MORNING NEWS HIGHLIGHTS - Wednesday, 4 March 2026 - 9 a.m.

TASR brings a quick morning overview of the most important events seen in Slovakia on the previous day (Tuesday, 3 March): BRATISLAVA - An investigator of the Internal Affairs Inspectorate's (UIS) Veritas team oversaw a police operation codenamed 'Cooperating Defendant' on Tuesday, charging four current and two former police officers, plus one civilian, with extortion and abuse of power by a public official, allegedly committed in an organised manner, UIS spokesperson Andrea Dobiasova told TASR on the same day. In addition to those charged, two other suspects have been detained as well. Defence lawyer Peter Kubina has confirmed that the detainees include officers Pavol D., Branislav D., Alzbeta F. from the former National Crime Agency (NAKA), along with Michal S., a prosecutor from the Prosecutor-General's Office. BRATISLAVA - Lawyer Peter Kubina, who represents the police officers known as the 'Curilla group' in several cases, wrote on a social network on Tuesday that investigators in the case of the current 'Operation Cooperating Defendant' conducted by the Internal Affairs Inspectorate's (UIS) Veritas team on Tuesday are obstructing his clients' right to a defence and free choice of legal counsel. He explained that his duties as defence lawyer in this case have had to be taken over by his colleagues, because UIS wants to interrogate him as a witness. However, Kubina pointed out that, under the Code of Criminal Procedure, he cannot testify due to his role as their defence lawyer. "First, if I were a witness to any criminal activity, I know what I'm supposed to do, and I would report such activity properly and on my own initiative. In that case, I would have the status of a witness-whistleblower," stated Kubina. He added that it is explicitly prohibited to interrogate a lawyer as a witness. "As my questioning can only concern facts that I could have learned while carrying out a client's defence, a statutory ban on interrogation applies to me. The gentlemen from the Veritas team know this very well, or rather they ought to know it," he said. Kubina believes that he'll be able to join the defence team soon if that is still necessary. BRATISLAVA - Two state repatriation flights have brought more than 100 Slovak citizens and three Czech nationals back to Slovakia from the Middle East, Interior Minister Matus Sutaj Estok (Voice-SD), Defence Minister Robert Kalinak (Smer-SD) and Foreign Ministry State Secretary Marek Estok told a press conference after the planes landed on Tuesday. Both the Spartan military aircraft and the government Airbus transported people from Jordan. Sutaj Estok announced that the Interior and Defence Ministries are preparing further flights for this week. "A total of ten repatriation flights have been approved to date. Six of these are being handled by the Interior Ministry's air fleet. The other four are being provided by the Defence Ministry," said Sutaj Estok, adding that the ministry is prepared to increase the number. BRATISLAVA - The Economic and Financial Committee (EFC) of the Council of the EU has approved its opinion on Slovakia's seventh request for a payment from the Recovery and Resilience Plan totalling €761 million (€658 million net), the communications department of the Office of the Vice-premier for the Recovery Plan and a Knowledge-based Economy reported on Tuesday, adding that the committee confirmed the European Commission's preliminary assessment that Slovakia had met 17 of the 18 milestones and targets set. According to the Vice-premier's Office, this decision is clear evidence that the mechanisms of the Recovery Plan are working and that Slovakia is making progress in meeting the agreed targets. The seventh request includes specific investments and reforms with a direct impact on people. Slovakia is also in intensive negotiations with the EC on the release of funds from the sixth payment request. The talks partly cover issues related to changes in legislation on the Whistleblowers Protection Office. BRATISLAVA - The minimum wage will rise to €972 per month in 2027, unless the social partners agree otherwise, Labour Minister Erik Tomas (Voice-SD) told a news conference on Tuesday. The minimum wage will thus go up by €57 from the current €915 per month. In line with the law, the minimum wage is calculated as 60 percent of the average nominal salary from two years before. The Statistics Office earlier on Tuesday announced that the average nominal salary in 2025 was €1,620. The minimum wage can only be adjusted upwards if trade unions and employers reach an agreement on its increase by the end of August. BRATISLAVA - Bonds worth €245 million were sold during the first day of the sale of the new government bond issue for the public floated on Monday (2 March), the Finance Ministry reported on Tuesday, adding that Investor II bonds accounted for €146 million and Patriot II for €99 million. "Based on the high level of demand, the Debt and Liquidity Management Agency (ARDAL) has decided to increase the volume on offer from €400 million to €500 million. The sale will continue until the planned volume of €500 million is reached," said the ministry. The sale is being mediated by five banks - Ceskoslovenska obchodna banka, Slovenska sporitelna, Tatra banka, UniCredit Bank Czech Republic and Slovakia, and Vseobecna uverova banka. "People can purchase the bonds at branches of the aforementioned banks across Slovakia, as well as via their electronic sales channels," added the ministry. ko