MORNING NEWS HIGHLIGHTS - Friday, 30 January 2026 - 9 a.m.

TASR brings a quick morning overview of the most important events seen in Slovakia on the previous day (Friday, 30 January): BRATISLAVA - President Peter Pellegrini received at the Presidential Palace in Bratislava on Friday Paul Richard Gallagher, Secretary for Relations with States and International Organisations of the Holy See, who is paying an official visit to Slovakia, the President's Office's communications department told TASR, adding that the reception was held on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the signing of the basic treaty between Slovakia and the Holy See. At the meeting, they assessed the development of cooperation to date and discussed its future direction. They jointly emphasised the importance of the Catholic Church in Slovak society, its work not only in the spiritual sphere, but also in the cultural, educational, and social areas in supporting vulnerable groups of the population. The head of state expressed his conviction that a possible visit by Pope Leo XIV to Slovakia would have great spiritual and symbolic significance for Slovaks and could be an encouragement in these difficult times. The talks also covered current international issues, conflicts around the world, including the war in Ukraine and the situation in the Middle East, the need for dialogue, respect for international law, and strengthening multilateral cooperation. "In view of the changing world order and the erosion of international rules, we emphasised the growing importance of an active and responsible role of the international community. Slovakia and the Holy See jointly support peaceful, just, and dialogue-based solutions to conflicts," stated Pellegrini. BRATISLAVA - Two trains were briefly heading towards each other on the Bratislava-Vinohrady section on Thursday evening (29 January), after the driver of express train R 10737 passed a 'Stop' signal, spokesperson for state-owned passenger carrier ZSSK Jan Bacek confirmed for TASR on Thursday, adding that the trains were at a safe distance from each other, approximately four kilometres. "No collision occurred. Operations were immediately halted, and the situation was resolved in line with valid safety procedures. No passengers or employees suffered any injuries," said Bacek. The train in question was a ZSSK express with conventional rolling stock. The engine is equipped with the ETCS system, but the ETCS system isn't in operation on the section concerned, and so it couldn't actively intervene in the train's movement, the spokesman explained. "The causes and circumstances of the incident are the subject of an investigation. ZSSK, in cooperation with the infrastructure manager, is reviewing all circumstances of the incident, including the technical and operational aspects," said Bacek, adding that it won't be possible to draw final conclusions until the investigation is concluded. BRUSSELS - The European Commission (EC) announced on Friday that it has launched an infringement procedure against Slovakia in connection with the recent adoption of a law transforming the Whistleblowers Protection Office (UOO) into a new authority. The Commission views this step as contradicting the EU Whistleblower Protection Directive and the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union. The law hasn't yet come into force in Slovakia, as the Constitutional Court suspended its effect before it could be introduced. UOO in its original form should have been dissolved as of 1 January 2026, but, following the Constitutional Court’s intervention in December, it continues to operate unchanged for the time being. In addition to the whistleblower agenda, the new authority is supposed to handle compensation for victims of crime, taken over from the Justice Ministry. It should also deal with reviews of protection during both criminal and administrative proceedings. Parliament approved the legislation in December. President Peter Pellegrini vetoed it and returned it to Parliament for reconsideration, but MPs broke the president's veto and re-approved the law. KOSICE - The Specialised Criminal Court has filed two submissions with the Constitutional Court, asking it to review whether the amendment to the Criminal Procedure Code concerning the inadmissibility of evidence obtained from cooperating defendants is constitutional. The court referred to a criminal case involving Nitra-based businessman Norbert B. [name abbreviated due to legal reasons —ed.note], charged in a bribery case. In its submissions, it objected to interference in judicial independence, a breach of the separation of powers and infringement of the right to judicial protection. It pointed out that the contested provision a priori excludes evidence obtained from a person who was granted concessions but who, in any criminal proceedings, failed to testify truthfully about essential facts or state all essential facts in their testimony. "If the Specialised Criminal Court expresses the conviction that this constitutes a constitutionally unacceptable interference in a court's decision-making activity, it does so on the basis of a disruption of the hitherto recognised and constitutionally guaranteed system under which, and in accordance with which, only independent and impartial courts decide on guilt and punishment, with the Criminal Procedure Code being the fundamental procedural regulation governing court proceedings," reads the court's statement. According to the Specialised Criminal Court, the contested provision makes it impossible for the court to hear a case and decide it on the merits independently. BRATISLAVA - National rail passenger carrier ZSSK is set to optimise its workforce in 2026 via mass lay-offs in accordance with the Labour Code and a collective agreement, ZSSK spokesperson Jan Bacek stated on Friday. Bacek added that this procedure is based on changes in the organisation of work and the management of the company, in particular in the structure of ticket sales, the development of digital sales channels and the need to align the number and structure of jobs with the actual volume of work and available financial resources. ZSSK has already adopted a number of cost-cutting measures, but in some areas there has been a constant decline in the need for labour. "ZSSK's goal is to maintain financial stability and to keep the company's operations sustainable long term in an environment of public finance consolidation and the gradual liberalisation of passenger rail transport, where efficiency, cost discipline and service quality will be decisive," said the spokesperson. am