MORNING NEWS HIGHLIGHTS - Wednesday, 18 February 2026 - 9 a.m.

TASR brings a quick morning overview of the most important events seen in Slovakia on the previous day (Tuesday, 17 February): BRATISLAVA - Slovakia supports a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and wants to take an active part in peace initiatives, Foreign and European Affairs Minister Juraj Blanar said after talks with Palestinian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Varsen Aghabekjan Shahin on Tuesday. Blanar also stressed the importance of respecting international law, which he said can ensure stability with the aim of achieving a two-state solution. Blanar announced that Slovakia will take part on Thursday, as an observer, in the inaugural session of the Board of Peace in Washington. He added that Slovakia wants to contribute to the peace process in order to help implement a UN resolution and a peace plan for the Gaza Strip that should lead to a sustainable solution to the conflict. BRATISLAVA - President Peter Pellegrini on Tuesday signed an amendment to the Act on Parliament's Rules of Procedure, TASR learnt from the President's Office press department on Tuesday. "It is an autonomous matter of the House how it regulates its internal affairs. The President has no reason to interfere with this regulation as long as it does not exceed constitutional limits," Pellegrini justified his decision. The amendment introduces several changes. It sets, for example, a maximum length of debate on an agenda item. It also specifies undesirable conduct by MPs and tightens sanctions. The obligation to read out an amending proposal in the Chamber has also been abolished. Under the new rules, debate on an agenda item will be limited to a maximum of 37.5 hours. In the case of debate on the government's Manifesto or the state budget, the limit will be up to 75 hours. Parliament will also be able, upon a proposal by at least two parliamentary caucuses, to decide to shorten or extend the debate time. "The length of debate may not be shorter than 12.5 hours," the amendment states. BANSKA BYSTRICA – Businessman Jozef B., his son Jozef B. Jr., former Finance Ministry State Secretary Radko K. and businessman Miroslav S. [names abbreviated due to legal reasons] have been found guilty regarding the so-called Toll Collector case and received suspended prison sentences, with the first two also having to pay fines exceeding one million euros, according to a verdict handed down by the Specialised Criminal Court (STS) in Banska Bystrica on Tuesday. The Toll Collector case involved overpriced IT tenders at Financial Administration (the tax and customs office) between 2013 and 2018. STS sentenced Jozef B. to a suspended prison sentence of three years, with a probation period of four years, while also imposing a fine of €1.5 million. His son was ordered to pay €1.2 million and received a suspended sentence of three years, also with four years of probation. Radko K. received a suspended sentence of 28 months, with a probation period of three years, as well as a €60,000 fine, while Miroslav S. was sentenced to a suspended sentence of 20 months, with a probation period of three years, along with a €10,000 fine. Lawyer Martin B. and former Financial Administration official Milan G. were acquitted. The verdict isn't final. BRATISLAVA - Oil supplies to Slovakia via the Druzhba pipeline haven't yet been resumed, although state-owned company Transpetrol, operating under the Economy Ministry, has repeatedly received an updated schedule for their restoration from its Ukrainian partner, the ministry's press department reported on Tuesday. The situation regarding oil deliveries to the region is therefore the subject of ongoing negotiations. The Economy Ministry is closely monitoring developments and remains in contact with Transpetrol and Slovnaft, along with other relevant entities within the state's energy and crisis management framework. "Economy Minister Denisa Sakova (Voice-SD) and Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto have also signed a joint letter addressed to the Croatian side, calling for Russian oil to be transported via the Adria pipeline as one of the possible alternative routes," the ministry added. BRATISLAVA - The opposition Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) party has called on Transport Minister Jozef Raz (a Smer-SD nominee) to focus on the construction of key transport routes, specifically the D1 motorway to Zemplin and the R4 expressway to Poland, TASR has learnt from the party's press conference held on Tuesday. They criticised the government for neglecting international corridors that are key for the development of eastern Slovakia, while prioritising projects that are less beneficial for transport. SaS vice-chair Marian Viskupic highlighted the need to build fundamental connections along the West-East and South-North axes. "The D1 to Zemplin and the R4 to Poland are two key priorities, and no one seriously doubts their importance. Without them, Slovakia is being bypassed by transit routes, we're losing out on toll revenues and, more importantly, development, which is what the east of the country desperately needs today," he stated. BRATISLAVA - Housing has become a luxury, while the market has provided no solution and has failed in this regard, said Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD) on Tuesday in connection with rising housing prices during the launch of an international professional conference on affordable rental housing. "The situation has unfolded badly, reaching a point in 2025 at which we are seeing another sharp rise in property prices of up to 12 percent. Affording housing, as well as housing as such, has become an unattainable luxury. This can't be changed by relying on the magical hand of the free market," said Fico, who added that the prices of flats have reached abnormal levels, and those who want to buy a flat in Bratislava are "committing suicide". According to Fico, the attachment to home ownership is very strong in Slovakia, which is why people take out mortgages. "Should we again face a situation with high interest rates, as we did several years ago, the government will once again be prepared to introduce a subsidy mechanism. We can't allow those who took out mortgages at 1- or 1.5-percent interest rates to pay 5 or 6 percent," said Fico. ko