MORNING NEWS HIGHLIGHTS - Friday, 19 December 2025 - 9 a.m.

TASR brings a quick morning overview of the most important events seen in Slovakia on the previous day (Thursday, 18 December): BRUSSELS/BRATISLAVA - The government plane of the Interior Ministry's aviation department, which brought Slovak Premier Robert Fico (Smer-SD) to Brussels on Wednesday (17 December), was grounded for safety reasons after an accident at Brussels airport, reads a press release published by the Interior Minister's Office on Thursday, adding that neither the crew, nor the passengers were in any danger during the accident. "As the mobile steps were being moved into place by the handling company at Brussels airport, they came into contact with the fuselage of the aircraft near ​​the left front door. The incident wasn't the result of any mistake or negligence on the part of the Interior Ministry's aviation department," clarified the office. The premier announced following the accident that the vehicle with the mobile steps damaged the aircraft to the point that it became unable to fly. Following consultations with the technical department of the Interior Ministry's aviation department, the aircraft was grounded as a precaution for the necessary period for safety reasons, and the authorities are awaiting the manufacturer's opinion and a technical assessment of the situation, reads the press release. BRUSSELS/BRATISLAVA - Slovak Agriculture Minister Richard Takac (Smer-SD) has expressed his support for the protest by European farmers and food producers that is taking place in Brussels on Thursday joined by representatives of the agricultural sector from several EU-member states, TASR has learnt from the Agriculture Ministry's communications department. Takac supports the farmers' peaceful and legitimate initiative and stressed that their demands are crucial for maintaining food production in the European Union. "Farmers aren't protesting against Europe in Brussels today, they are protesting for Europe not to lose its ability to produce its own safe food. Slovakia supports them in this effort," said Takac. According to the minister, the reasons for the protest are clear - concerns about the direction of the future Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and the EU Multi-annual Financial Framework for 2028-2034, which is currently being prepared, including the risk that the budget for agriculture will be weakened. At the same time, there is growing pressure to increase imports from third countries without comparable standards, which may put European producers at a disadvantage and weaken food security, said Takac. BRATISLAVA - Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong thanked Slovakia for the solidarity that it showed following last week's attack in Sydney during a telephone conversation with her Slovak counterpart Juraj Blanar (Smer-SD) on Thursday, the Slovak Foreign Ministry's communications department told TASR on Thursday. The ministry added that Wong also informed Slovakia's chief diplomat about further steps and active initiatives employed to investigate the tragedy and take measures to prevent similar events from happening again. "I once again expressed my solidarity and sincere condolences to my counterpart. This tragedy affected us all the more because one of the victims was a Slovak woman from the Jewish community with dual Slovak and Australian citizenship," said Blanar, praising the rapid response at the scene and the subsequent adoption of important security measures. "Slovakia condemns all manifestations of anti-Semitism. We are ready to provide Australia with assistance at any level in the fight against such unacceptable attacks based on religious hatred," emphasised the minister. Wong praised Slovakia's approach and highlighted the strengthening of Slovakia's diplomatic presence in Australia with the reopening of the Slovak Embassy in Canberra. BRATISLAVA - The Supreme Administrative Court (NSS) on Thursday found Specialised Criminal Court judge Pamela Zaleska partially guilty in disciplinary motions concerning delays in proceedings in several cases and imposed a penalty cutting her functional salary by 20 percent for four months. Zaleska was found guilty under a disciplinary motion filed by Judicial Council chair Marcela Kosova. Of some counts in the disciplinary motion filed by Specialised Criminal Court chair Michal Truban, the judge was acquitted, while in others she was found guilty. The decision is final. "I respect the decision, but I am satisfied that the disciplinary panel of the Supreme Administrative Court fully accepted our factual and legal arguments, so I consider this a success," said Kosova's authorised representative Adrian Kucek. Zaleska's legal counsel Matus Harkabus also said he respects the NSS decision. "Our argument was based on the fact that the client essentially admitted shortcomings in the three unwritten decisions (...). Personally, I of course respect the decision, but I am not very satisfied that she was also found guilty on the count brought by the chair of the Judicial Council, where we held a different view," Harkabus told reporters. BRUSSELS/BRATISLAVA - Slovakia has its priorities in negotiations on the European Union's Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), namely funding for Slovak farmers and reducing regional disparities, Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD) declared on Thursday during the ongoing EU summit, TASR's special Brussels correspondent reports. "In my remarks I underlined the need to make compromises, otherwise we will not move forward, because the old familiar problem has resurfaced between net contributors to the EU budget and net beneficiaries, among whom Slovakia also belongs," the prime minister described the climate of the European Council talks in a post on social media. Fico specified that Slovakia's priorities in talks on the future EU MFF are to secure sufficient funding for Slovak farmers and reduce regional disparities. BRATISLAVA - Premier Robert Fico (Smer-SD) is deliberately misleading people and spreading lies in connection with the main topic of the European Council meeting that is taking place in Brussels on Thursday and Friday (19 December), Progressive Slovakia (PS) presidium member Ivan Korcok told a press conference on Thursday. The party criticised the prime minister for claiming that further financing of the war in Ukraine is to be discussed. "This isn't about financing the war. It's about how to help our neighbour to continue to defend itself because otherwise it will mean a huge security intervention, but it will also be a direct cut into the wallets of our citizens," emphasised Korcok. According to him, Fico is lying when he claims to support Ukraine in its efforts to become an EU member. "Everyone knows that these are empty words because they are incompatible with the prime minister's statement that Ukraine should capitulate and that the war should end as soon as possible in line with [Russian] President [Vladimir] Putin's vision," he stated. Korcok believes that if Ukraine stopped fighting and surrendered, it would have enormous economic and financial consequences for Slovakia. He pointed out that Slovakia would have to increase its defence spending many times over, and its investment position and economic development would also deteriorate. He also opined that enormous costs would be needed to deal with the refugee crisis that would be triggered. He criticised the prime minister for concealing such information. jrg