MORNING NEWS HIGHLIGHTS - Tuesday, 17 March 2026 - 9 a.m.

TASR brings a quick morning overview of the most important events seen in Slovakia on the previous day (Monday, 16 March): LUBINA/BRATISLAVA - Interparliamentary cooperation in drafting legislation and coordinating positions on European issues were the fulcrum of Monday's meeting between representatives of the Slovak and Czech parliaments in Velka Javorina and the village of Lubina (Trencin region). After the joint talks, Slovak House chair Richard Rasi (Voice-SD) and his Czech counterpart Tomio Okamura reported about the meeting's outcome at a joint press conference. According to Rasi, the meeting on the Slovak-Czech border fulfilled a promise that mutual relations would be restarted at the level they deserve following the formation of the new Czech government and the new makeup of the Czech Parliament. Issues key for both states were also discussed, including oil, the situation in the Middle East, energy self-sufficiency, a joint position on the planned ban on internal combustion engines after 2035, emission allowances, EU funds and migration. "Both sides had the largest amount of representatives from the Slovak parliament and the Czech Chamber of Deputies in history. Heads of both parliaments were present, along with three vice-chairs, committee chairs, MPs from Czech-Slovak and Slovak-Czech friendship groups. We also had ambassadors and members of youth parliaments here," Rasi added. The Slovak House chair claimed that an agreement on cooperation between Czech and Slovak emergency medical services will soon take practical form, while a treaty on cooperation between the police forces is being prepared. Work is also being finalised on the Interreg programme, under which €90 million will go to projects linking the Czech Republic and Slovakia. "We want a Foundation of Czech-Slovak Togetherness to be established to support joint culture on both sides of the border. We also agreed to create an award that will honour each year one person from the Czech Republic and Slovakia who has had and continues to have exceptional importance in building Czech-Slovak relations," Rasi accentuated. According to Okamura, the goal of the new governing coalition in the Czech Republic is not only to restore but also to maximise the firming up of friendly relations with the closest nation. "We were interested in how the Slovak side assesses the current situation regarding oil supplies via the Druzhba pipeline and how it envisages energy security for Slovakia. We were surprised that Croatia charges four times higher transit fees than in the case of supplies from Russia. There should be an agreement so that European states do not exploit the problematic energy situation against other states. Slovakia has our full support in this," the Czech Chamber of Deputies speaker noted. He added that both the Slovak and Czech sides share the same positions on emission allowances and the rejection of ETS2. The Czech side is also seeking support in Slovakia for reducing or possibly suspending ETS1, which it says is destroying industry. BRATISLAVA - The Slovak government can't accept Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's unilateral and harmful decision to halt the transit of Russian oil, and it also expects European Union (EU) authorities to pressure the Ukrainian leadership to resume the flow of this oil, stated Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD) following a telephone call with European Council (EC) President Antonio Costa on Monday regarding preparations for the EU leaders' summit in Brussels on 19 and 20 March. "I appreciate it that we devoted a significant portion of our nearly 45-minute conversation to the issue of resuming the operation of the Druzhba pipeline on Ukrainian territory. The Slovak government can't accept the Ukrainian president's unilateral and harmful move to halt oil transit and expects the EU authorities to pressure the Ukrainian leadership to restore the flow of Russian oil, which we're authorised to receive until the end of 2027," stated Fico. The premier went on to say that in the conversation he emphasised that the EU mustn't prioritise Ukraine's interests over those of EU-member states such as Slovakia or Hungary. "I also expressed dissatisfaction with the fact that the European Commission (EC) hasn't yet presented any specific proposals to reduce electricity prices, as prime ministers and heads of EU-member states have repeatedly requested," added Fico. BRATISLAVA - Head of the Agricultural Payment Agency (PPA) Marek Cepko has rejected claims made by the non-governmental Let's Stop Corruption Foundation that, prior to assuming his current post, he obtained a subsidy for a family farm despite violations of the Public Procurement Act, TASR learnt on Monday. Cepko further stated that while the Economy Ministry did approve a grant of nearly €113,000 for innovative technologies in 2021, he later withdrew from the contract and received no funds. "In 2021, I had a project approved by the Economy Ministry. I was a farmer, but in 2023 I agreed with the Economy Ministry to withdraw from the contract for this project," said Cepko, explaining that communication with the ministry was extremely difficult at the time, so he didn't carry out the project. According to him, he therefore didn't conduct any public procurement, nor did he violate any regulations, and he received no money. He stated that the Economy Ministry subsequently confirmed this for him in writing. Cepko stated that he has no issues at the payment agency. "If I happen to have any, you can harshly criticise me; I'll be the first to take responsibility, but I won't let my name be tarnished," he stressed. For this reason, he's demanding a public apology from the aforementioned foundation and all media outlets, and he'll also seek non-pecuniary damages worth €30,000. "And if I'm successful, I'll donate this money to charity," he added. Agriculture and Rural Development Minister Richard Takac (Smer-SD) claimed that the Let's Stop Corruption Foundation has a political assignment to bring down the government and to do everything in its power to create the impression that corruption is taking place. "What has happened here is a red line," said Takac. "Their goal is to cause harm, launch political attacks, and do everything possible to make things as bad as possible in Slovakia," he continued. According to him, it is entirely politically appropriate that the government wants to use legislation to determine where NGOs receive their funding. In response, the Let's Stop Corruption Foundation stated that on 5 March it published an article titled 'Head of State Agricultural Agency Failed to Follow Procurement Rules in His Own Subsidy', which contained incorrect claims. As stated by the foundation's deputy director, Martin Suchy, it removed the article, which had been published for approximately two hours, immediately after discovering the error. It apologises to Cepko for this mistake. "We gave Mr. Cepko the opportunity to comment before publishing the article, as we always do. Mr. Cepko didn't take advantage of this opportunity. He didn't alert us to the incorrect information that we were working with, nor did he request a correction. Instead, three weeks later, he organised a press conference with Minister Takac," noted Suchy, adding that the foundation publishes dozens of their findings every week, that this was the first time it had made such a mistake and that it sincerely regrets it. PRAGUE/BRUSSELS - The Czech Republic is prepared to head a mission of European experts to assess the condition of the Druzhba oil pipeline in Ukraine, Czech Industry and Trade Minister Karel Havlicek stated on Monday ahead of the EU Energy Council meeting in Brussels, emphasising that the dispute between Ukraine, Hungary, and Slovakia has become politicised and has reached an emotional level, and there's a need to begin addressing it objectively, TASR's special correspondent has reported. "There's a dispute between Ukraine, Hungary, and Slovakia. It is necessary to calm these relations and shift the discussion from an emotional political debate to a factual one. And in our opinion, Ukraine should allow a group of European experts to visit the site. We'll propose that it should be headed by the Czech Republic," said Havlicek. According to him, the Czech Republic is capable of setting up a team of experts who, along with representatives of other European countries, would assess the actual condition of the pipeline on site. This would allow for an independent determination of the extent to which the pipeline is or isn't damaged and by when Ukraine would be able to restore operations. "If my information is correct, the Ukrainians wouldn't accept a Slovak-Hungarian delegation, so we say: then accept a European one. I'm convinced that sufficient support can be provided to ensure that this expert group will be able to get there. Someone must head and guarantee the mission, and we as the Czech Republic are prepared - if we can agree on this with our European partners and other countries - to take on this initiative ourselves," added the Czech minister. Oil from Russia stopped flowing through the Druzhba pipeline to Hungary and Slovakia on 27 January. According to Ukraine, the reason is a Russian attack on pipeline infrastructure in the city of Brody in Lviv Oblast. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and Slovak Premier Robert Fico (Smer-SD) suspect Kiev of political blackmail and interference in Hungary's election campaign. Ukraine rejects the accusation and says that it's working to repair the damaged infrastructure. BRATISLAVA - The junior coalition Slovak National Party (SNS) is opposed to releasing the EU's €90-billion loan for Ukraine and has called on Foreign and European Affairs Minister Juraj Blanar (Smer-SD) to block the loan at Monday's session of the EU Foreign Affairs Council, TASR was told by SNS spokesperson Zuzana Skopcova on Monday. "It is inconceivable that while the Ukrainians are blocking the Druzhba pipeline, refusing to allow us to inspect it and disrupting smooth flows of oil for the Slovnaft refinery, a representative of the Slovak government led by Prime Minister Robert Fico should vote in favour of this loan. Ukraine must not receive any loan until relations with the EU are clarified," stated SNS. The party also voiced its disapproval of the EU providing financial assistance to a non-member state during an economic crisis. In addition, SNS criticised Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for hinting at the possible use of soldiers in reference to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban's blocking of the loan. "Ukraine is grossly interfering in the Hungarian elections and seriously damaging the interests of European countries, especially Slovakia and Hungary. We believe that Blanar wouldn't even think of voting in favour of this position," added SNS. The EU Foreign Affairs Council is holding a session in Brussels on Monday, with foreign ministers set to discuss efforts to mitigate the consequences of the war in the Middle East, the release of a €90-billion loan for Ukraine, and unblocking the 20th package of sanctions against Russia. The Foreign Affairs Ministry has told TASR that, in this regard, it supports Fico's claim on 8 March when he said that Slovakia is prepared to "take over the baton" from Hungary in blocking the EU loan to Ukraine if necessary. "For now, the €90-billion military loan to Ukraine is effectively blocked. However, I'm not naive. The Ukrainian president has recently spoken of resuming supplies in a month or a month and a half; that is, after the election in Hungary, where he's counting on a victory for the opposition. Then there will be no chance of oil from the east, unless someone else takes over the Hungarian baton," said Fico back then. mf