MORNING NEWS HIGHLIGHTS - Sunday, 30 November 2025 - 9 a.m.

TASR brings a quick morning overview of the most important events seen in Slovakia on the previous day (Saturday, 29 November): BRATISLAVA - Eva Ponomarenkova, who has already represented Slovakia as ambassador to Australia and Slovenia, is the country's new ambassador to Montenegro, the Foreign Ministry's communications department has told TASR, adding that before leaving for Montenegro, she headed the Southeast European Countries and Turkey department at the ministry. Foreign Affairs Minister Juraj Blanar (Smer-SD) stated that it is in Slovakia's interests for Montenegro to remain an internally stable and reforming country that applies the values, principles, and standards of the European Union. "The Slovak Republic fully supports the accession of Montenegro to the EU, as well as other Western Balkan countries. We're actively initiating the acceleration of this process, which is extremely important for the security and stability of the entire region," added Slovakia's chief diplomat. The main priorities of the Slovak embassy in Podgorica also include developing economic diplomacy and mutual trade, which reached €43 million last year. "We place emphasis on promoting Slovakia's economic interests primarily through intensifying economic and investment cooperation and seeking new opportunities for implementing promising business plans," said the ambassador, adding that Slovakia is also interested in restoring seasonal air connections between Bratislava and Podgorica. Development cooperation, which Slovakia has been providing to Montenegro for a long time, is also a specific tool for strengthening bilateral relations. The goal remains to involve the business sector and support sustainable development projects via various tools such as micro-grants, financial contributions and twinning projects. BRATISLAVA - As many as 90.1 percent of people absolutely or tend to agree with adopting a code of ethics that would set the rules of behaviour for MPs, while 5.3 percent absolutely or tend to disagree, according to the results of a public opinion poll conducted for TASR by AKO agency on a sample of 1,000 respondents between 11 and 18 November. Answering the question "Do you agree or disagree with Parliament adopting a code of ethics that would set the rules of behaviour for MPs?", 68.1 percent of the respondents said that they absolutely agree, while 22 percent of those surveyed expressed partial consent. Meanwhile, 2.1 percent of the respondents disagreed absolutely and 3.2 percent partially. Finally, 4.6 percent were don't knows or didn't want to answer the question. More than 80 percent of voters from each of the parliamentary and extra-parliamentary political parties that were included in the survey expressed full or partial agreement with adopting a code of ethics. BRATISLAVA/THE HAGUE – Slovakia's election to the Executive Council of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) confirms the trust that the international community places in the Slovak Republic as a country supporting dialogue, international law and the effort to achieve a world free of chemical weapons, Foreign and European Affairs Minister Juraj Blanar declared on Saturday. TASR learnt the news from the ministry's press department. In Tuesday's (25 November) secret ballot, Slovakia secured one of the three seats on the OPCW Executive Council allocated to the Eastern European region for the May 2026-2028 period. Blanar described the election as a success for Slovak diplomacy and recognition of the country's active participation in multilateral organisations, where Slovakia has long promoted the values of cooperation and security. The ministry stated that Slovakia will actively contribute to the implementation and observance of the Chemical Weapons Convention, regarded as one of the most successful instruments of global disarmament and the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. "I am convinced that our membership in the Executive Council will further highlight Slovakia's expertise in this area and open new opportunities to bolster our work in support of international security," the foreign minister said. "At a time when we are witnessing the erosion of international law and the weakening of global rules, it is essential for the Slovak Republic to remain active in international organisations. This is why Slovakia continues to increase its visibility and presence in multilateral structures," Blanar added. BRATISLAVA – The coalition's Slovak National Party (SNS) will prepare a legislative proposal for the January session of Parliament, aimed at banning the sale and distribution of products made from animal cells or tissues cultured in artificial conditions, so-called synthetic meat, party's spokesperson Zuzana Skopcova told TASR on Saturday. "The Slovak National Party will propose, similar to what the Hungarian Parliament recently approved, that the Slovak Republic become the second EU member state to completely ban synthetic meat. We consider it unacceptable for such products to reach retail chains in the future and be sold to Slovak consumers," Skopcova said. According to SNS, synthetic meat represents a health risk for Slovaks. She also pointed out that the European Union has not yet adopted any legislation in this area. SNS says it wants to prevent these products from appearing on the Slovak market, either on their own or as part of other foods. "The ban will naturally not apply to vegan and plant-based products," the spokesperson added. SNS will also propose strict penalties for anyone who imports, distributes or otherwise processes synthetic meat in Slovakia. mf