MORNING NEWS HIGHLIGHTS - Sunday, 24 May 2026 - 9 a.m.

TASR brings a quick morning overview of the most important events seen in Slovakia on the previous day (Sunday, 23 May): BRATISLAVA - The Defence Ministry has signed an agreement worth €25 million with US company Lockheed Martin for the supply of spares and repairs for F-16 C/D Block 70 fighter jets until the end of 2030, TASR reported on Saturday based on information published in the Central Register of Contracts. The purpose of the Sustainment Enhanced Basic Ordering Agreement with the fighter jet manufacturer is to establish the terms and conditions under which Lockheed Martin will supply spares and repairs for aircraft maintenance activities, as well as the procedures to be applied for the purchase of such parts. Lockheed Martin has undertaken to provide comprehensive spares and repairs services, including dedicated account and priority program management support, comprehensive source control and warranty coordination, as well as aircraft-on-ground coverage support. The contract for fourteen US-made F-16 C/D Block 70 fighter jets was signed by Slovakia in late 2018, but their delivery was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The first jets arrived at the Kuchyna military airbase near Malacky (Bratislava region) in the summer of 2024. Although Slovakia already owns all of the ordered fighter jets, some of them will remain in the United States while Slovak pilots complete their training. BRATISLAVA - Ombudsman Robert Dobrovodsky has requested police protection for his colleagues' workplace in response to hateful threats his office has been receiving after he recently challenged the conditions for the registration of churches and religious societies before the Constitutional Court, Dobrovodsky wrote on a social network on Saturday, adding that he considers such attacks to be extremely serious and unacceptable. Following the public statements saying that he wants to "Islamise Slovakia", a wave of hateful reactions, insults and threats from specific individuals has been unleashed against him and the Office of the Public Defender of Rights. He pointed out that his submission to the Constitutional Court responded to an initiative from the Old Catholics in Slovakia. "The false rhetoric of public officials can directly contribute to the escalation of aggression towards independent institutions and their staff. That's why I have asked the Police Corps to protect the workplace of my colleagues," said Dobrovodsky, adding that he plans to remain in contact with the police. BRATISLAVA - Smer-SD is trying to keep governance stable despite all the problems, while Slovak National Party (SNS) leader Andrej Danko is stirring public crises and defaming Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD), House vice-chair Tibor Gaspar (Smer-SD) said on STVR's politics programme 'Sobotne dialogy' (Saturday Dialogues), adding that Smer-SD chose not to respond to Danko's personal attacks. Also on the show, opposition Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) vice-chair Marian Viskupic concurred that Danko is an unstable element, reiterating that SaS will run in the upcoming parliamentary election independently and doesn't wish to be part of a broad pre-election coalition. In response to Danko's recent public statements urging Fico to replace Environment Minister Tomas Taraba (an SNS nominee) as part of a government reshuffle, Gaspar said he doesn't understand Danko because it was him who nominated Taraba to the post, which means that Danko should have been able to discuss environmental matters with him at any time. According to Gaspar, Smer-SD is acting in government as promised. "And if anyone is bringing the style of governance we witnessed in 2023, it's Andrej Danko," stated Gaspar, noting that the coalition has 78 more or less reliable votes, and if Taraba were to return to Parliament, it could change the whole situation. He considers the question of Taraba running on the Smer-SD slate in the next parliamentary election to be premature. "Minister Taraba himself said that he hasn't yet negotiated this possibility with Smer-SD," noted Gaspar. BRUSSELS - The global agreement signed between the European Union and Mexico is good news for Slovakia as well, stated Economy Minister Denisa Sakova (Voice-SD) following a meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council - trade segment in Brussels. At the 8th EU-Mexico Summit in Mexico City, the EU and Mexico signed the Modernised Global Agreement and interim Trade Agreement, with both sides having agreed to deepen political and economic cooperation at a time of growing global uncertainty. Sakova noted she had recently discussed this issue with European Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security Maros Sefcovic, who accompanied European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, European Council President Antonio Costa and EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas to Mexico. "I absolutely welcome his activities over recent months and years, as he strives to open up new markets for Europe in his role as trade commissioner. The agreement with Mexico will certainly help the European economy because it opens up a new market for us. After India, this is another large new market with enormous potential," said Sakova, hoping that the trade agreement would be ratified as soon as possible to allow Europeans to export their products to this market. jrg