SUMMARY - Wednesday, 18 February 2026 - 5 p.m.

Bratislava, 18 February (TASR) - Transporting oil via the Adria pipeline will be more than five times more expensive for Slovakia than transporting it via the Druzhba pipeline, through which oil hasn't flowed for more than two weeks, stated Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD) following the government meeting on Wednesday along with representatives of the Slovnaft refinery, adding that purchased oil will also be more expensive. https://etasr.sk/article/22983422 Bratislava, 18 February (TASR) - The Slovnaft refinery is halting its diesel exports to Ukraine, and all products will now be designated for the domestic market, said Premier Robert Fico (Smer-SD) after the government at its meeting on Wednesday decided to release 250,000 tonnes of oil from the national material reserves for Slovnaft. https://etasr.sk/article/22983185 Bratislava, 18 February (TASR) - The Constitutional Court, through its ruling declaring the amendment to the law on non-profit organisations unconstitutional, is protecting NGOs from oversight, said Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD) after Wednesday's cabinet session. https://etasr.sk/article/22984339 Bratislava, 18 February (TASR) - In addition to four more F-16 fighter jets, Slovakia intends to purchase long-range missiles and HIMARS missile systems from the USA, said Defence Minister Robert Kalinak (Smer-SD) following the government session on Wednesday. https://etasr.sk/article/22983519 Bratislava, 18 February (TASR) - State authorities under the remit of the Interior, Finance, and Labour Ministries, as well as other institutions, are to conduct ongoing inspections of non-governmental non-profit organisations, focusing primarily on compliance with the legal conditions for operating, according to a document approved by the government on Wednesday. https://etasr.sk/article/22984412 Bratislava, 18 February (TASR) - The Slovak opposition is constantly confirming that it is lost in time and space when it comes to foreign policy, Foreign Affairs Minister Juraj Blanar (Smer-SD) posted on social media on Wednesday, emphasising that, unlike previous governments, Premier Robert Fico's (Smer-SD) cabinet consistently and confidently promotes peaceful solutions everywhere and on principle. https://etasr.sk/article/22984231 Milan, 18 February (TASR) - The Slovak ice-hockey team has made it to the semi-finals of the Winter Olympic Games in Milan, Italy after defeating Germany 6:2 on Wednesday. https://etasr.sk/article/22984163 Bratislava, 18 February (TASR) - The Public Procurement Office (UVO) respects the legal steps taken by state-run health insurance company VsZP, which has appealed to the Constitutional Court over the ambulance tender from 2019, but it maintains that the Public Procurement Act was violated, UVO spokesperson Simona Brejova told TASR on Wednesday. https://etasr.sk/article/22983979 Bratislava, 18 February (TASR) - The foreign policy of the government, i.e. oriented in all four cardinal directions, hasn't only political but also economic implications, MP Juraj Krupa (Freedom and Solidarity/SaS) stated on Wednesday, pointing out that no foreign investment has come to Slovakia in more than two years of the current government's rule. https://etasr.sk/article/22983845 Banska Bystrica, 18 February (TASR) - Three protected landscape areas (CHKO) have new directors, as head of the State Nature Protection Agency (SOP) Roman Fajth has appointed Martin Tongel, Lukas Pacan and Andrej Duchon to the posts of directors of the Eastern Carpathians, Latorica and White Carpathians protected landscape areas, TASR was told by SOP's communications department on Wednesday. https://etasr.sk/article/22984777 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