MORNING NEWS HIGHLIGHTS - Sunday, 3 August 2025 - 9 a.m.

TASR brings a quick morning overview of the most important events seen in Slovakia on the previous day (Saturday, 2 August): BANSKA BYSTRICA/BRATISLAVA - The non-parliamentary Democrats party announced “Deep Ploughing” as its main policy direction, which, according to party leader Jaroslav Nad, is not an act of revenge but rather an honest and sustainable plan. Following Saturday’s session of the party's national council held in Banska Bystrica, Nad, the former defence minister (2020-23) in Eduard Heger's government, stated that Deep Ploughing represents justice for all honest people. „It will also mean a fundamental shift in how various aspects of our society are perceived today,” Nad remarked, adding that the initiative would bring significant reforms and the introduction of new legislation. According to Nad, the Democrats are preparing a well-structured and honest recovery plan for Slovakia, which they intend to shape together with the Slovak people. A link to a form where people can submit their ideas and suggestions for the party’s future programme is available on the party’s website. At the party’s first-ever national council meeting, which gathered nearly 80 members from across Slovakia, the discussion also included preparations for next year’s municipal elections. „As a party, we have our own ambitions. We will seek common ground with our potential coalition partners, currently parties in the opposition,” Nad said. He added that the party aims to field at least one candidate for mayor in every regional capital and at least one, possibly two, candidates for regional governor. The council also addressed the ongoing petition drive to initiate a referendum on early elections and other related matters. Nad reported that during July, the party surpassed 200,000 collected signatures and expressed hope that the signatures could be submitted to the president by the end of the year. „In recent days and weeks, the rate of collection has grown, and I believe more opposition parties will join us,” he noted. Nad also said the council discussed ongoing attacks from the government against the Democrats, stating that the police have become politicised. Party vice-chair Juraj Seliga reported that the Democrats currently have 943 members, with representation in every district of Slovakia and a stable financial situation. „Today’s national council session demonstrates that the Democrats are highly dynamic. We are an active opposition and, in many cases, we are setting trends that we’re glad to see even the parliamentary opposition adopting,” Seliga said. BRATISLAVA – The coalition's Slovak National Party (SNS) called on President Peter Pellegrini on Saturday to request that Health Minister Kamil Sasko (Voice-SD) cancel the ambulance service tender in its entirety. According to Voice-SD, the SNS demand is "completely detached from reality" and the party urged SNS to stop unnecessary attacks on both Voice-SD and the head of state. President Pellegrini sees the call as an attempt by SNS leader Andrej Danko to boost his party’s popularity. In a statement issued on Saturday, SNS demanded that Pellegrini take decisive action to prevent damage to the healthcare sector. „Especially in difficult times of fiscal consolidation, it is unacceptable for rescue services to be selected in a classified procedure," the party stated. It pointed out that the President himself had expressed serious concern about the procurement process by calling for transparency. „As the honorary chairman of Voice-Social Democracy, Peter Pellegrini bears full responsibility for the healthcare sector. Whether the tender is cancelled or not is entirely in his hands," SNS added. President Pellegrini, however, dismissed the SNS appeal as another political manoeuvre by Danko aimed at scoring points by attacking the president. „The constitutional powers of the president are clear, and cancelling tenders of any ministry does not fall within them — this is the responsibility of the relevant minister or government," said presidential spokesperson Patricia Medved Macikova. „As a lawyer, Andrej Danko knows this very well and would be the first to point it out if the President attempted to intervene in ministries under SNS authority." Voice-SD reminded its coalition partner that the healthcare portfolio is the responsibility of minister Kamil Sasko. „If Andrej Danko has any competent questions about a topic increasingly marked by lies and crude political populism, he is welcome to approach the legitimate leadership of Voice," said party spokesperson Michaela Eliasova. She also reminded SNS that the political opposition to the governing coalition is not in the Presidential Palace nor within the coalition itself. According to Voice, Danko's statements rather align with the opposition, particularly its most radical wing. „Unless Andrej Danko intends to find a new coalition partner in Igor Matovic and dismantle state institutions together, he should seek new voters for SNS elsewhere and through different means," Eliasova added. The opposition parties and the Doctors Union Association have criticised the conditions of the tender, labelling them non-transparent. They also expressed doubts about the selection committee, whose members are set to be revealed only after the process concludes. Earlier this month, President Pellegrini had asked the minister to ensure the competition complies with the law. The Health Ministry stated in response that the selection process will proceed properly, transparently, and in line with set conditions. The tender covers the operation of 344 ground ambulance stations and seven helicopter rescue medical service units. BRATISLAVA – Grants from the Slovak Arts Support Council (FPU) are not legally claimable, FPU Council Chair Matus Olha said in response to this week's criticism from the Association of Self-Governing Regions of Slovakia (SK8) and the Association of Slovak Theatres and Orchestras (ASTO). Olha dismissed complaints regarding funding cuts and insufficient support for new productions in regional theatres as unjustified. „The FPU has supported institutions run by self-governing regions — not only theatres, but also galleries, museums, and libraries. Support for theatres is proportionate to their importance," Olha told TASR. He also rejected claims that the regions have been "thrown overboard" in terms of cultural funding. „It is the regions themselves that are reducing their cultural contributions while shifting responsibility to the FPU," he argued. On Wednesday (30 July), SK8 and ASTO criticised the reduction of funding for regional theatres under the FPU’s grant call and its sub-programme Creation and Performance of Stage Works. They claim the cut from the original €250,000 allocation to €75,000 will either prevent or significantly limit regional theatres from producing new performances. According to SK8 and ASTO, the FPU Council failed to provide expert justification for the significant reduction and did not notify applicants in advance. BRATISLAVA – The Roma Holocaust Victims Day is a painful reminder of where hatred can lead if we fail to confront it, Parliament Chair Richard Rasi (Voice-SD) stated on the occasion of the commemorative day on Saturday. In a social media post, Rasi emphasised that society as a whole bears responsibility for protecting human rights, fostering mutual respect, and preventing the resurgence of extremism. „As House Chair, but above all as a human being, I will always stand on the side of human dignity, equality, and respect for every individual without exception," he added. The Day of Roma Holocaust Victims commemorates the events of the night between 2 and 3 August 1944, when nearly 3,000 Roma were murdered in the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp. It is estimated that up to half a million Roma and Sinti perished during the Second World War. The total number of Roma Holocaust victims in Slovakia is estimated at around 1,000. mf