SUMMARY - Monday, 12 January 2026 - 5.30 p.m.

Bratislava, 12 January (TASR) - School headteachers have reacted very positively to the mobile phone ban introduced on 1 January 2025, saying that school communities are becoming more vibrant, with children talking to each other more during breaks, while teachers find it easier to work, Education Minister Tomas Drucker (Voice-SD) has stated in an interview for TASR. https://etasr.sk/article/22833393 Bratislava, 12 January (TASR) - Milan Majersky has said in an end-of-year interview for TASR that he wants to continue as chairman of the opposition Christian Democratic Movement (KDH) until the end of his term in office. https://etasr.sk/article/22833542 Bratislava, 12 January (TASR) - Of the total of €12.79 billion allocated to Slovakia in EU funds during the 2021-2027 programme period, Slovakia had already drawn €1.639 billion, or 12.81 percent, by 31 December 2025, the Finance Ministry reported on Monday, adding that this represented an increase of 0.5 percentage points (p.p.) on the previous month. https://etasr.sk/article/22833594 Bratislava, 12 January (TASR) - The opposition Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) party has submitted a package of measures to Parliament, dubbed the lex against mafia. with the aim of ensuring the impartial investigation of criminal offences, especially corruption, and minimising interference in the independence of the judiciary in these matters, TASR learnt on Monday. https://etasr.sk/article/22833597 Bratislava, 12 January (TASR) - The opposition Christian Democratic Movement (KDH) has called on the government to come up with specific measures to regulate social networks, describing them as a "primary tumour" of mental health, KDH chairman Milan Majersky, MPs Jan Horecky and Peter Stachura, and MEP Miriam Lexmann (all from KDH) told a news conference on Monday. https://etasr.sk/article/22833625 Bratislava, 12 January (TASR) - The number of alternative sentences handed down has risen significantly, in particular due to changes in the state's criminal policy, amendments to criminal codes, as well as communication with judges, Justice Minister Boris Susko (Smer-SD) has said in an interview for TASR, adding that the option of imposing alternative sentences wasn't widely used in the past due to various administrative obstacles faced by judges. https://etasr.sk/article/22833689 Bratislava, 12 January (TASR) - The coalition Slovak National Party (SNS) wants to push through an amendment to the Criminal Code and, as part of this, it proposes adjustments to penalty ranges for extremist criminal offences. https://etasr.sk/article/22833707 Kosice, 12 January (TASR) - An employee of U.S. Steel Kosice was found unconscious in the Expedition division facility on the plant premises early on Monday morning, TASR learnt on the same day. https://etasr.sk/article/22833777 Bratislava, 12 January (TASR) - The opposition Progressive Slovakia (PS) rejects a draft amendment to the Criminal Code submitted by a group of MPs from the junior coalition Slovak National Party (SNS), fearing that the state's ability to protect society from extremism and hate speech will be undermined, inter alia, as a result of lowered upper limits on sentences for extremist crimes. https://etasr.sk/article/22833821 Bratislava, 12 January (TASR) - The Malinec-Latky pumped storage power plant, which could be built in the Podpolanie area (Banska Bystrica region), suits the needs of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban's government, opposition Progressive Slovakia (PS) MP Tamara Stohlova and Michal Kica from the extra-parliamentary Democrats party told a press conference on Monday. https://etasr.sk/article/22833884 NOTICE: If you click on the link or copy it into the search window, the browser will display the full text of the message in the new e-TASR client zone. If you have any questions, please contact obchod@tasr.sk. jrg