MORNING NEWS HIGHLIGHTS - Tuesday, 3 February 2026 - 9 a.m.

TASR brings a quick morning overview of the most important events seen in Slovakia on the previous day (Monday, 2 February): BRATISLAVA - Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD) should clearly answer questions about whether he met late American sex predator Jeffrey Epstein and former advisor to President Donald Trump Steve Bannon, stated Progressive Slovakia (PS) leader Michal Simecka at a press conference on Monday, adding that this is indicated in Epstein's communications with the premier's former advisor Miroslav Lajcak, which were published by the US Department of Justice. "Miroslav Lajcak literally offered Robert Fico the chance to become one of the leaders or protagonists of Bannon's far-right project within the European Union, and there was even talk of possible financial sponsorship donations to be discussed at such a meeting. So, Prime Minister, did you attend these meetings? If not, please refute this," said Simecka, adding that PS will take further steps, although he didn't specify what they will be. Prime Minister Fico on Saturday (31 January) accepted the resignation of his advisor Lajcak, who decided to step down due to his communications with American sex offender Epstein. According to Fico, Lajcak showed himself to be a great diplomat by resigning. Lajcak has repeatedly denied that he knew about or participated in the crimes and suspicions associated with Epstein. BRATISLAVA - Many cities, towns and regions in Slovakia are massively, grossly and systematically violating the constitutional principle of the equal status of voters and candidates in elections to representative bodies, Ombudsman Robert Dobrovodsky announced at a press conference on Monday. Dobrovodsky cited the findings of an extensive survey on compliance with the equality of voting rights, according to which local and regional authorities have set their electoral districts in an unconstitutional manner. In the case of Bratislava, he filed an appeal with the Constitutional Court last week. "The survey didn't turn out well in terms of respect for citizens' rights, as we found that constitutional rights and the principle of equality is being massively violated across Slovakia. Most of the examined local administrations have set their electoral districts unconstitutionally, contrary to both the spirit and the wording of the Slovak Constitution," warned Dobrovodsky. NITRA/BRATISLAVA – The rural Malanta guest house near Nitra shouldn't have received any subsidy from the Agricultural Payment Agency (PPA), said MP Martina Bajo Holeckova of the opposition Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) party at a press conference in Nitra on Monday, arguing that the basic conditions of the contract for a non-repayable financial contribution were not met. The subsidy for the construction of the Malanta Rural House, which, according to SaS, has links to Norbert Bodor, a businessman close to Smer-SD, was awarded to a company called SL-Stone. "The subsidy for building this guest house was approved a day before the 2016 elections, under the single-party government led by Robert Fico (Smer-SD), when the agriculture minister was Lubomir Jahnatek from Smer, who owns property next to Bodor in Nitrianske Hrnciarovce," Bajo Holeckova pointed out. According to her, SL-Stone received the subsidy for building the guest house on plots that were registered as arable land in 2016. "SL-Stone committed itself to submitting all the required documents, including a building permit, by 30 September 2016. However, the company couldn't have obtained a building permit by that date because the land was classified as arable land until 11 December 2016, when a new zoning plan came into force in the municipality of Nitrianske Hrnciarovce. Therefore, it was impossible for them to submit a building permit by 30 September 2016, even though it was part of the application," she stressed. BANSKA BYSTRICA/BRATISLAVA – The district court in Banska Bystrica has rejected a request to halt the distraint proceedings against Interior Minister Matus Sutaj Estok (Voice-SD) in his dispute with the group of police investigators centered around Jan Curilla, and the interior minister must also reimburse the group's legal costs, their lawyer, Peter Kubina, has reported on social media. Kubina added that the court ruled on Friday, 30 January. According to the attorney, the minister argued that he'd filed a motion to have the judgment set aside. "As we have repeatedly pointed out in responses to media questions, a motion to set aside a default judgment does not have the effect of suspending a judgment's finality and enforceability, and so it isn't a lawful reason even to postpone distraint, let alone stop it. As expected, the distraint court has confirmed this conclusion," he said. Kubina said he was struck by part of the minister's argumentation. According to the lawyer, the minister told the court that he is a interior minister who has repeatedly publicly expressed disagreement with the activities and steps of the investigators around Jan Curilla. In the minister’s view, this should have made it clear to the court that is he had been aware of the dispute, he would have actively defended himself. DENPASAR – Slovak Foreign Affairs Minister Juraj Blanar (Smer-SD) launched his visit to Indonesia on Monday by opening Slovakia's Honorary Consulate in the town of Kuta in Bali, a special TASR correspondent reported on the same day. According to Blanar, this step reflects one of the key priorities of the Slovak government’s foreign policy, namely deepening diplomatic and economic engagement in the Indo-Pacific region and building strong partnerships with countries in this part of the world. Following the official opening ceremony attended also by Bali Deputy Governor Luh Ayu Aryani, Blanar stressed that Slovakia is strengthening its consular representation worldwide, currently operating a total of 180 such offices, with preparations underway to open additional 30. "These consulates should above all to assist us with consular services for Slovak citizens, as Bali is increasingly becoming a destination for Slovaks. We need to have a representation there in order to provide them with all the services needed in case of emergency, as well as help them find their bearings," said the head of Slovak diplomacy. BRATISLAVA - The state budget saw a deficit of €346.6 million at the end of January 2026, which was a deterioration of €184.6 million, or 113.9 percent year-on-year (y-o-y), the Finance Ministry reported on Monday. State-budget incomes fell by €31.1 million, or 1.6 percent y-o-y, to reach €1.892 billion in the first month of the year, while expenditures rose by €153.5 million, or 7.4 percent, to €2.239 billion. Tax revenues dropped by €38.8 million (2.1 percent) y-o-y in January. "A negative development was posted in corporate tax, which went down by €53.4 million y-o-y, while VAT decreased by €28.1 million, withholding tax by €8 million, insurance tax by €5.2 million, motor vehicle tax by €1.3 million, and excise tax by €0.3 million," stated the Finance Ministry. The special levy from business activities in regulated sectors was also lower, going down by €22.1 million y-o-y. ko