MORNING NEWS HIGHLIGHTS - Thursday, 26 March 2026 - 9 a.m.

TASR brings a quick morning overview of the most important events seen in Slovakia on the previous day (Wednesday, 25 March): BRATISLAVA/VELKE ZALUZIE - The government's measure establishing a €400 refuelling limit for diesel per vehicle is working, and the government intends to maintain it, Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD) told a briefing following the government's away session held in Velke Zaluzie (Nitra region) on Wednesday. "We discussed the €400 per tank limit, and, after a fairly serious discussion, we agreed to keep this limit in the government regulation. Anyone arriving with a large vehicle will only be able to refuel with diesel up to €400. Today, this means some 230 or 240 litres of diesel," explained Fico. At this moment, stated Fico, the Slovnaft refinery is managing to supply the Slovak market with fuel. "If this madness goes on, if this obsessive hatred towards Russian oil and gas persists, then we'll have to prepare for a situation in which everything will be pricier," stressed Fico. BRATISLAVA - Opposition MP Karol Galek (Freedom and Solidarity/SaS) told a news conference on Wednesday that he's filed a criminal complaint with the Prosecutor-General's (PG) Office regarding the suspicion that personal data of Slovak citizens was unlawfully handled within the framework of energy aid provided by the Economy Ministry. Galek did so in connection with the leak of a list of more than 20,000 private individuals that contained the first names, surnames and personal identification numbers of people who had explicitly stated that they didn't consent to their data being disclosed. "We'd been warning the Economy Minister Denisa Sakova (Voice-SD) for a long time that data could be leaked. The fact that it was the personal data of people who explicitly didn't want the state to collect them has been leaked is unacceptable," stated Galek. BRATISLAVA - MP and Mayor of Kezmarok Jan Ferencak stated on TA3 television on Wednesday that the leaked video recording, in which he is seen handing over a considerable amount of cash, was part of a targeted effort to criminalise him. Ferencak, who has been expelled from the governing Voice-SD party, claimed that the operation is being orchestrated by Internal Affairs Inspectorate (UIS) head Branislav Zurian, who is acting on the orders of Interior Minister and Voice-SD leader Matus Sutaj Estok. The video shows Ferencak in a garage handing over €45,000 in cash to an unidentified person, with a further €75,000 to be paid by bank transfer. Ferencak explained that it was a loan which has not yet been repaid. "At that moment, this person wanted a loan from me. I gave him the loan, and since he had no money, he was also selling a project which I purchased through a company - that was the €75,000. It was paid on 9 September 2023," said Ferencak, adding that the person in the video subsequently blackmailed him. BANSKA BYSTRICA - The city of Banska Bystrica on Wednesday commemorated the 81st anniversary of its liberation during WWII with a wreath-laying ceremony held at the Black Obelisk on SNP Square that was attended by President Peter Pellegrini, Banska Bystrica mayor Jan Nosko, war veteran Vladimir Strmen and representatives from various embassies and institutions. Pellegrini paid tribute to those killed in the liberation battles in Banska Bystrica, specifically hundreds of Romanian and Soviet soldiers. "The generations who survived these events knew the true value of peace and understood the stark difference between tranquility and the darkness with which war overshadowed everyday joys," he said, adding that experience must be passed on to future generations. "It's important to listen to their stories, such as those of Mr Vladimir Strmen, who has honoured us with his presence today," he added. BRATISLAVA - Student protests titled "Ringing the Alarm!" were held in Bratislava, Banska Bystrica, Zilina, and Kosice on Wednesday evening, with the demonstrations being initiated by the platforms Student Protest, Students for Open Culture! and the Student Clubhouse in Zilina, TASR reported on the same day. "We want to show our ongoing strength and determination to defend our lives in this country against normalisation and the dragging of Slovakia into Russia's sphere of influence," the organisers explained in a statement. Protesters highlighted several issues including the proposed abolition of postal voting from abroad and they also called for solutions to the housing crisis, green policies, shortage of teachers, and the "brain drain" of young people moving to other countries. ZAGREB - House Chair Richard Rasi (Voice-SD) considers Slovakia's membership in the Three Seas Initiative to be of paramount importance, according to a post published by Rasi on Facebook after attending the initiative's parliamentary summit held in Zagreb on Wednesday. Despite the country being landlocked, Slovakia requires strong transport links and stable energy routes, according to Rasi. "We've just concluded talks at the Three Seas summit, which includes 13 European Union countries from the Baltic states and Poland in the north down to Greece in the south. We discussed economic cooperation," stated Rasi, adding that since all participating states are EU members, trade between them is "straightforward". The discussions focused on North-South transport corridors, the construction of rail routes and energy security. According to Rasi, the global economy is changing and traditional East-West routes are being disrupted by global problems, wars and sanctions. He pointed out that a new economic, commercial, and security axis is forming, running from the north of Central and Eastern Europe to the south. ko