MORNING NEWS HIGHLIGHTS - Saturday, 29 November 2025 - 9 a.m.

TASR brings a quick morning overview of the most important events seen in Slovakia on the previous day (Friday, 28 November): BRATISLAVA - At its special session on Friday, the government approved a bill on allowances for assistance in dependency sponsored by the Labour, Social Affairs and the Family Ministry. The bill adjusts the allowance itself, creates a new role of long-term carer, and amends some other laws. At the same time, the government asked Parliament to deal with the law via a short-track legislative procedure. In line with the new law, an allowance for assistance in dependency would be paid directly to the person in need of care. They would be able to decide whether to use it for family care at home provided by relatives or for formal home care services provided by professionals. The amount of the contribution should depend on the degree of dependency. The new role of long-term carer should also be created, with this person able to perform a wider range of tasks related to nursing care. A change should also concern the financing of care homes run by non-public providers, which will be co-financed by local governments. BRATISLAVA - The steering committee for reimbursement mechanisms and price regulation for institutional health care has approved basic group rates for each group of hospitals for 2026, the Health Ministry told TASR on Friday, adding that fair financing of hospitals is being established. According to the ministry, the approved proposal will encourage institutional health-care providers to increase the share of health care financed through payments for services rendered and, conversely, to reduce the share of lump-sum payments in total health-care payments. "Today's vote by the DRG committee brings us significantly closer to fulfilling the Memorandum on Establishing Fairness in the Financing of Institutional Health Care," said Health Minister Kamil Sasko (Voice-SD). Under the decree, starting as of 2026, hospitals will be financed through the mandatory SK-DRG reimbursement mechanism at a rate of 30 percent of hospital production volume. The basic rates for individual hospital groups are proposed and approved by the steering committee for reimbursement mechanisms and price regulation for institutional health care. The ministry claims that, based on the steering committee's recommendation, it's set group base rates with the aim of supporting the institutional health-care sector, primarily through increased production and the reduction of waiting times to the maximum extent possible. The current proposal was voted for by the Health-care Supervisory Authority, all three health-insurance companies, all representatives of health-care providers, the Slovak Medical Chamber, and patient representatives. One member (the Finance Ministry) abstained, and the Doctors Trade Union Association voted against it. BRATISLAVA - Around 20 percent of farmers in Slovakia are under the age of 40, which is well above the European Union (EU) average, European Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Christophe Hansen told a press conference on Friday following a meeting with representatives of the Agriculture Ministry, adding that supporting young farmers and inter-generational exchanges on farms is very important for maintaining food production. "The EU average is less than 12 percent, so Slovakia is already in a better position than other countries in this regard," said Hansen, noting that 6 percent of funds should be allocated to support young farmers in the next Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) after 2027. However, according to Hansen, young farmers also need other forms of assistance. One of these is easier access to investment financing. "I say that we should increase support for young farmers from the CAP. Yes, financial support is important, but at the same time we need to look at how to facilitate access to finance for young people," he stressed, adding that he's in talks with the European Investment Bank about the possibility of guarantees for young farmers, which would enable them to obtain favourable terms when taking out loans. BRATISLAVA - Slovakia is submitting its seventh application for a payment from the recovery plan worth over €760 million on Friday, Education Minister Tomas Drucker (Voice-SD), who is in charge of the Office of the Vice-premier for the Recovery Plan and a Knowledge-based Economy, announced following the government session on the same day. If the application is assessed positively by the European Commission (EC), Slovakia could receive the money in March of next year. "This payment includes several investments that will improve the lives of people in Slovakia. It really covers all spheres of life and life situations," stated Drucker. He mentioned, for example, the removal of barriers at secondary schools, the expansion of home nursing care capacities, support for primary care outpatient departments, the expansion and renewal of the mobile hospice network, and education in the health-care sector. In its application, Slovakia also announces a reform in the area of ​​state administration buildings, the approval of an action plan for hydrogen, and the involvement of hospitals in the central management system. As part of the application, Slovakia must also submit evidence to the EC of fulfilling some of the areas that have not been completed yet. "There are some three areas in which we'll still have to supplement this evidence within the next 60 days, as not all of them have been processed. However, it's a standard procedure that happens not only here in Slovakia, but in all member states. Subsequently, the European Commission should assess all these things. After the whole procedure is completed, we expect that the money should arrive in the account sometime next March," announced Drucker. At the same time, he stressed that Slovakia should submit the eighth and ninth payment applications next year, and the recovery plan should be concluded with them. However, Drucker sees several risks associated with them. "We have many investment projects underway, and we'll have to document and account for all of them. There are certain risks here, and I want us to start discussing them," he stated. BRATISLAVA - Slovak Radio will be headed by Peter Janku as of the beginning of December, head of public-service broadcaster STVR's communications department Zuzana Vicelova informed TASR on Friday. STVR general director Martina Flasikova views Janku's appointment as a clear signal that the aim is to build public-service radio as a space for cultivated dialogue, value plurality and professional journalism. "We share a common vision of media that resists the pressures of dumbing down and political influences and remains faithful to the truth, verified facts and creative quality. Peter Janku will bring a strong moral anchor to the radio's management, experience from both the television and radio environments and the ability to lead a team with a sense of perspective and independence. I believe that under his leadership, Slovak Radio will attest to the fact that public service can be carried out in a professional, impartial and cultivated manner," said Flasikova. "I believe that Slovak radio under my leadership will be a beacon of legal awareness and legal certainty in the media sea, based on respect for constitutional traditions and values and democratic principles of the rule of law," said Janku. am