MORNING NEWS HIGHLIGHTS - Sunday, 12 July 2026 - 9 a.m.

TASR brings a quick morning overview of the most important events seen in Slovakia on the previous day (Saturday, 11 July): BRATISLAVA - President Peter Pellegrini will travel to Azerbaijan on an official visit on Monday (13 July) at the invitation of President Ilham Aliyev, the President's Office reported on Saturday. The visit follows the first-ever trip to Slovakia by an Azerbaijani head of state in December last year. Accompanying the president will be Defence Minister Robert Kalinak (Smer-SD), Economy Minister Denisa Sakova, Interior Minister Matus Sutaj Estok (both Voice-SD), and Slovak Central Bank Governor Peter Kazimir. The key event of the visit will be Tuesday's (14 July) meeting between the two presidents in the Karabakh region. Discussions will focus on deepening energy cooperation, supporting Slovak exports, expanding industrial and technological cooperation, and improving transport links between the two countries. The leaders will also discuss the possible involvement of Slovak partners in reconstruction and development projects in conflict-affected areas. Pellegrini is also slated to visit the Agdam region, where he will tour the Smart Village project in Bas Garvand and lay the foundation stone for a new school to be named after General Milan Rastislav Stefanik. On Wednesday (15 July), the president will hold talks in Baku with Prime Minister Ali Asadov and Speaker of the Azerbaijani parliament Sahiba Gafarova. In addition, he's scheduled to meet Vladimir Fekete, the Apostolic Prefect serving in Azerbaijan. During his stay in the capital, Pellegrini will lay a wreath at the Alley of Martyrs and pay tribute at the grave of Azerbaijan's national leader Heydar Aliyev. A Slovak-Azerbaijani Business Forum will also be held in Baku alongside the president's programme, with the participation of Slovak business representatives. The aim of the forum is to provide opportunities, expand trade cooperation, establish new partnerships, and support Slovak companies seeking to enter the Azerbaijani market. "The continuation of political dialogue at the highest level between Bratislava and Baku confirms both countries' commitment to developing bilateral relations in areas of strategic importance for future development — from energy security and economic cooperation to innovation, transport and technological partnerships," the President's Office said. FILAKOVO - A fire that broke out on the first floor of an apartment building in Zeleznicna Street in Filakovo (Banska Bystrica region) on Saturday morning prompted the evacuation of residents, and several people, including a four-year-old child, suffered smoke inhalation, Banska Bystrica local police spokesperson Petra Kovacikova told TASR on the same day. The child was resuscitated at the scene before being airlifted to hospital. "Our colleagues from Filakovo tried to assist firefighters with the evacuation, but the thick smoke prevented them from doing so. Several residents suffered smoke inhalation, and a number of people, including children, required treatment from paramedics and transport to hospital," Kovacikova said. She added that the condition of the four-year-old child was critical. Emergency responders, including a police officer from Filakovo, successfully resuscitated the child before an air ambulance transported the patient to hospital in Banska Bystrica. Air Transport-Europe (ATE) said on social media that the injured child, a young girl, sustained an inhalation injury in the fire. After the helicopter landed, the attending doctor provided additional treatment at the scene before she was transferred on board and flown in a stabilised condition to the Children's Faculty Hospital with Polyclinic in Banska Bystrica for further diagnosis and treatment. According to Kovacikova, the cause of the fire has not yet been established. "The Lucenec investigator has opened a criminal investigation into the suspected offence of general endangerment with respect to the fire," she added, noting that all the circumstances surrounding the incident remain under investigation. BRATISLAVA - Propane cylinders exploded during a fire on Ivanska in Bratislava, near the airport, overnight into Saturday, with the explosions triggered by the blaze. No one was injured, Firefighter and Rescue Service regional spokesperson Stefan Koci confirmed to TASR. Police have launched a criminal investigation. Firefighters were called to Ivanska shortly after midnight following reports of a fire affecting part of a building, a waste container area and nearby vegetation. "Before fire crews arrived at the scene, propane cylinders stored in the waste container area exploded. The blast damaged six passenger cars parked nearby," Koci told TASR. During their inspection, firefighters found four propane cylinders in total, two of which had already exploded. They also searched the building's interior and roof and monitored the site using a thermal imaging camera. A fire investigator was also called to the scene. Bratislava regional police spokesperson Lukas Pecek told TASR that police received the report shortly after midnight. "Criminal proceedings have been initiated with respect to the offence of public endangerment. Officers from the Bratislava II District Police Directorate continue to investigate the circumstances of the case," he said. mf