MORNING NEWS HIGHLIGHTS - Friday, 9 January 2026 - 9 a.m.

TASR brings a quick morning overview of the most important events seen in Slovakia on the previous day (Thursday, 8 January): BRATISLAVA - Slovakia and the Czech Republic will return to holding joint government negotiations, Premier Robert Fico (Smer-SD) announced at a press conference on Thursday following a meeting with his Czech counterpart Andrej Babis, adding that the the next meeting between the cabinets will take place in the Czech Republic on 31 March. "At today's meeting, the prime minister and I agreed to continue with joint government negotiations. The agreement also stipulates that the next meeting will take place in the Czech Republic," stated Fico, noting that he plans to convene a meeting in Slovakia with the Czech premier and Austrian Chancellor Christian Stocker as soon as possible as part of the Austerlitz Format (S3: Austria, the Czech Republic, Slovakia), which Slovakia is currently chairing. He also mentioned the upcoming informal summit on 12 February, describing it as a very important meeting. One of the items on the agenda concerns competitiveness. BUDAPEST/BRATISLAVA – Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban's chief adviser on Hungarians abroad, Katalin Szili, has sent an open letter to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen urging Brussels to intervene over a recent legislative change in Slovakia related to the Benes Decrees, TASR's special correspondent in Budapest reported on Thursday. The letter, also published on social media, has been highlighted by the hungarytoday.hu website. In response, the Slovak Government Office said via social media on Thursday that it respects the steps taken by the Hungarian prime minister's chief adviser in addressing the European Commission. According to the website, Budapest objects to an amendment to Slovakia's Criminal Code under which public criticism of the so-called Benes Decrees – regulations that formed the basis for the confiscation of property and the expulsion of ethnic minorities after the Second World War – has become a criminal offence. Violations are punishable by up to six months in prison, hungarytoday.hu noted. BRATISLAVA - Foreign Affairs Minister Juraj Blanar (Smer-SD) on Thursday conveyed Slovakia's support for Denmark regarding the current situation involving Greenland during a phone call with his Danish counterpart Lars Lokke Rasmussen, according to information provided to TASR by the Ministry's communications department. "The Slovak Republic firmly insists on the need to adhere to international law and obligations arising from the United Nations Charter, including respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, in all cases and without applying double standards. We reject any violation of these principles," stated Blanar. Rasmussen informed Blanar about the most recent developments and the planned meeting with United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Blanar also praised the joint statement by Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain and the United Kingdom concerning Greenland, in which they expressed their support while also stressing the key importance of security in the Arctic. BRATISLAVA - Alexander Sako has become Slovakia's new consul-general in Istanbul, Turkey, the Foreign Affairs Ministry's communications department has informed TASR, adding that he's entering the diplomatic service with many years of experience in strategic management, economics and public administration. According to Foreign Affairs Minister Juraj Blanar (Smer-SD), bilateral relations between Slovakia and Turkey are very good and have the potential to develop further. He pointed out that Turkey is among the 17 largest economies in the world and is one of Slovakia's ten most important trading partners among states that don't belong to the European Union or the European Free Trade Association. "Bilateral trade between Slovakia and Turkey has been growing dynamically, increased by one third in 2024 to exceeded €2 billion," he said. The Foreign Affairs Ministry stressed that, in addition to providing consular assistance to Slovak citizens, the consulate-general in Istanbul will focus on supporting Slovak economic interests in Turkey. A new stage of cooperation was confirmed by the conclusion of a strategic partnership during Premier Robert Fico's (Smer-SD) visit to Ankara at the beginning of 2025, said the ministry. BRATISLAVA - Multinational investment bank Rothschild & Co has won a tender to serve as a financial advisor for the construction of a new nuclear power plant (NPP) to be located in Jaslovske Bohunice in Trnava region, the state-owned Nuclear and Decommissioning Company (JAVYS) said on Thursday, adding that the company will provide the state with expert support, especially in terms of preparing and defending the financial structure of the project. JAVYS announced the tender for a financial advisor on 3 June of last year. Three companies joined the tender, which was also published in the Official Journal of the European Union and in the public procurement bulletin. Only bidders with proven relevant experience were selected for evaluating bids. The estimated value of the contract was set at €15 million excluding value-added tax (VAT), with the tender generating a price of €13.9 million, ex-VAT. BRATISLAVA - The dismissal of 5 percent of its employees announced by public broadcaster STVR in the autumn of last year following an in-depth audit will take place in February, TASR learnt from STVR's press release on Thursday. STVR general director Martina Flasikova stressed that the personnel measures are part of essential steps towards financial stabilisation, as well as modernising and developing STVR. "These aren't easy decisions, but they are necessary if we want to manage public funds responsibly, modernise the way in which the institution functions and create sustainable conditions for high-quality public service production," she said. ko