MORNING NEWS HIGHLIGHTS - Wednesday, 6 August 2025 - 9 a.m.

TASR brings a quick morning overview of the most important events seen in Slovakia on the previous day (Tuesday, 5 August): BRATISLAVA – Representatives of all the opposition parties held a joint news conference on Tuesday to call on Health Minister Kamil Sasko (Voice-SD) to scrap the ongoing ambulance service tender, then launch a new one and ensure that it is held transparently. At the same time, the parties are collecting signatures for his ouster and are demanding that Premier Robert Fico (Smer-SD) should dismiss him if the suspicions prove to be true. They are also finalising motions to the Prosecutor General's (PG) Office and the Public Procurement Office and are ready to file them as soon as the results are known. "Really a lot of money is at stake. This is, I'd dare to say, a lucrative and guaranteed business. The money is being distributed for the next six years, meaning profits amounting to hundreds of millions for 'befriended' companies. Sasko has been promising transparency to us since April, when we first raised this issue in Parliament. He promised to invite the public and the opposition to join the process. However, he's been silent, not calling anyone until we learnt that he had already launched a tender," said parliamentary health committee vice-chair Oskar Dvorak (Progressive Slovakia/PS). BRATISLAVA – If Health Minister Kamil Sasko (Voice-SD) fails to dispel doubts surrounding the ambulance service tender, Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD) will insist on cancelling it and restarting the competition, TASR learnt from Fico's social media post on Tuesday. Fico highlighted that questions have emerged regarding the major tender for emergency medical service providers, which need to be addressed. „Today I spoke with Health Minister Kamil Sasko and clearly outlined my position. I will not allow any doubts to damage the current government," Fico stated. He called on the Health Minister to publicly answer the questions causing concern. Sasko is expected to address the issue during a press conference on Monday, 11 August. BRATISLAVA – The Labour Ministry is submitting a law aimed at eliminating discrimination against parents, especially mothers who cared for a child on maternity leave and therefore have lower pensions, for inter-departmental review, Labour Minister Erik Tomas (Voice-SD) told a news conference on Tuesday, adding that the law might take effect as of January 2026. "This measure applies to all mothers who have already retired, but also to those who are yet to retire, so this law will also apply in the future," said Tomas when explaining how it will look in practice. Social-insurance provider Socialna poistovna will re-calculate old-age, early retirement and disability pensions, said Tomas, adding that this will concern some one million pensions. Socialna poistovna has five years to carry out the re-calculation, he said, adding that the change will positively affect 440,000 pensioners. TATRANSKA LOMNICA - The zoning proposals for all national parks have been submitted as of Tuesday, Environment Minister State Secretary Filip Kuffa told a news conference in Tatranska Lomnica on the same day. In line with its zoning proposal, 50 percent of the Tatra National Park (TANAP) should be included in the most highly protected zone. According to Kuffa, the comments procedure on the Mala Fatra National Park's zoning proposal was completed at the respective district office a few days ago. The zoning proposal for the Poloniny National Park has been submitted to the ministry, which is currently processing it. "These will probably be the toughest nuts to crack, but we're ready for this. We'll bring it to a successful conclusion by December," declared the state secretary. BRATISLAVA – The opposition party Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) once again criticised the situation in the Slovak forests on Tuesday, pointing to serious suspicions of non-transparent management and deliberate environmental destruction. Speaking at a press briefing, SaS chair Branislav Groehling and MP Alojz Hlina (SaS) stated that the government continues to ignore warnings from experts, conservationists, and the public, while instead giving more power to those responsible for forest devastation. SaS is demanding an independent audit of the state enterprise Forests of the Slovak Republic (Lesy SR), full disclosure of all contracts and timber prices, and the dismissal of the company’s management. Groehling announced the party will file a criminal complaint and called on coalition MPs to allow a parliamentary inspection of the state enterprise. BANSKA BYSTRICA - More than a year since the attempt on Prime Minister Robert Fico's (Smer-SD) life, the trial of shooter Juraj C. [name abbreviated due to legal reasons] continued at the Specialised Criminal Court in Banska Bystrica on Tuesday with the testimonies of witnesses. Members of the Office for the Protection of Constitutional Officials and Diplomatic Missions, who witnessed the shooting, are testifying on Tuesday, the third day of the trial. One of the members of the security detail summoned didn't appear, as he is on a foreign mission. Juraj C., a pensioner, was initially charged with aggravated premeditated attempted murder. In July 2024, the legal classification was changed to an aggravated terrorist attack. If convicted, he might receive a life sentence. His lawyer, Namir Alyasry, told the court in July that while the prosecution of his client is justified, the legal classification of the act as terrorism is disputable. ko