SUMMARY - Tuesday, 21 October 2025 - 5 p.m.

Bratislava, 21 October (TASR) – Parliament on Tuesday approved the Act on the State Budget for 2026, and also acknowledged the public administration budget framework for the years 2026-2028, with the public finance deficit expected to reach 4.1 percent of GDP next year, amounting to just under €6 billion — a decrease from this year's projected 5 percent of GDP. https://etasr.sk/article/22577581 Bratislava, 21 October (TASR) – The coalition remains stable, Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD) stated on Tuesday following the approval of the 2026 state budget, noting that 79 MPs voted in favour of the proposal and that they included members of the governing coalition as well as Independent MPs aligned with Tourism and Sport Minister Rudolf Huliak (Independent). https://etasr.sk/article/22577817 Bratislava, 21 October (TASR) - Next year 2 percent of Slovakia's GDP, or more than €2.88 billion, should be spent on defence, according to the 2026 state budget draft approved by Parliament on Tuesday. https://etasr.sk/article/22577665 Bratislava/Krivan, 21 October (TASR) - The R2 expressway section between Krivan and Mytna (Banska Bystrica region) will open on 20 November, Transport Minister Jozef Raz (a Smer-SD nominee) told a press conference in Bratislava on Tuesday. https://etasr.sk/article/22577906 Bratislava, 21 October (TASR)- Some 575 bridges should be reconstructed in Slovakia via PPP (public-private partnership) projects, with the reconstruction work taking some five years, followed by 30 years of maintenance, according to a study whose results were presented by Transport Minister Jozef Raz (a Smer-SD nominee) at a press conference on Tuesday. https://etasr.sk/article/22577761 Banska Bystrica, 21 October (TASR) – The legal representative of Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD), David Lindtner, welcomed Tuesday's decision by the Specialised Criminal Court (STS) in the case of last year's shooting of the prime minister, TASR learned on the same day. https://etasr.sk/article/22577697 Bratislava, 21 October (TASR) – Aggression must never become a tool in a democracy, Interior Minister Matus Sutaj Estok (Voice-SD) stated on social media on Monday in response to the verdict handed down by the Specialised Criminal Court (STS) in the case of the terrorist attack on Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD). https://etasr.sk/article/22577444 Bratislava, 21 October (TASR) - Slovakia and Bosnia and Herzegovina are planning to expand their diplomatic representations, with Slovakia intending to open an honorary consulate in Banja Luka, while Bosnia and Herzegovina is preparing to set up an embassy in Bratislava, the countries' foreign ministers announced following their joint meeting in Bratislava on Tuesday, adding that the aim is to deepen bilateral relations, particularly in the economic field. https://etasr.sk/article/22577847 Bratislava, 21 October (TASR) - The assassination attempt on Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD) was a horrific act that must not be repeated and it is right that the guilty party has been given a severe punishment by the court, head of the opposition Progressive Slovakia (PS) party Michal Simecka said in response to Tuesday's sentencing of Juraj C. to 21 years of imprisonment, adding that violence has no place in politics. https://etasr.sk/article/22577955 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. If you have any questions, please contact obchod@tasr.sk. am