SUMMARY - Wednesday, 15 October 2025 - 9.15 p.m.

Brussels, 15 October (TASR) - The permanent representatives of the EU member states failed to agree on a 19th package of sanctions against Russia on Wednesday, with Slovakia and Austria being the countries blocking the deal on a new round of EU sanctions against Moscow, TASR has learnt from Euronews website. https://etasr.sk/article/22559769 Bratislava, 15 October (TASR) – Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD) continues to support Peter Kotlar, the government’s proxy tasked with reviewing the management of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a post Fico published on social media on Wednesday. https://etasr.sk/article/22559480 Bratislava, 15 October (TASR) – Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD) is increasingly convinced that the continuous discussion about Ukraine in the European Union serves to mask the bloc’s inability to address its most pressing challenges and problems, TASR was told by Government Office's press department on Wednesday. https://etasr.sk/article/22559475 Tale, 15 October (TASR) - More than 300 companies will meet with economic diplomats at the fifth year of the Export Forum, which is taking place on Wednesday in the village of Tale under the Low Tatra mountains. https://etasr.sk/article/22559685 Bratislava, 15 October (TASR) – House chair Richard Rasi met with Indian Ambassador to Slovakia H.E. Apoorva Srivastava. on Wednesday to discuss the strategic importance of Slovak-Indian relations as well as the shared interest in expanding cooperation in political, economic and cultural fields, TASR learnt from the Parliament's Office press department on the same day. https://etasr.sk/article/22559660 Bratislava, 15 October (TASR) – Representatives of more than 100 cities and municipalities from regional associations across Slovakia agreed at a joint session of the Council of the Association of Slovak Towns and Villages (ZMOS) that pressure on local governments is growing due to government consolidation measures and the proposed public administration budget for 2026, ZMOS chair Jozef Bozik reported on Wednesday. https://etasr.sk/article/22559616 Bratislava, 15 October (TASR) – The Slovak University of Technology (STU) in Bratislava will assess and determine the amount of damage allegedly caused by the former leadership of the Government Office with respect to the lease of commercial premises in central Bratislava, TASR learned from the Government's Office press release on Wednesday. https://etasr.sk/article/22559774 Bratislava, 15 October (TASR) - The Health Ministry wants to modernise eight hospitals through the recovery plan, according to a proposal of the Health Ministry, which the government approved at its meeting on Wednesday. https://etasr.sk/article/22559618 Bratislava, 15 October (TASR) - The opposition Christian Democrats (KDH) consider the draft budget for the health-care sector for next year to be a missed opportunity, MPs Peter Stachura and Frantisek Majersky (both KDH) stated on Wednesday, pointing to the misdirection of money in the system. https://etasr.sk/article/22559609 Bratislava, 15 October (TASR) - It is paradoxical that the government supposedly wants to fight tax evasion, as it itself is contributing to it, stated member of the parliamentary finance and budget committee Stefan Kiss (Progressive Slovakia/PS) on Thursday. https://etasr.sk/article/22559516 Bratislava, 15 October (TASR) - The governing coalition's talk about extending the current term of the government and Parliament is an ill-concealed attempt to cling to power for longer, stated opposition's Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) and Christian Democratic Movement (KDH) parties on Wednesday. https://etasr.sk/article/22559515 Bratislava, 15 October (TASR) - Slovak industry, especially the automotive one, is facing another threat after China last week announced its plan to restrict exports of rare earths, and as Slovakia is an automotive power in terms of population, chairman of the opposition Christian Democrats (KDH) Milan Majersky expects Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD) to do his bit to protect the country's interests, the party stated on Wednesday. https://etasr.sk/article/22559428 Bratislava, 15 October (TASR) – A draft amendment to the Gambling Act, approved by the government on Wednesday, represents a dangerous shift in the state’s approach to gambling, opposition's Christian Democratic Movement (KDH) vice-chair Marian Caucik warned on Wednesday. https://etasr.sk/article/22559494 Bratislava, 15 October (TASR) - Members of the Slovak and Ukrainian governments are scheduled to hold joint talks on the premises of the old city hall in Kosice on Friday (17 October), TASR was told by the Government Office's press and information department on Wednesday. https://etasr.sk/article/22559460 Kosice, 15 October (TASR) - One patient remains in a serious condition at the Louis Pasteur University Hospital (UNLP) in Kosice after the collision between express trains near the village of Jablonov nad Turnou in Roznava district (Kosice region) on Monday (13 October), TASR was told by UNLP spokeswoman Ladislava Sustova on Wednesday. https://etasr.sk/article/22559341 Notice: If you click on the link or copy it into the search window, the browser will display the full text of the message in the new e-TASR client zone. 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