MORNING NEWS HIGHLIGHTS - Saturday, 7 March 2026 - 9 a.m.

TASR brings a quick morning overview of the most important events seen in Slovakia on the previous day (Friday, 6 March): BRATISLAVA - Slovakia is ready to face a possible migration crisis with respect to developments in the Middle East, Interior Minister Matus Sutaj Estok (Voice-SD) said on Friday. Sutaj Estok underlined that authorities will do everything to protect the people of Slovakia. "Of course, Slovakia is ready to face the approaching possible migration crisis, which is highly probable considering the developments taking place in the Middle East. But we will do everything to protect the citizens of the Slovak Republic," Sutaj Estok said. The minister noted that measures were adopted on the very day the military conflict broke out. Protection has also been bolstered, particularly at embassies considered to be at risk. The number of police patrols has also been increased at locations with a higher concentration of people. At the same time, he pointed out that there are currently no people in Slovakia who would pose a security risk. According to him, Slovakia does not need to be concerned in the same way as, for example, France, Germany or Brussels. BRATISLAVA/MUSCAT - Slovakia has sent a six-member consular crisis team to Muscat, Oman, to assist at the airport with evacuation flights and communication with local security forces, the Foreign and European Affairs Ministry announced on Friday. At the busy airport, they will primarily help vulnerable groups, including mothers with children, the sick and elderly citizens. The team consists of two consuls and four employees of the Defence Ministry, including a psychologist and a nurse. "We are sending a crisis team to Oman, from where we are currently operating the largest number of repatriation flights. It will help us ensure the organised and smooth processing of our citizens as well as the boarding of repatriates onto aircraft. Given the huge number of people at the Muscat airport and the resulting uncertainty, they will also try to prevent any potentially complicated situations among citizens," said Foreign Affairs Minister Juraj Blanar (Smer-SD). The team's tasks will also include communication and coordination of individual steps in the evacuation process with local and immigration authorities, as well as airports and airlines. From Oman, they will also remain in contact with the headquarters of the Foreign Ministry, including the International Operational Crisis Centre, and with aircraft units of the Defence and Interior ministries. BRATISLAVA - The sixth anniversary of the first case of COVID-19 in Slovakia should serve as a reminder that health is people's highest priority and that the state mustn't fail to protect it, President Peter Pellegrini has posted on social media. The president views it as negative that the government and its proxy haven't yet given an answer as to who was responsible for the failures in managing the pandemic and where mistakes were made. "Let this day be a reminder for all of us that health is people's top priority and that the state must not fail to protect it. Let's honour the memory of all those who paid the highest price for the pandemic," said the head of state, who recalled that the pandemic management was marked by chaos and everyday confusion shortly after the outbreak of the pandemic. "Instead of protecting lives, the egos of the governing politicians were being dealt with, and during the second and third waves of the pandemic Slovakia fell from first place to last. People were dying in their thousands, disproportionately more than in countries that didn't experiment when protecting people's health," he said. Pellegrini stressed that the families of the pandemic's victims, as well as everyone else, still don't know where the mistakes were made and what should be avoided in the event of a potential future disaster. "That's why I view very negatively the fact that the government and its proxy still haven't provided people with answers to the questions of who failed in managing the pandemic and where the mistakes were made that cost human lives," he said. Pellegrini praised everyone who fought COVID-19, both in health-care facilities and within their own families. "And I am saddened by all the lives lost, especially those that might have been saved," he added. On Friday, Slovakia commemorates the Day of Coronavirus Pandemic Victims, as the first case of SARS-CoV-2 infection, which causes COVID-19, was confirmed in Slovakia on 6 March 2020. The infected individual was a 52-year-old man from Kostoliste near Malacky (Bratislava region). A month later, on 6 April 2020, the first two coronavirus-related deaths were confirmed in Slovakia. Since then, coronavirus has claimed the lives of more than 21,000 people in the country. BRATISLAVA - President Peter Pellegrini received Prosecutor-General (PG) Maros Zilinka on Friday. The PG has posted on social media that he informed the head of state about the PG Office's position on the state of the fight against corruption, as well as a legislative initiative concerning tax-related crime. In addition, Zilinka informed the president about the state of the rule of law in Slovakia. "We also discussed the level and quality of the legislative procedure. The president and I concurred on the need for correct relations between constitutional officials. I appreciate the president's matter-of-fact and constructive approach to the topics of our meeting," wrote the PG. BRATISLAVA - Slovak Premier Robert Fico (Smer-SD) has expressed his full solidarity with Hungarian Premier Viktor Orban regarding statements made by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Zelenskyy on Thursday (5 March) expressed his hope that Orban will stop blocking financial support intended for Ukraine, otherwise he will "provide the Ukrainian army with the address of the [Hungarian) premier so that they can have a word with him". "It's unacceptable for Ukrainian President Zelenskyy to think that we are his servants and must do anything he expects. We're helping him in every way. Conversely, he's harming us. He's caused us damage amounting to €500 million as far as gas transit fees are concerned. Now he's stopped the oil. He claims that the pipeline has been damaged, even though satellite images clearly confirm that this isn't the case," said Fico in a video posted on a social network. At the same time, Fico described Zelenskyy's message to Orban as "blatant blackmail" and something that everyone must reject, regardless of the fact that a war is taking place in Ukraine. The Slovak premier also officially called on the top representatives of the European Union, including European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, European Council President Antonio Costa and EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, to distance themselves from the "outrageous blackmailing statements" by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who, in his view, "has crossed all red lines". "If the Ukrainian president continues in this manner, it could happen that some more EU-member states will block the €90-billion loan for Ukraine," stated the Slovak premier. Slovak Foreign Affairs Minister Juraj Blanar (Smer-SD) has also reacted to Zelenskyy's statements, posting on a social network that the Ukrainian president has gone too far with his threats against the Hungarian premier. "His threats of violence are absolutely unacceptable and should be condemned! Who will be next to face such threats from President Zelenskyy?" asked Blanar. mf