MORNING NEWS HIGHLIGHTS - Sunday, 26 April 2026 - 9 a.m.

TASR brings a quick morning overview of the most important events seen in Slovakia on the previous day (Saturday, 25 April): BRATISLAVA - The Standard and Poor's (S&P) rating agency has lowered Slovakia's rating from 'A+' with negative outlook to 'A' with stable outlook, the Finance Ministry reported on Friday (24 April). The ministry stated that this move was expected, as S&P's previous rating was two notches higher compared to other agencies. The main reasons primarily include negative external factors slowing down the economy, such as problems faced by Slovakia's largest trading partners in the EU, energy risks, the oil crisis, and global uncertainty. The agency was also concerned about the 13th pension payment. In addition to external macroeconomic factors, S&P also cited government decisions regarding "generous social transfers" as one of the reasons for the downgrade. Although acknowledging the fact that the 13th pension payment was specifically pinpointed by S&P, Finance Minister Ladislav Kamenicky (Smer-SD) said that "care and support for seniors is a priority for Prime Minister Robert Fico's (Smer-SD) government, and it's also included in its Manifesto". "I want to emphasise that a socially oriented policy is what we've openly advocated for a long time, with the 13th pension payment being one of its main pillars, and we're not going to change that," stated Kamenicky. BRATISLAVA - Despite three consolidation packages, Slovakia has not reduced its deficits to levels typical of countries with an 'A+' rating, the Council for Budget Responsibility (RRZ) stated on Saturday in response to the downgrade of Slovakia's rating by the Standard and Poor's (S&P) agency, noting that it's now at the lowest level seen in twelve years. Conversely, a significant slowdown in economic growth, as well as government's communication prioritising other goals ahead of parliamentary elections, have contributed to S&P's decision to lower Slovakia's rating to 'A', according to RRZ. S&P justified its Friday (24 April) decision by insufficient progress in the fiscal consolidation efforts and a significant economic slowdown, projecting gross domestic product (GDP) growth at a modest 0.5 percent, with general government deficit expected to widen to 4.7 percent of GDP this year. "At the same time, the agency has warned that the rating could be lowered further if the position of independent and supervisory institutions is eroded. Furthermore, weaker economic growth combined with looser fiscal policy leading to higher deficits and an increase in public debt would also be a negative factor," explained RRZ. BRATISLAVA - Foreign Minister Juraj Blanar (Smer-SD) will pay a working visit to Brunei Darussalam and Malaysia on 26-29 April, TASR reported on Saturday based on information provided by the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs. During his trip, Blanar is due to attend the 25th ministerial meeting of the European Union and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), hold bilateral talks and open a new embassy in Kuala Lumpur with a view to restoring Slovakia's diplomatic presence and supporting business activities in Southeast Asia. In addition to strengthening ties with partners in Southeast Asia and diplomatic relations within ASEAN, Blanar's visit is also aimed at stepping up support for Slovakia's candidacy for non-permanent membership in the UN Security Council, stated the ministry. "The Indo-Pacific is one the most dynamic and strategically significant parts of the world. Slovakia is therefore systematically strengthening its engagement in this region, developing partnerships, and deepening both political and economic cooperation," noted Blanar, adding that the focus on this region constitutes one of the key pillars of Slovakia's foreign policy. BRATISLAVA - Speaking on STVR's politics programme 'Sobotne dialogy' (Saturday Dialogues), House Chair Richard Rasi (Voice-SD) and House vice-chair Martin Dubeci (Progressive Slovakia/PS) have agreed that the Constitution should be amended to allow for shortening the Parliament's electoral term by a referendum. Rasi said the time has come to give people this option, declining to rule out whether Voice-SD would initiate the move. Dubeci noted that this is a legally complex issue and agrees that holding a debate on this subject is necessary. According to Rasi, if people have the power to give their mandate to politicians, they should also have the power to take it away. However, he said, this should be "subject to conditions that would prevent holding the referendum immediately after an election or shortly before the next one". Dubeci believes it's necessary to discuss this issue but refuses to address it through amending proposals. "I think that, in recent years, the Constitution has suffered enough from 'rushed' political ideas, so let's have that discussion," stated Dubeci. He added that he plans to attend the referendum called by President Peter Pellegrini for 4 July this year, but Rasi wasn't able to confirm this for now. jrg