MORNING NEWS HIGHLIGHTS - Monday, 23 February 2026 - 9 a.m.

TASR brings a quick morning overview of the most important events seen in Slovakia on the previous day (Sunday, 22 February): BRATISLAVA – Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD) will visit the state-run Slovak Electricity Transmission System (SEPS) on Monday (23 February) and ask it to halt emergency electricity supplies to Ukraine. The reason is the suspension of Russian oil transit through Ukrainian territory to Slovakia and Hungary, the prime minister announced in a video posted on social media on Sunday evening. "If the President (of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy) tells us that we should buy gas and oil somewhere other than Russia, although it is more difficult and more expensive and we are losing large sums of money, we have the right to respond," Fico said in the video. The prime minister also described it as regrettable that the European Union prefers Ukraine's interests over those of its member states. "Distrust in the EU is growing at a brutal pace and will result in the EU's inability to adopt important decisions requiring the consent of all member states. There will be a problem approving another sanctions package against Russia, and there will be a problem reaching agreement at the next EU summit on measures to support the EU's competitiveness and on how to reduce electricity prices," he said. Fico also stated that any peace agreement must be adopted only with the full involvement of Ukraine. He claimed that he does not want the country to end up like Czechoslovakia in 1938. However, he added that Europe is bearing the full burden of the war in Ukraine, which he described as madness in the current economic situation. BRATISLAVA - A proposal to extend the electoral term of mayors, regional governors and local councils from four to five years will be submitted to Parliament at the session starting on 14 April, House Chair Richard Rasi (Voice-SD) has told TASR. A constitutional majority will be required for the change, but Rasi believes it can be secured. "A five-year electoral cycle for local authorities can only be valid following an amendment to the constitutional law and will apply to candidates elected in the October 2026 elections. I believe we'll find constitutional agreement for this change from a four-year to a five-year electoral cycle. We're going to submit the proposal to the parliamentary session starting on 14 April 2026, and I believe it will pass the entire legislative process and gain the support of a constitutional majority of MPs," Rasi said. The coalition's Slovak National Party has indicated it will support the proposal, although it had initially sought to extend the electoral term to six years. The head of the Slovak National Party parliamentary caucus, Roman Michelko, described the five-year term as a compromise. "It is necessary to have a constitutional majority, which means the Christian Democratic Movement (KDH) must join the coalition. In that case, it would be realistic, so we will see. It also has to be addressed at the next session in order to be adopted before the election," Michelko told TASR. Joint elections to municipal authorities and to regional self-government bodies are slated for 24 October. Elections of representatives in towns, municipalities and self-governing regions will again be held on the same day. BRATISLAVA – The market with oil products in Slovakia is not at risk and crude oil will start flowing into the country in the coming days, Defence Minister Robert Kalinak (Smer-SD) declared on STVR's discussion programme 'O 5 minut 12' (Five Minutes to Twelve) on Sunday. Christian Democratic Movement (KDH) vice-chair Viliam Karas, Kalinak's opposite number on the show, said the government is pursuing Hungarian rather than Slovak interests. The defence minister did not clearly explain how oil would reach Slovakia. Kalinak warned that transit fees for transporting oil via Croatia are roughly five times higher than what Slovakia is used to. "For us, it is essentially worthwhile to take a longer route via Italy and the Czech Republic back to Slovakia," he said. Kalinak also stated that Russian attacks at the end of January were not aimed at the Druzhba oil pipeline but at storage facilities located near it. He referred to photographs he claims to have at his disposal and added that the attack caused only minor damage. Karas called on the Slovak government not to get involved in disputes between Hungary and Ukraine. He said he fails to understand why oil products in Slovakia are more expensive than in other countries when Russian oil is supposed to be 30 percent cheaper. "If we had commodities from the East that were 30 percent cheaper, we should have had at least 30 percent lower minimum prices at petrol stations. If we did not, it means that the profits were not accumulated in Slovnaft but in MOL. If they are in MOL, they are in Hungary, not in Slovakia. Therefore, it is in the interest of every proper manager to secure alternative supplies," Karas reproached the government. Kalinak also defended businessman Jozef B. [name abbreviated due to legal reasons] on the show, who was convicted by the Specialised Criminal Court in the Toll Collector criminal case. Karas again criticised changes to the Criminal Codes and emphasised that it should be courts that decide on cases, not politicians. BRATISLAVA - The opposition's Christian Democratic Movement (KDH) generally supports extending the electoral terms of mayors, governors and local councils from four to five years, but says that there must be broad social and political consensus first. The Christian Democrats will adopt their position after reviewing the final draft. Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) disagrees with the extension. Progressive Slovakia (PS) is calling for a broad expert discussion on the proposal and believes a wide consensus, which currently does not exist, is needed for such a change. The 'Slovakia' party does not consider the change a priority. "KDH generally supports the idea of extending the terms of office in local government from four to five years. However, support is contingent on broad social consensus as well as agreement among political parties, and it cannot involve extending current mandates. We will wait for the final wording and then state whether we support the proposal," KDH's press department told TASR. According to KDH, Parliament should primarily address issues that are acutely troubling people, such as poverty, high food prices and what it described as botched energy aid. SaS opposes the proposal to extend the electoral term. "We will not support such changes. Moreover, it is absurd with what intensity and enthusiasm coalition MPs are able to deal with themselves and their positions. If only they addressed rising prices, worsening economic conditions or the crushing tax and levy burden in the same way," SaS chair Branislav Groehling told TASR. BRATISLAVA - The non-parliamentary party Republic is negotiating close cooperation in the upcoming local election with the coalition's Slovak National Party (SNS), whereas the issue of cooperation in next year's parliamentary election remains open, Republic party chair and MEP Milan Uhrik stated on JOJ 24's discussion programme 'Politika 24' (Politics 24) on Sunday. 'Republic' is not holding any talks with the People's Party Our Slovakia (LSNS). "We would like to achieve some joint approach so that patriotic national votes are not wasted, so that there are as many patriotic mayors and regional governors as possible. This is now our closest priority. Whether any other parties join in is, of course, up to them. We cannot force them, but we will certainly make such an offer," Uhrik said. The MEP also stated that the governing Smer-SD is not a "dream partner" for 'Republic'. He added that the party maintains fair relations with the opposition's Christian Democratic Movement (KDH) and other non-parliamentary parties. He indicated that in the event of cooperation with KDH, the party would open cultural and ethical issues and find common ground with the Christian Democrats. He added that 'Republic's' priorities are the state's security forces and healthcare. During the programme, Uhrik also spoke in favour of condemning Russian aggression against Ukraine. At the same time, he added that it had been provoked. "In my opinion, Russia is the aggressor in this war, but I would not say that the war was unprovoked, as is often claimed. The war was provoked precisely by NATO expansion," he said. jrg