MORNING NEWS HIGHLIGHTS - Sunday, 27 July 2025 - 9 a.m.

TASR brings a quick morning overview of the most important events seen in Slovakia on the previous day (Saturday, 26 July): BRATISLAVA – Slovakia is more of a weekend destination, with domestic tourists playing a key role, Slovenska sporitelna bank analyst Matej Hornak has stated, adding that the summer tourist season is in full swing, but although the number of visitors to Slovakia in the first five months of this year grew, it still hasn't reached pre-pandemic levels. According to the analyst, demand for travel is hampered by the relatively higher prices of services and the uncertainty of economic development. "Travellers today are increasingly looking for value for money, shortening stays or staying closer to home, with many countries struggling with the impacts of climate change, big seasonal factors or mass tourism. Despite the complicated economic situation, the number of visitors is expected to go up, but Slovakia needs more foreign tourists," said Hornak. Interest in travel is growing both in Slovakia and worldwide. Hornak added that 2.2 million guests visited accommodation facilities in Slovakia in the first five months of this year, which is a 6-percent year-on-year increase, but still 1 percent less than in the same period in 2019. Domestic demand is key, with foreign tourists accounting for only about a third of visitors so far this year. "It is still true that Slovakia is mainly a weekend destination, as the average number of overnight stays has long remained at around 2.5 nights. Therefore, Slovakia has great potential in terms of foreign tourists, but we need to improve accessibility (e.g. transport connections) and make the country more attractive," said Hornak. BRATISLAVA – People can join a questionnaire on a possible change in the date of the Day of Slovaks Living Abroad until the end of September, the Office for Slovaks Living Abroad (USZZ), which launched the survey in mid-June, told TASR earlier this week. "The questionnaire will be available until September 30, and we'll evaluate its results in the autumn months," Jarmila Brezinova of the USZZ state policy coordination and external communications department has told TASR. BRATISLAVA – A total of 132 students from 31 countries from around the world will graduate this year from the Studia Academica Slovaca (SAS) Slovak language and culture summer school, TASR learnt from Comenius University spokesman Eva Kopecka. The 61st annual summer school, which is set to start on Monday (28 July) and last until 15 August, will be held at the Bratislava-based Comenius University under the auspices of Dean Marian Zouhar. Most of the participants are students of Slovak language and culture. In addition to them, university teachers, foreign language lecturers, employees of companies and embassies, translators and interpreters will also be trained. Most of the SAS participants come from Hungary (16), Poland (12) and Ukraine (10), but students from other European countries as well as non-European countries are also registered. Participants will attend language courses and conversations. The summer school also offers an advanced course on literary and translatological interpretation of texts. The educational programme will be complemented by cultural events and excursions. Workshops are a traditional part of the summer school. The theme of the 61st year - Natural, Authentic and Artificial in Language, Culture and Society - will be reflected in the afternoon lectures. BRATISLAVA – Almost half of Slovak children (47.9 percent) spend an excessive amount of time on social media and online - more than four hours per day - according to this year's nationwide survey of children's opinions conducted by the Office of the Commissioner for Children. The survey also examined how much time children spend in the online environment. Children's Commissioner Jozef Miklosko stressed that online interaction does not replace real-life relationships. The findings were shared by Iveta Adamova from the Office of the Commissioner for Children. The survey found that 11.5 percent of children spend more than six hours daily on social media. Although this represents a slight decrease compared to the 2022 data, Miklosko considers it a deeply concerning figure. He warned that children are often unaware of the dangers linked to the digital world, including risks to their mental health. The survey also revealed that 27.3 percent of children spend less than three hours per day with their parents. "Less time spent with parents may contribute to children spending more time online," noted Miklosko. Compared to 2022, the greatest decline was seen in children's satisfaction with the number of followers they have on social media — 40 percent reported being significantly dissatisfied. "It appears that children are sensitive to online validation and comparisons," Miklosko commented. am