MORNING NEWS HIGHLIGHTS - Thursday, 14 August 2025 - 9 a.m.

TASR brings a quick morning overview of the most important events seen in Slovakia on the previous day (Wednesday, 13 August): BRATISLAVA - Parliament failed to open a special session with a no-confidence motion in Health Minister Kamil Sasko (Voice-SD) as the sole point on the agenda at the first attempt, as only 62 MPs presented themselves on Wednesday morning, which was not enough for the House to be quorate. House Chair Richard Rasi (Voice-SD) therefore adjourned the beginning of the session to 9.30 a.m. Sasko's ouster in Parliament was initiated by the opposition in response to the tender for a licence to operate ambulance service stations. Opposition MPs spoke about its non-transparency, claiming that it had its winners agreed upon in advance. BRATISLAVA - The ambulance service tender was scrapped in a lawful manner, Health Minister Kamil Sasko (Voice-SD) stated at a press conference on Wednesday, assuring that the expiring licences for the operation of emergency medical service stations can be extended. At the coalition council meeting on Thursday (14 August) he wants to propose that state and public organisations should have the right of first refusal to fill emergency medical service (EMS) ambulances. "The ambulance service tender was cancelled and it was cancelled in a lawful manner. Whoever disputes this basic fact is lying, this fact is immutable and this fact is irreversible," stressed Sasko. He acknowledged that there was legal uncertainty in the tender procedure. There was also, he said, an ambiguity in the procedure during the application period, which could have jeopardised the transparency of the whole process. BRATISLAVA - Health Minister Kamil Sasko (Voice-SD) admitted to suspicions in the ambulance service tender with his appearance on Wednesday, the opposition Progressive Slovakia (PS), 'Slovakia' and 'For the People' parties stated on Wednesday, accusing him of not explaining or refuting them and also of not wanting to publish the results of the scrapped tender. The parties said this in response to the minister's press conference on the cancelled tender, insisting that he resign from his post. "Minister Sasko proves with every single one of his speeches that he's covering up a huge mega-fraud worth €2 billion, which is unprecedented in the Slovak health-care sector in recent years, with every single one of his appearances he's proving that he no longer has anything to do at the post of health minister even for one single minute," said MP Julius Jakab ('Slovakia', 'For the People', KU caucus). According to him, the minister clearly admitted that the tender was a fraud and a "shady deal". PS MP Oskar Dvorak pointed out that the minister had neither explained nor refuted the links between the Voice-SD party and a company called Emergency Medical Solutions, which, according to the unofficial results of the tender, is allegedly one of the winning companies. "He's unable to assume responsibility, publish the results and refute the allegations, therefore he has nothing more to do in his position. This is an absolute failure in office. Today's response also proves that the minister can't be trusted to communicate openly and run a new transparent tender," said the MP. BRATISLAVA - House Chair Richard Rasi (Voice-SD) said on Wednesday that it is the House foreign affairs committee that should address suspicions of British interference in Slovakia's 2023 parliamentary elections and that he expects the committee to take up the matter at its next session. Rasi made the statement to TASR in response to Prime Minister Robert Fico's (Smer-SD) call for Parliament to deal with the issue of alleged election interference. "Given the foreign policy implications of this sensitive topic, I believe that the most appropriate and logical place to discuss it within Parliament is the foreign affairs committee. I therefore expect this committee to thoroughly address the issue at its next meeting," Rasi told TASR. BELGRADE - The Slovak minority in the Serbian Autonomous Province of Vojvodina is afraid of further violence and Premier Robert Fico (Smer-SD) should immediately address the situation via diplomatic channels, said chairman of the opposition Progressive Slovakia (PS) party Michal Simecka following the meeting with compatriots in the town of Backi Petrovac on Wednesday, TASR has learnt from a statement released by the PS media department. "Slovak men and women here are facing attacks by hooligans close to the [Serbian] government, they're fearing for the safety of their families. No one who cares about the safety of our compatriots can stand by and watch," said the PS leader, criticising Fico and Foreign Minister Juraj Blanar (Smer-SD), who, according to him, haven't taken the necessary steps. At the same time, he stressed that the involvement of Slovak diplomacy is necessary. "Compatriots confirm fears that the police and local authorities are quietly tolerating these attacks on them. This is not a dispute between ordinary Serbs and Slovaks, relations between people are good, the problem is the systematic oppression of free-thinking people by the government authorities. There is a dangerous ethnic dimension added since they are ethnic Slovaks, and they lack any support and protection. In this situation, Foreign Minister Blanar must immediately summon the Serbian ambassador," stressed Simecka. BRATISLAVA - Foreign Affairs Minister Juraj Blanar (Smer-SD) has said that Slovakia has long and consistently supported international efforts to ease the suffering of civilians in the Gaza Strip and to secure the release of all hostages, TASR was informed by the ministry's communications department on Wednesday. Blanar said this in reaction to a joint statement signed by 26 EU-member states and the European Commission on Tuesday urging an end to famine in the Palestinian enclave. "We joined this initiative because we consider it to be essential for international humanitarian organisations to be able to provide assistance to the civilian population without any restrictions. Aid to people in need must not be the subject of political disputes," said Blanar. ko