MORNING NEWS HIGHLIGHTS - Thursday, 30 April 2026 - 9 a.m.

TASR brings a quick morning overview of the most important events seen in Slovakia on the previous day (Wednesday, 29 April): BRATISLAVA - The Supreme Court on Wednesday confirmed a 21-year prison sentence for shooter Juraj Cintula for his assassination attempt on Premier Robert Fico (Smer-SD), finding him guilty of committing a terrorist attack. The ruling by the court of appeal, which slightly corrected the legal classification imposed by the first-instance court, is final. Cintula was charged with a terrorist attack committed against a protected person, for which he faced a life sentence. There was no doubt that he had committed the act; the bone of contention was its legal classification. The Specialised Criminal Court (STS) last year sentenced Cintula to 21 years in prison for committing a terrorist act. The senate at that time emphasised that the defendant didn't attack the premier as a citizen of the Slovak Republic, but explicitly as the premier, with whose policies he disagreed. Cintula appealed against the verdict, arguing that he had no intention of destabilising Slovakia's constitutional order or its executive branch. A prosecutor of the Prosecutor-General's (PG) Office viewed the first-instance court's ruling as correct and fair. She therefore proposed that the Supreme Court should dismiss the defendant's appeal and uphold STS's ruling. She described the defendant's argumentation as expedient. BRATISLAVA - Former leader and founder of the opposition Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) party Richard Sulik held a news conference on Wednesday to announce that he's quitting the party. Sulik terminated his membership of SaS as of Wednesday. At the same time, he announced that he'll run in the next general election together with Jana Bitto Ciganikova (Independent). Sulik doesn't yet know on which party's slate he'll run. He only said that several options are on the table, including the extra-parliamentary 'We Are Family' party. "I've decided to run together with Jana Bitto Ciganikova and surprisingly also with many others who miss the kind of politics we represent. We have several options on the table, and yes, I'm saying it straight away, 'We Are a Family' is one of them. However, it isn't the only one. No decision has been made yet. We'll announce which option we'll ultimately choose in the autumn," he said. Sulik cited a significant shift in the party's values as the main reason behind his departure from SaS. His decision has also been influenced by the expulsion of Bitto Ciganikova from the party. "I learned from the media that I'm no longer allowed to run for SaS. The last outspoken representative of the original values has been expelled from the party, and, moreover, the party that I founded has undergone a significant value shift. Well, to be honest, there's no reason to remain in SaS any longer," he said. DUBROVNIK/BRATISLAVA – The Three Seas Initiative should focus on better connectivity among its members, stronger education, less regulation, the gaining of greater respect and a sharper focus on security, said President Peter Pellegrini at a business forum discussion in Dubrovnik on Wednesday. Pellegrini stated that countries in the initiative lack abundant natural resources and should therefore invest in people and in the ability to apply modern technologies. "Even if we may not become global leaders in research and development, we can create an environment to implement modern technologies quickly and thus outpace larger and more advanced countries that may be less flexible than Slovakia or this region," he said. According to Pellegrini, Three Seas countries should also work to create an environment in which excessive regulation doesn't hinder development. He added that the bloc should have a stronger voice within the EU, as its members on average achieve double the economic growth of older member states. Security should be another priority. "Security will be a key factor in the future when deciding where to place investments, develop business or whether companies remain in a given country," he said. BRATISLAVA - Parliamentary Vice-chair Andrej Danko (Slovak National Party) has announced that he'll submit a motion to Parliament next week to pass a resolution that would call on Hungary's designated prime minister Peter Magyar to refrain from using terms that question Slovakia's statehood. Danko said this in a statement to journalists in Parliament on Wednesday. "If Magyar wants to be a dignified prime minister of Hungary, he shouldn't insult the Slovak Republic, its statehood, with words such as 'Felvidek'. For years we have worked not to revisit the traumas of the past," said Danko, describing Magyar's remarks as undignified, and criticising him for repeating them. "His politics are typical of liberal nationalism," he added. [Felvidek is a Hungarian name for Slovakia harking back to the Kingdom of Hungary until 1918 that is viewed as derogatory in Slovakia - ed. note.]. Danko also suggested that if Magyar doesn't understand what the Slovak Republic is, he should consider visiting the country. "Any talk about 'Felvidek' should be confined to the previous century," he stated, adding that he hopes Magyar has made such remarks for the last time. "I believe that this will also be conveyed to him by the Slovak prime minister and the Slovak president," he said. BRATISLAVA - A European Parliament resolution that includes a recommendation for the European Commission to suspend EU funds for Slovakia is, according to coalition MPs, a baseless interference in politics that will increase as parliamentary elections approach. Opposition MP Veronika Remisova ('Slovakia'-For the People) described it as an international disgrace and a consequence of the current government's policies. The European Parliament on Wednesday approved the discharge report on the implementation of the European Union's general budget for 2024. In the resolution, MEPs formally called on the European Commission to trigger the conditionality mechanism against Slovakia, a process that could lead to the freezing of EU funds. "I see it as one of dozens of meaningless resolutions that have no binding character for the European Commission," said Smer-SD MP Richard Gluck. He claimed the resolution had been "ordered" by the opposition party, Progressive Slovakia, "from friends in the EP faction". Smer-SD MP Tibor Gaspar said similar "attacks" will only intensify in the run-up to the upcoming 2027 parliamentary election. MP and chair of the Slovak National Party, Andrej Danko, believes the move represents interference in politics by the European Parliament. He said he intends to approach Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD) to initiate legislative changes to ensure Slovakia does not lose its veto rights in the EU. MOSCOW/BRATISLAVA - Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico will attend the Victory Day celebrations marking the defeat of fascism in Moscow on 9 May, Russian presidential adviser Yuri Ushakov confirmed on Wednesday. TASR has reported this based on information released by Russian news agencies TASS and RIA Novosti. "There will be guests. Much is being said about Fico, so I can confirm that he will attend," Ushakov told reporters when asked about the foreign visitors expected at the event. It remains unclear which route Fico will take to reach Moscow. Estonia said on 19 April it wouldn't allow an overflight, while the prime minister himself stated that he wouldn't receive permission from Lithuania or Latvia, either. However, Lithuanian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Kristina Belik later said that no such request had been submitted by Slovakia. Slovakia has also requested overflight permission from Poland. Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski said at a press conference on Monday that the problem with the Slovak prime minister's travel to Moscow via Poland "no longer exists". ko