MORNING NEWS HIGHLIGHTS - Monday, 20 April 2026 - 9 a.m.

TASR brings a quick morning overview of the most important events seen in Slovakia on the previous day (Sunday, 19 April): BRATISLAVA - The D1 motorway from Bratislava toward Trnava will reopen in a few hours, Transport Minister Jozef Raz (a Smer-SD nominee) and director of the National Highway Company (NDS) Filip Machacek told a press conference on Sunday. The section of the motorway from Bratislava's Zlate piesky area to the Bernolakovo (Bratislava region) interchange has been closed since Friday evening (17 April) due to the work to redirect traffic from temporary diversion lanes to the expanded D1. "It's great that after such a long time - during which we had to use temporary narrowed lanes at this D4/D1 intersection when traveling to and from Bratislava - we can finally look forward to a full three-lane section and, in part, a full four-lane section," stated the minister. Since last Sunday, 12 April, drivers entering the capital have been using the reconstructed section of the D1 motorway from the Bernolakovo interchange to Bratislava's Zlate piesky area. According to the NDS head, the traffic situation on this very section proves that it was truly worth it. "It was worth it, because even that [last] Monday was completely problem-free, and I'm very happy that the work here makes a difference. It's the busiest motorway in Slovakia, so I think it deserves this look and everything we have here," added Machacek. BRATISLAVA - The opposition Progressive Slovakia (PS) party will enter next year's parliamentary election with three key topics, including economic growth, the fight against corruption, and the cost-of-living crisis, PS leader and MP Michal Simecka said on JOJ 24's discussion programme 'Politika 24' (Politics 24) on Sunday. Regarding the cost-of-living crisis, PS would like to focus on housing, energy prices, and construction of flats. "We have a very detailed plan for this, which people can look at, that I presented on how to double the pace of apartment construction. Because the problem with high prices of flats, as well as rents, is that there are simply not enough flats," said Simecka. The PS leader also revealed, in connection with the parliamentary election, that the party is in talks about cooperation with several opposition parties. When asked whether, in case of parliamentary election, he would prefer smaller parties to join forces or for him to be the leader who unites all parties into a single bloc, he replied, "whatever that will work". Simecka also didn't directly answer who he could imagine as the PS leader in his place, noting however, that there are many capable candidates to replace him. BRATISLAVA - The opposition Christian Democrats (KDH) will run in the elections as independent party and with a clear plan to bring about change, KDH leader and MP Milan Majersky stated, TASR has learnt from the party's communications department on Sunday. KDH is convinced that only a strong KDH can guarantee a stable government without current Premier Robert Fico (Smer-SD), one that will jump-start the economy, help families, and reform the health-care system. Majersky believes that large-scale mergers into broad blocs risk eroding right-wing and conservative values and depriving voters of a clear choice. "KDH represents this alternative today, and we won't compromise on our conservative values. A government with KDH will be a government without chaos, without experiments, and focused on providing real help to people," added Majersky. TALLINN/BRATISLAVA - Estonia won't allow the Slovak government aircraft carrying Premier Robert Fico (Smer-SD) to fly over its territory during his trip to Moscow for the Victory Day celebrations on 9 May, country's Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna stated on Sunday. Fico had already said on Saturday (18 April) that Lithuania and Latvia would also not grant him overflight permission. "Fico will once again not be granted permission to fly through Estonian airspace on his way to Moscow, where he is scheduled to attend a military parade on 9 May that serves to celebrate the aggressor. We rejected this last year, and the same principle applies now," emphasised Tsahkna, according to a statement on the Foreign Affairs Ministry's website. The minister added that Estonia's position is clear - no country may use its airspace to deepen ties with Moscow at a time when Russia continues to violate international rules, wage an aggressive war against Ukraine, and threaten the security of all of Europe. Fico announced on Saturday (18 April) that he wouldn't receive permission from Vilnius or Riga either. "Lithuania and Latvia have already informed us that they won't allow us to fly over their territory on our way to Moscow. Oh well, European Union member states won't let the prime minister of another EU member state fly over their territory. I'm sure I'll find another route, just as I did last year when Estonia torpedoed our plans," he stated. BUDAPEST - Ukraine has indicated its readiness to resume Russian oil supplies via the Druzhba pipeline to Hungary and Slovakia as early as Monday (20 April), provided Budapest stops blocking the disbursement of a €90-billion European Union loan to Kiev, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban stated on Sunday, adding that he had received this information from Brussels. "Hungary's position hasn't changed: no oil = no money. As soon as oil supplies resume, we will no longer stand in the way of the loan," Orban wrote on X. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Tuesday that the pipeline will be back in operation by the end of April. "As for the pipeline, as we promised, it will be repaired by the end of April. Not completely, but enough for it to function," he added. Oil from Russia hasn't been flowing through the Druzhba pipeline to refineries in Hungary and Slovakia since 27 January. Both Orban and Slovak Premier Robert Fico (Smer-SD) have repeatedly claimed that the pipeline is not damaged and that Ukraine is refusing to resume transit due to political reasons. In this context, Budapest is blocking the disbursement of an already agreed-upon EU loan as well as the adoption of the 20th package of sanctions against Russia. jrg