MORNING NEWS HIGHLIGHTS - Tuesday, 14 April 2026 - 9 a.m.

TASR brings a quick morning overview of the most important events seen in Slovakia on the previous day (Monday, 13 April): HANOI - Slovakia wants to be a bridge between the European Union and Vietnam, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD) told a press conference held with his Vietnamese counterpart Le Minh Hung in Hanoi on Monday, describing an agreement on a strategic partnership between Slovakia and Vietnam as a natural follow-up to the already established EU-Vietnam strategic partnership. "There are no unresolved political issues between Slovakia and Vietnam. Our countries have exceptionally strong historical ties, and we can focus on continuing mutually beneficial economic cooperation," stated Fico. "We want to be a country that serves as a connecting bridge between the EU and Vietnam, and we're ready to share all our experience in this spirit," he stressed, identifying the potential for deeper cooperation primarily in nuclear energy and the arms industry. HANOI/BRATISLAVA - Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD) on Monday stated on a social network that he is ready for intensive cooperation with the new Hungarian prime minister, while expressing interest in maintaining friendly relations with Budapest. "It is with full respect that I take note of the decision of the people of Hungary in yesterday's general election, and I am ready for intensive cooperation with the new Hungarian prime minister, whom I congratulate on his election result," stated Fico, adding that the goals of the Slovak government remain unchanged. "We're interested in friendly and mutually beneficial relations with Hungary, as well as in the above-standard status of ethnic minorities living in our countries," stated Fico. He also noted that Slovakia wishes to revive the Visegrad Four group (V4: the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia) and maintain a shared approach with Hungary in protecting energy interests. BUDAPEST - The prime ministers of Slovakia and Hungary must strive to achieve the best possible relations, Peter Magyar, the chairman of the Tisza party, which won the Hungarian parliamentary elections on Sunday (12 April) stated at a press conference on Monday, TASR's special correspondent in Budapest reported on the same day. Magyar noted that although Slovak Premier Robert Fico (Smer-SD) and Slovak President Peter Pellegrini have been and remain close allies of Viktor Orban, it is essential in the interest of Hungarian nationals living in Slovakia to maintain the best possible bilateral relations and cooperation within the Visegrad Group (V4: the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia). Magyar added, however, that certain issues need to be resolved. "In the European Union in 2026, it is by no means acceptable to take land from Hungarians and then fail to compensate them, to make distinctions between Slovak and Slovak citizens, and to threaten those who dare to criticise the Benes Decrees with imprisonment," said Magyar, according to the telex.hu website, adding that he believes the majority of Slovaks share this view. KOSICE - The political parties Progressive Slovakia (PS), Freedom and Solidarity (SaS), 'Slovakia', Democrats, 'For the People', Civic Conservative Party (OKS), and Democratic Party - Slovak Civic Democrats (DS-ODS) have announced a joint campaign for the autumn regional elections in Kosice self-governing region. The agreement includes the current candidates for Kosice governor from PS and the Democrats, Marian Porvaznik and Karel Hirman, with the stipulation that the joint candidate of these parties will ultimately be the one of the two candidates who has better prospects according to public opinion polls. This follows from a memorandum signed on Monday in Kosice by representatives of the seven political entities and both candidates. The document states that its goal is to create a framework for cooperation that "will lead to the support of a single candidate for Kosice region head by the signatories of this memorandum". The deadline for evaluating public opinion polls and assessing unified support for a joint candidate will be 31 May. The participants are to declare their support for the agreed-upon candidate for Kosice governor and publish the list of candidates for Kosice region councillors by 30 June at the latest. The agreement also includes a declaration by the participants not to enter into any form of cooperation in the form of a joint caucus or coalition with Smer-SD, Voice-SD, Republic, Slovak National Party (SNS), and their affiliated parties. BRATISLAVA - I'm planning to submit a motion to remove Interior Minister Matus Sutaj Estok (Voice-SD) from office, announced opposition MP Juraj Krupa (Freedom and Solidarity/SaS) following Monday's meeting of the House defence and security committee. According to him, other opposition parties have already pledged their support for the motion, which they plan to submit this week. He also criticised Sutaj Estok for failing to attend the session. "He's a man who can't handle his job or perform it, and therefore he's a man who should have been gone long ago. After all, we have evidence that is glaringly obvious, such as the scrapping of the Whistleblowers Protection Office, or the disputes he's having with the group of police officers cantered around Jan Curilla, to whom he owes €120,000, maybe even more by now. He refuses to comply with court decisions and he completely ignores the recommendations and orders of the Prosecutor-General's Office," said Krupa of the minister, noting that he's been ignoring meetings of the defence and security committee for two years. He added that lawmakers can only appeal to the minister and have no way of compelling them to attend. PEZINOK - The trial concerning a knife attack at a secondary school in the town of Spisska Stara Ves (Presov region), which claimed the lives of two women, began at the Specialised Criminal Court (STS) in Pezinok on Monday, with the defendant Samuel S. [name abbreviated due to legal reasons] facing charges of premeditated murder, both completed and attempted, and in the preparation stage. The defendant sought to enter a plea bargain, but the prosecutor didn't agree to this. The victims of the knife attack that took place on 16 January 2025 were two women aged 18 and 51, a student and the school's deputy headteacher. Another student was injured. The police charged the suspect, at that time an 18-year-old student, with premeditated murder. He was detained in custody by a court's decision. ko