MORNING NEWS HIGHLIGHTS - Wednesday, 1 October 2025 - 9 a.m.

TASR brings a quick morning overview of the most important events seen in Slovakia on the previous day (Tuesday, 30 September): BRATISLAVA – President Peter Pellegrini signed the amendment to the Slovak Constitution on Tuesday. He described its adoption by a constitutional majority as an important signal at a time of "huge division in society," noting that a consensus on this particular issue exists across the political spectrum and needs to be respected, the Presidential Office's communications department told TASR on the same day. As recalled by the Presidential Office, the amendment enshrines the existence of two genders – male and female. It also expands the constitutional regulation of social rights, specifically the status of the family and the enshrinement of parental rights, and will now include a ban on surrogacy. "The Constitution will also now guarantee equal pay for equal work between men and women," noted the Presidential Office. According to the Presidential Office, the amendment highlights Slovakia's sovereignty in fundamental cultural-ethical matters, including the "protection of life and human dignity, private and family life, marriage, parenthood and family, culture and language, as well as related areas such as health care, upbringing and education". The government's amendment to the Constitution was approved by the Parliament with 90 votes on Friday (26 September) and is set to take effect on 1 November. BRATISLAVA – From next year, self-employed individuals and other sole traders will no longer be required to pay the financial transaction tax, as Parliament definitively approved the amendment to the Financial Transaction Tax Act on Tuesday. The proposal was submitted by a group of MPs from the coalition's Slovak National Party (SNS). All 128 lawmakers present voted in favour of the amendment. The submitters initially suggested exempting sole traders and small companies with turnover up to €100,000 from the transaction tax, with changes set to apply from October this year. The Finance Ministry opposed the proposal, but after several rounds of negotiations, a compromise was reached on the revised amendment, tabled by MP Adam Lucansky (SNS), which lawmakers approved in the final vote. Under the new rules, only companies and other legal entities will pay the transaction tax. Individual entrepreneurs currently liable for the tax will be exempt. The change is set to take effect as of 1 January 2026. BRATISLAVA – MP Marek Krajci will request the termination of his membership in the 'Slovakia'-For the People-Christian Union parliamentary caucus on Tuesday to become an independent MP, Krajci told a press conference on the same day, adding that he is also leaving the 'Slovakia' party. Krajci made the decision after he and MP Rastislav Kratky ('Slovakia'-For the People-Christian Union) supported the government's amendment to the Slovak Constitution last week. "I want to take responsibility for what I did. Today I will ask to end my membership in the caucus and in the 'Slovakia' party. I do so with a heavy heart," stated Krajci. He admitted that his last-minute decision to support the amendment created significant tension, and apologised to those who were shocked. Krajci stressed that he fully supports the values enshrined in the amendment, recalling that he had always been saying he would vote in favour of such a proposal if it came from the opposition Christian Democrats (KDH). He was willing to wait for KDH's proposal, but following the statements made by Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD) on Thursday (25 September), he realized that this was probably the last chance to amend the Constitution in this wording. Krajci explained that he had informed 'Slovakia' leader Igor Matovic of his decision by sending him an SMS shortly before the vote. He insisted that MPs in the caucus vote freely, but he reiterated his share of guilt in that the decision came very late. "I voted freely, according to my own conscience. Nobody influenced me, and I want to dismiss all the rumours that are now spreading," he said. Although leaving the caucus, Krajci intends to continue voting in unity with the 'Slovakia'-For the People-Christian Union caucus. "That's the politics I believe in," he said, hoping he would be able to return when the "wounds are healed". He would like to regain the trust of the people he disappointed. BRATISLAVA – MP Rastislav Kratky was expelled on Tuesday from the 'Slovakia'-For the People-Christian Union parliamentary caucus, according to 'Slovakia' leader Igor Matovic, who said he also proposed initiating the proceedings for Kratky's ouster from the 'Slovakia' party. According to Matovic, Kratky made no attempt at apology or self-reflection following last week's vote on the constitutional amendment. On the other hand, he indicated that MP Marek Krajci, who requested termination of membership in the caucus, will be given another chance. Matovic does not want the caucus to accept Krajci's offer to leave, as he admitted guilt and took responsibility for his actions. Commenting on Kratky, Matovic said that "I did not see any attempt at an apology, or any attempt at self-reflection, nor any remorse for deceiving the millions of people he promised in this very place that he would vote one way, and then did exactly the opposite." "I haven't registered any sense of guilt that when he changed his mind, he should have announced it to the people, and no one would have blamed anyone for it," said Matovic, adding that it would be a shame for this person to stay in the caucus or in the 'Slovakia' party. Richard Vasecka, a member of the caucus for the Christian Union (KU) party, did not support Kratky's ouster. "We do not consider Kratky's ouster and the calls on Krajci to leave the caucus to be appropriate. The constitutional amendment was also supported by KU members Anna Zaborska (in the first and second reading) and Vasecka," reads a statement received by TASR from the Christian Union, stating that the manner of communication regarding the vote shouldn't prevail over the conscience of MPs and their consent to the wording of the constitutional amendment. According to Matovic, Krajci had a completely different approach. "It was humility, abashment, acknowledgment of guilt, and effort to take responsibility," Matovic said, reiterating that he did not ask either MP to give up their mandate, although he would have done so, if he were them. He suggested that Krajci's offer to leave the 'Slovakia'-For the People-Christian Union caucus should not be accepted. "We consider his words to be sincere and truthful, and as he said, he wants to make amends through his actions and earn back the trust of people," said Matovic, adding that they want to give Krajci a chance without him becoming an independent MP. BANSKA BYSTRICA – A massive fire erupted on Tuesday morning in a flat on the top floor of an apartment building on Trieda SNP street in the centre of Banska Bystrica. Twenty-five people were evacuated from the residential block, while two were taken into medical care due to inhaling smoke. Matus Kondela from the Banska Bystrica Firefighter and Emergency Corps Regional Directorate told TASR that the fire has not yet been fully extinguished. Twenty-one firefighters with six units of equipment have been combatting the flames at the scene, with an evacuation bus also despatched. An investigator has already arrived at the location. Kondela added that further information will be provided later. am