MORNING NEWS HIGHLIGHTS - Monday, 9 March 2026 - 9 a.m.

TASR brings a quick morning overview of the most important events seen in Slovakia on the previous day (Sunday, 8 March): BRATISLAVA - I'm set to meet European Commission (EC) President Ursula von der Leyen in Paris on Tuesday (10 March) to convey my views on the issue of oil supplies via Ukraine, Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD) stated in a video posted on a social network on Sunday. The premier will again call on the EC to compel Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to allow a visit to the site where the Druzhba oil pipeline is said to be damaged. He will also convey that Slovakia is prepared, if necessary, to take over from Hungary in blocking the European Union's loan to Ukraine. "Oil supplies through Ukraine are vital for us. However, it's obvious that the Ukrainian president doesn't intend to continue them, which will mean huge losses for us, both in terms of commodity prices and transport costs. It should also be noted that the Slovnaft refinery has started to draw oil from state material reserves as part of the declared oil emergency. On Tuesday morning, I'm set to meet the European Commission president in Paris to discuss this issue and ask her a simple question: How long will the European Commission continue to prioritise the interests of Ukraine, a non-EU member state, over the vital national interests of Slovakia and Hungary, both EU member states?" he said. BRATISLAVA - The attack on Iran is creating enormous pressure for another large-scale crisis related to illegal migration, Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD) stated in a video posted on social media on Sunday. The premier will ask Interior Minister Matus Sutaj Estok (Voice-SD) and other respective members of the government to mobilise all "proven methods" of preventing illegal migration and to carry out the necessary exercises at designated border sections. "The military adventures of Western countries in Iraq, Libya, and Afghanistan, motivated by oil or other reasons, have left behind only disrupted state structures, chaos, and hopelessness for the inhabitants. And these are among the main factors of illegal migration," said the prime minister. According to him, everyone should care about ensuring that Iran's retaliatory actions against neighbouring countries don't lead to an escalation of the regional conflict into a global one. "In any case, we must once again be properly prepared for possible waves of illegal migrants," he pointed out. BRATISLAVA - Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD) met with United Arab Emirates (UAE) Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan at the Government Office on Sunday, TASR was told by the Government Office's press and information department. The meeting focused mainly on the current situation in the Middle East and assistance to Slovak citizens who are in the Emirates. He also announced that the first Slovak flight from Bratislava to Dubai, organised by the Defence, Foreign Affairs and Interior Ministries, is scheduled to take place on Tuesday (10 March). At the meeting, Fico thanked the country for its assistance in organising the evacuation of Slovaks from the region. "I welcomed the openness of the United Arab Emirates in ensuring the evacuation of Slovak citizens via UAE aircraft with the possibility of direct flights between Bratislava and Dubai," said the prime minister, expressing his full solidarity with the Emirates over the repeated missile attacks from Iran. During the meeting, he also presented an invitation to UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to pay an official visit to Slovakia. BRATISLAVA - There is a strong possibility that fuel prices in Slovakia will rise, Agriculture and Rural Development Minister and Smer-SD vice-chair Richard Takac stated on STVR's discussion programme 'O 5 minut 12' (Five Minutes to Twelve) on Sunday in connection with the situation in the Middle East. According to Takac, fuel prices in the EU will go up. "The situation in terms of fuel price increases across the EU will rapidly escalate, and the situation will worsen. This means that we (the government) will also have to make certain decisions that will be similar to those made in other EU countries," said Takac. "If the government wants to help in some way, the opposition already has a proposal in Parliament to reduce excise duties, which would significantly influence fuel prices to go down," leader of the opposition Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) Branislav Groehling responded to Takac, calling on the coalition to support the opposition's proposal to reduce excise duties on fuel. Takac countered that reducing excise duties would cause a shortfall in public finances. Meanwhile, Takac reported that the German owner had refused any discussion about selling Povazsky cukor sugar factory. "They've decided to close it down, they don't want to sell it, they are turning it into a distribution warehouse and keeping the premises," said the agriculture minister. ko