MORNING NEWS HIGHLIGHTS - Wednesday, 25 February 2026 - 9 a.m.

TASR brings a quick morning overview of the most important events seen in Slovakia on the previous day (Tuesday, 24 February): BRATISLAVA - The Anti-monopoly Office (PMU) has imposed a fine of almost €8 million for a cartel set up between two major medicine suppliers in a public procurement for state-run health-insurance company VsZP, PMU representatives announced at a news conference on Tuesday, adding that the office's decision isn't yet final. The companies concerned are PHOENIX Zdravotnicke zasobovanie and Transmedic Slovakia, the latter one in bankruptcy, which coordinated their conduct in electronic auctions. "It's a cartel agreement between two major players concerning supplies for VsZP. This is the first case in PMU's history to have been initiated and, in essence, concluded, so far at first instance, based on a whistleblower motion filed by an employee of one of the firms, who provided evidence of a cartel agreement," explained PMU vice-chair Peter Demcak. "The cartel agreement involved a coordinated procedure by the firms in VsZP public procurements for the supply and distribution of categorised medicines to pharmacies. These were medicines intended for treating cancer-related, neurological, immunological and inflammatory diseases. The cartel agreement lasted from December 2017 until September 2020," specified PMU's cartel department director Juraj Syrny. According to him, the cartel agreement didn't concern procurements or any practices in relation to other health-insurance companies. According to Jakub Zeman of PMU's cartel department, the aforementioned firms agreed on which of them would win which tender. "At the same time, we managed to obtain documents and information showing that the firms mutually compensated each other for profits and losses from public procurements," stated Zeman. BRUSSELS - In response to developments in the Middle East, Slovakia has underlined its support for the Gaza peace plan in line with UN Security Council Resolution No. 2803, as well as the need for diplomatic solutions concerning Iran and a society-wide political process in Syria, TASR reported on Tuesday following Monday's session of the EU Foreign Affairs Council attended by Foreign Minister Juraj Blanar (Smer-SD). TASR based its report on information provided by the Foreign Ministry's communications department. "By attending the first Board of Peace meeting on Gaza in Washington as an observer country, we've signalled our support for the US peace plan, even though our government declined the offer of membership for several reservations," said Blanar, calling this the only option currently available for achieving peace in the Palestinian territory and one that should result in a two-state solution. BRATISLAVA - It's high time that the war in Ukraine was ended through diplomatic negotiations that would lead to the establishment of a just, lasting and sustainable peace, said President Peter Pellegrini on Tuesday to mark the fourth anniversary of the beginning of the conflict. According to him, this peace should provide guarantees that fighting won't be resumed, and it should pave the way for Ukraine towards peaceful prosperity and the creation of conditions to begin EU-accession talks. "At the same time, diplomacy must also be the sole means of resolving any issues in the relationship between Slovakia and Ukraine," stated Pellegrini. The president stated that the war has brought destruction, suffering and death to hundreds of thousands of soldiers on both sides of the battle line. He noted that the war has destroyed the lives of innocent families and forced many to live abroad. He expressed appreciation for the fact that many Ukrainians have found refuge and the chance of a peaceful life in Slovakia. BRATISLAVA - Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD) may have committed several criminal offences with his statements and actions aimed at halting emergency electricity supplies to Ukraine, the opposition Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) party told a briefing held on the occasion of filing a criminal complaint with the Prosecutor-General's Office on Tuesday. SaS chair Branislav Groehling said that Fico has thus joined Russia's side in its war against Ukraine. "He's supporting that aggression by exerting political pressure with a view to cutting off electricity to Ukraine, so that we'll stop helping Ukraine in this humanitarian fashion. Our evaluation is that this meets the criteria of a criminal offence, and we're filing several criminal complaints at the same time," said Groehling at a briefing held in front of the Prosecutor-General's Office. According to him, the complaints have been filed regarding the suspicion of abuse of public office, high treason, inhumanity, a breach of obligations in the management of somebody else's property, and a terrorist attack. SaS MP Karol Galek said that the fact that Slovakia continues to be a 'hostage' to Russian oil is the government's fault, noting that the halt to supplies following damage to an oil pipeline is the reason why Slovakia has reciprocally stopped part of its electricity supplies to Ukraine. BRATISLAVA - The resumption of oil supplies to Slovakia via the Druzhba pipeline continues to be delayed, with the date on which supplies should be resumed being postponed until 26 February (Thursday), the Economy Ministry's press department announced on Tuesday. The ministry reported on Monday evening (23 February) that, according to the Ukrainian side, the resumption of oil supplies to Slovakia would be postponed until 25 February. "The date for resuming oil supplies to Slovakia via the Druzhba pipeline has been postponed again. State-run oil-transport operator Transpetrol, which operates under the authority of the Economy Ministry, has been informed of another update to the schedule for resuming oil supplies via the Druzhba pipeline. The date for resuming supplies has been postponed until 26 February 2026. The reasons for the postponement on the Ukrainian side weren't specified in detail," it added. The ministry also noted that it's aware of a fire at the Kaleikino pumping station in Russia, which is part of the Druzhba oil pipeline infrastructure. According to currently available technical information, the extent of the damage shouldn't affect future oil flows to Slovakia. The Economy Ministry is in contact with all relevant partners and continues to monitor the situation closely. BRATISLAVA - The District Court in Zvolen (Banska Bystrica region) decided on Tuesday that Tourism and Sport Minister Rudolf Huliak (Independent) must publicly apologise to opposition MP Lucia Plavakova (Progressive Slovakia/PS) for his offensive remarks made about her during a press conference in September 2024, TASR has learnt from the PS media department, adding that Huliak must also compensate the MP for non-pecuniary damage. "I see today's decision as a very important signal for society as a whole, and especially for all women who experience various forms of violence. It is a clear message that vulgarity, slander, and any form of violence have no place in our society," Plavakova said in a statement. PS chairman Michal Simecka considers the court's decision to be a victory for all women in Slovakia. "The only thing politicians like Rudolf Huliak offer is hatred and polarisation. When they run out of arguments, they start insulting women and trying to drive them out of the public space. They must not be allowed to succeed," he emphasised. The decision of the first-instance court is not yet final, as the minister may appeal, according to PS. Huliak directed vulgar words at Plavakova at a press conference held by the Slovak National Party (SNS) in September 2024, at which Parliamentary Vice-Chair Andrej Danko (SNS) defended Plavakova's expulsion from the House chamber for the stickers on her laptop. Huliak's statements were condemned by the opposition and part of the coalition. He subsequently apologised in the chamber after being called upon to do so, but again used vulgar language. BRATISLAVA - The opposition Progressive Slovakia (PS) party claims that the government is preparing changes to the rules governing voting from abroad in general elections, viewing this as an attempt to restrict the right to vote, PS leader Michal Simecka told a news conference on Tuesday. The party has called on Premier Robert Fico (Smer-SD) and the government not to implement such amendments to the law. "Information suggests that the government intends to curb voting from abroad via a law on the conditions for exercising the right to vote. In practice, this would mean that instead of voting by mail, as is possible today, Slovak citizens living abroad would have to visit an embassy and cast their vote there," explained Simecka. Answering a journalist's question, he said that PS had obtained this information from several authorities and ministries. The party sees a clear intention on the part of the government behind the allegedly planned amendment to the law. Simecka pointed out that the people who voted from abroad in 2023 overwhelmingly didn't vote for Smer-SD, but for the parties of the current opposition. He specified that 60,000 people from 104 countries voted by mail from abroad, with 61 percent of them voting for PS. In total, 77 percent of these voters backed opposition parties, while only 6 percent voted for Smer-SD. jrg