SUMMARY - Thursday, 22 January 2026 - 5 p.m.

Zilina, 22 January (TASR) - The biggest investment project in the history of Slovakia's rail transport, the modernisation of the Zilina railway hub, was put in operation on Thursday afternoon, with the ceremonial ribbon being cut on one of the platforms of Zilina railway station by Transport Minister Jozef Raz (a Smer-SD nominee) and railway infrastructure operator ZSR's general director Miroslav Garaj. https://etasr.sk/article/22867805 Voderady/Bratislava, 22 January (TASR) - Agriculture and Rural Development Minister Richard Takac (Smer-SD) and Czech Agriculture Minister Martin Sebestyan believe in closer cooperation among agriculture ministers within the Visegrad Group (V4: the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia) format. https://etasr.sk/article/22867915 Trnava/Bratislava, 22 January (TASR) - Poprad District Court issued another ruling last December in the case of a personality protection lawsuit filed by infectologist Peter Sabaka against MEP Milan M. of the Republic party (name abbreviated due to legal reasons), TASR was told by Ivana Petrufova, spokesperson for Presov Regional Court and the district courts within its jurisdiction. https://etasr.sk/article/22868075 Bratislava, 22 January (TASR) - Representatives of the Slovak Rail Carriers Association (AROS) held a meeting with the Transport Ministry on Thursday, requesting that state aid should be made available for deploying the European Train Control System (ETCS) on their fleets, TASR reported on the same day. https://etasr.sk/article/22867906 Bratislava, 22 January (TASR) - The public administration budget deficit will reach 4.4 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) this year, which is €6.2 billion, the Budget Responsibility Council (RRZ) stated on its website on Thursday. https://etasr.sk/article/22867898 Bratislava, 22 January (TASR) - Finance Minister Ladislav Kamenicky (Smer-SD) hasn't been saved from an absolute budget disaster by the government's systemic measures, but by delayed deliveries of military equipment, opposition MP and member of the House finance committee Stefan Kiss (Progressive Slovakia/PS) has stated in response to an updated assessment of the public administration budget for 2026-2028 that was published by the Budget Responsibility Council (RRZ) on Thursday. https://etasr.sk/article/22868085 Bratislava, 22 January (TASR) – Representatives of Slovakia's Export-Import Bank (Eximbanka) held high-level talks with Italy's export credit agency SACE as part of a business mission led by House Chair Richard Rasi (Voice-SD) during his working trip to Italy earlier this week, TASR has learnt from information provided by Eximbanka on Thursday. https://etasr.sk/article/22867786 Bratislava, 22 January (TASR) – The European Public Prosecutor's Office has launched criminal proceedings regarding the procurement of IT solutions for the public administration online platform slovensko.sk, with the case concerning the suspected crimes of manipulating a public procurement and attempted damage to the financial interests of the European Union, the Let's Stop Corruption Foundation reported on its social media on Thursday. https://etasr.sk/article/22867730 Bratislava, 22 January (TASR) - Martin Winkler has become the chairman of a new municipal political party called 'Dunaj' (Danube), which will take part in the local elections in Bratislava. https://etasr.sk/article/22867688 Bratislava, 22 January (TASR) - The Government Council for Ethnic Minorities has called on the Slovak government and Parliament to reconsider the Criminal Code amendment that introduces criminal liability for denying or questioning post-war documents on the arrangement of conditions after the Second World War, TASR has learnt from the Council's vice-chair and Government Proxy for Ethnic Minorities Akos Horony, who added that the Council has also asked Parliament not to adopt an MPs' bill aimed at lowering the sentencing ranges for certain extremist crimes. https://etasr.sk/article/22867657 Bratislava, 22 January (TASR) - Police are carrying out an extensive anti-drug operation codenamed 'Florist' in the town of Pezinok (Bratislava region), Police Corps Presidium (PPZ) spokesman Roman Hajek informed TASR on Thursday, adding that the operation has been underway since Wednesday (21 January) evening. https://etasr.sk/article/22867470 Bratislava, 22 January (TASR) - The opposition Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) party has again called on President Peter Pellegrini to initiate disciplinary proceedings against Slovak Intelligence Service (SIS) head Pavol Gaspar, SaS chair Branislav Groehling and party MP Maria Kolikova told a press conference on Thursday, adding that Gaspar should be held politically accountable. https://etasr.sk/article/22867450 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. am