subsidies, which this year may amount to a billion euros," pointed out Hajko. BRATISLAVA - The upcoming Interior Ministry Day is simply a party event for the governing Voice-SD party, former interior minister and MP Roman Mikulec ('Slovakia', 'For the People', KU) told a press conference on Monday, adding that the ministry is set to pay almost €700,000 to organise the event and that the price may go up even further. The MP said that he doesn't understand why Slovakia's largest ministry couldn't have organised the event on its own, while noting that the Interior Ministry is planning to hold it at an exhibition centre in Bratislava. When he was the minister, the day was held at the Police Academy. "[This will take place] at a time of consolidation, at a time when people are confronted daily with the requirement to tighten their belts, and when we are hearing from the government every day that austerity is needed, that public finances are in bad shape. So, such actions not only make a mockery of the citizens of the Slovak Republic, but in this case also make a mockery of the Interior Ministry itself," stressed the ex-minister. BRATISLAVA - The Slovak Council of Higher Education Institutions (RVS) considers the draft of a new Higher Education Act to be legally unprepared, substantively poor and a step towards further weakening of academic self-governance, warning that its adoption could lead to frequent and unnecessary amendments that would destabilise the higher education environment, RVS chair Martin Putala told TASR on Monday. "RVS demands the immediate withdrawal of the bill and its complete reworking into a simplified version via a partnership dialogue with the academic community. Only then can modern, sustainable and autonomy-respecting legislation be conceived that will contribute to the development of Slovak higher education," said Putala. According to RVS, adopting the current proposal would force a full revision of internal regulations at universities, many of which were only recently adopted or updated. It would also increase administrative burdens without added value and could discourage academic staff from participating in governance — posing a threat to university democracy. TVRDOSIN/BRATISLAVA – A new section of the R3 expressway between Tvrdosin and Nizna in the Orava area was officially opened on Monday, with Transport Minister Jozef Raz (a Smer-SD nominee) and the general director of the National Highway Company (NDS) Filip Machacek in attendance. "The section is just under 5.6 kilometres long. It's a fully functional bypass of the town of Tvrdosin, with 11 bridges and approximately 78 construction structures. It is now fully completed, and the first vehicles will drive through it today," said Machacek. He noted that the current contractual cost of the project is just under €80 million. "We don't yet have the final price, of course, because although the road is being handed over to drivers today, there is still work to be done. We'll continue with the follow-up components that are ahead of us," the NDS general director added. ko