MORNING NEWS HIGHLIGHTS - Sunday, 14 December 2025 - 9 a.m.

TASR brings a quick morning overview of the most important events seen in Slovakia on the previous day (Saturday, 13 December): BRATISLAVA - Renowned Slovak director and pedagogue Peter Mikulik died on Saturday morning at the age of 84, TASR learnt the news from Slovak National Theatre (SND) spokesperson Izabela Pazitkova. Peter Mikulik was born on 10 June 1941 in Trencin. His wife is actress Zuzana Kocurikova and he was the brother of late actor Pavol Mikulik. Peter Mikulik was one of the most renowned Slovak theatre and television directors. His distinctive style marked dozens of plays and productions, which he directed at the Slovak National Theatre, as well as public broadcaster STVR. He was the long-time director of choice for actors and humourists Julius Satinsky and Milan Lasica. Mikulik also worked as a pedagogue at the Theatre Faculty of the Academy of Performing Arts (VSMU) in Bratislava, and as its dean between 2011 and 2014. BRATISLAVA - The Supreme Court's ruling in the case involving former head of the Special Prosecutor's Office Dusan K. [name abbreviated due to legal reasons] is crucial and ground-breaking, and can be called an "atomic bomb", Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD) told a press conference on Saturday, describing Dusan K. as an innocent man. "The court issued a crucial decision. A decision that proved us right. Whether you like it or not, a decision that returns the case to ground zero has been made," said Fico, considering it good news for the rule of law. Fico also stressed that he had never been afraid to stand up for Dusan K. He also thanked lawmakers for overriding President Peter Pellegrini's veto of the law transforming the Whistleblowers Protection Office (UOO) into a new office. "The veto was overridden and the law will enter into force," Fico noted, adding that he views the changes in the Penal Code positively. Smer-SD sees the Supreme Court's ruling as confirmation that, between 2020 and 2023, there was an attempt to dismantle the rule of law, as well as the judicial and police systems, and that the actions of law enforcement bodies were unlawful. The party expects self-reflection from police officers, judges and prosecutors. According to Smer-SD, the ruling also proves that they were "right about everything and the truth is coming to light". They added it also shows that constitutional rights have been totally trampled upon. BRATISLAVA - The Interior Ministry will neither pursue revenge nor act on political orders, Interior Minister Matus Sutaj Estok (Voice-SD) responded on social media to Prime Minister and Smer-SD leader Robert Fico's statements on Saturday regarding the need for faster investigation of crimes from 2020-23. Sutaj Estok understands that the public is impatient and Fico feels that pressure; however, justice isn't delivered by shouting or via messages through the media. "My task is to ensure that the police and investigators work in a professional and lawful manner, without any interference. And that's exactly what we're doing. Unlike in the years 2020 to 2023, when the Interior Ministry became a tool of political struggle," stated Sutaj Estok. If there are any sensitive criminal cases that are stalled, it's not the Interior Ministry's responsibility, stated Sutaj Estok, adding that "even the prime minister definitely knows that criminal proceedings are subject to certain rules and phases, with the powers clearly divided among the individual law enforcement bodies". BRATISLAVA - The Supreme Court didn't say that former Special Prosecutor Dusan K. [name abbreviated due to legal reasons] didn't commit the acts; the court only decided that the trial must start again, opposition 'Slovakia' party leader Igor Matovic said in response to statements made by Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD) and Smer-SD representatives on Saturday. According to Matovic, they lied about Dusan K. being sinless. He added that Fico's exoneration of Dusan K. is 'perverse' in that after two years in power, they have legislatively tied the hands of courts, prosecutors and investigators in cases that directly concern them. In this context, the 'Slovakia' party also refutes claims that the governing coalition is changing laws democratically. According to Matovic, the coalition is only protecting itself in order to enjoy impunity for the past and current cases. He pointed to the recent "riders" [amendments modifying or supplementing a law unrelated to the bill being debated] that were pushed through in connection with the Penal Code, calling such conduct a "legislative crime". As a result of these riders, the courts will not be able to decide fairly, said Matovic. The testimonies of whistleblowers and cooperating witnesses, which the Supreme Court did not dispute, can no longer be used, and the courts must "throw the key witnesses and their testimonies into the trash". Fico told a press conference on Saturday that the Supreme Court's ruling is crucial and ground-breaking, and can be called an "atomic bomb", describing Dusan K. as an innocent man. jrg