MORNING NEWS HIGHLIGHTS - Thursday, 16 April 2026 - 9 a.m.

TASR brings a quick morning overview of the most important events seen in Slovakia on the previous day (Wednesday, 15 April): BRATISLAVA - President Peter Pellegrini should take up a stance regarding allegations that his presidential campaign was financed illegally, unsuccessful presidential candidate and member of the opposition Progressive Slovakia (PS) party Ivan Korcok stated on Wednesday, emphasising that neither he nor his team ever offered anyone any financial compensation for expressing support. "One of his [Pellegrini's] supporters says that an agency approached her and gave her money. Moreover, she offered money to others in exchange for public support. The president owes us all an explanation as to where the funds he obviously gave to influencers are accounted for, and where we can find them in a transparent account," said Korcok. Korcok noted that Pellegrini has already received one fine for violating the rules governing the financing of his presidential campaign. "It's very sad that after two years of the president's term, his only legacy is that we're here discussing how he actually got into the Presidential Palace," he added. BRATISLAVA - Slovak President Peter Pellegrini has denied paying influencers to express support for him during the 2024 presidential election campaign, claiming that he didn't even ask for it. The head of state said this in a video posted on a social network on Wednesday, adding that elections should be decided by people based on their own opinions. "I believe that the police investigation will continue, I'm not resisting it at all, as it will prove and demonstrate in real time that someone is lying. I didn't pay anyone to sway public opinion via influencers before the elections, and I never will," stated Pellegrini. It was Dennik N daily that broke the news about suspicions regarding the financing of the presidential campaign. It reported that an influencer has been summoned by the police for questioning in order to verify the allegations, as he was allegedly contacted by another influencer two years ago during the 2024 campaign and offered €30,000 in exchange for supporting Pellegrini on social media. BRATISLAVA - The opposition Christian Democrats (KDH) have called on Premier Robert Fico (Smer-SD) to explain the remarks made by Peter Magyar, the leader of the victorious Tisza party and candidate for Hungarian prime minister. According to KDH, these remarks suggest that the transport of migrants to the Slovak border was organised prior to the last Slovak elections. The opposition 'Slovakia' party claims that the wave of migration wasn't accidental but the result of political calculation, and speaks of a deliberately created crisis. "KDH will initiate the convening of a meeting of the House defence and security committee and summoning Prime Minister Robert Fico and Interior Minister Matus Sutaj Estok [Voice-SD] to address this matter. We'll ask the following questions: Did Robert Fico arrange for migrants to be present at the borders to scare people and manipulate public sentiment? Does he no longer mind migrants in Slovakia as long as they serve his political goals? Did Viktor Orban's Hungary influence the Slovak elections in this way?" stated member of the defence and security committee Andrea Turcanova (KDH). BRATISLAVA - Labour, Social Affairs and Family Minister Erik Tomas (Voice-SD) will insist that lump-sum allowances for ministers should be frozen and will push for the government to include and approve a resolution on the matter. Speaking ahead of Wednesday's cabinet meeting, Tomas claimed that the proposal has also secured support from the Slovak National Party (SNS). He underlined that Voice-SD is committed to honouring a coalition agreement on freezing these allowances. "I believe that it's clear and verifiable that such an agreement existed, as it's also been confirmed by Finance Minister Ladislav Kamenicky (Smer-SD)," said Tomas. Support for the measure has also been declared by SNS chairman Andrej Danko, who had previously stated that his party agrees that ministers' lump-sum allowances should be frozen. Tomas said that Voice-SD has had a draft resolution prepared for two weeks, but it hasn't yet been included on the government's agenda. "This issue was discussed by the coalition council, but remained unresolved. We'll insist that such a resolution should be included in the government meeting and approved," he added. BRATISLAVA - Fuel supplies in Slovakia are sufficient, and the Slovnaft refinery is ramping up to full capacity, said Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD) during Wednesday's cabinet meeting. The government will maintain restrictions on the volume of diesel per vehicle, but it's considering raising the limits both in terms of quantity and total value. "By making changes to the government regulation related to the oil crisis, Slovnaft is once again fulfilling its supply obligations to Hungary and the Czech Republic. However, it remains the case that Slovnaft doesn't export any diesel to Ukraine," he said. Reopening the Druzhba oil pipeline remains a priority for the Slovak government. "That's why we are closely monitoring statements from the newly elected political representation in Hungary, which I consider positive. I'm already trying to establish direct contact with the chair of the Tisza party, because I want to be sure that, regarding the Druzhba pipeline, Slovakia and Hungary will continue to stand side by side and fight for it to be reopened," he underlined. BRATISLAVA - Future retirees whose combined pension from the first and second pillars would be lower than from the first pillar alone should be able to choose to receive their pension only from the first pillar, said Labour Minister Erik Tomas (Voice-SD) ahead of Wednesday's cabinet session. A working group at the Labour, Social Affairs and the Family Ministry is discussing the proposal, which Tomas described as "very factual". "Before retiring, people would be allowed to decide what's better for them: whether to receive a pension from both the first and second pillars, or to return to [state social-insurer] Socialna poistovna and receive a pension from the first pillar only," he explained. He underlined that it wouldn't be possible to leave the second pillar in any other way, nor would contribution rates be reduced. ko