MORNING NEWS HIGHLIGHTS - Wednesday, 19 August 2026 - 9 a.m.

TASR brings a quick morning overview of the most important events seen in Slovakia on the previous day (Tuesday, 18 August): BRATISLAVA - If Economy Minister Denisa Sakova (Voice-SD) doesn't agree with the valuation of CEZ's stake in the Slovak Nuclear Energy Company (JESS), she should negotiate more favourable terms, Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD) stated on Tuesday, adding that he's prepared to provide the necessary political support to the Economy Ministry. In the coming days, the premier will therefore facilitate further negotiations between the parties concerned. Fico also asked the economy minister to conclude the process of settling co-ownership relations as soon as possible and to ensure that failure to meet the deadlines set by the government doesn't give rise to speculation and unfounded accusations. In addition, he expects Sakova and representatives of the state-owned Nuclear and Decommissioning Company (JAVYS) to take the necessary legal action in response to the circulation of information suggesting that, when it comes to settling the shares, 'someone wants to pocket €90 million'. CEZ is also already considering legal action. "At the same time, it's true that the minister in question can't compensate for an inability to fulfil a government task by torpedoing the entire project, should I, as prime minister of the Slovak Republic, be forced to exercise my powers in order to protect this strategic project," added Fico. BRATISLAVA - If the process of buying out Czech energy group CEZ's stake in the Slovak Nuclear Energy Company (JESS) is to continue under the auspices of the Economy Ministry, it is essential that the price should be confirmed by an independent international expert valuation, and if Premier Robert Fico (Smer-SD) and the Government Office are in a better position to negotiate the best possible price for Slovakia, the coalition Voice-SD party is prepared to approve the transfer of this task to the government without delay. "Voice supports the construction of a new nuclear power plant because it's important in terms of Slovakia's energy self-sufficiency. However, in these difficult times of consolidation, the public needs to know that the state intends to pay a reasonable, fair and transparent price for its development, without any suspicion that it's overpriced," the party emphasised in its statement. Voice-SD went on to say that it is precisely a transparent process when determining the buy-out price for CEZ's stake that will guarantee that there will be no unfounded speculation. "If the prime minister sees better options for the Government Office to negotiate the best possible price for Slovakia, or if he has the opportunity to act at the intergovernmental level, given that this is a transaction between a Slovak and a Czech state-owned company, then Voice will support such a solution. It's prepared to approve without delay, at a cabinet meeting, the transfer of shareholder rights in JAVYS to the Government Office," announced the party. "If the process is to continue under the Economy Ministry, we consider it to be essential to confirm the price via an independent international expert valuation that will be drawn up in collaboration with all interested parties, including CEZ," added Voice-SD. BRATISLAVA - The junior governing Slovak National Party (SNS) wants to hold talks with the extra-parliamentary far-right Republic party on supporting each other's candidates for regional governors and mayors, SNS spokeswoman Zuzana Skopcova announced in relation to the party presidium's decision on Tuesday, adding that the party is ready to support Republic's vice-chair Milan Mazurek as a candidate for Presov regional governor if Republic will support SNS MP Adam Lucansky, who is running for Zilina regional governor. "At today's meeting, the SNS presidium called on the Republic party and gave SNS chair Andrej Danko a mandate to hold talks with [Republic's] chair Milan Uhrik on potential cooperation in the regional elections," stated Skopcova. SNS is also ready to make political compromises in other municipalities and cities, agreeing to support Uhrik's wife Zuzana Uhrikova, who is running for Nitra mayor with the backing of Republic. "SNS believes that Republic will accept an outstretched hand and that Milan Uhrik and the political party that he represents will understand that, in order for us to be successful together, we can't avoid cooperating in some regions," said Skopcova. BRATISLAVA - As part of an operation codenamed 'Invoice', carried out on Tuesday by the Office for Combating Organised Crime (UBOK) of the Police Corps Presidium, charges have been brought against A.K. [name abbreviated due to legal reasons] in connection with the fraudulent disbursement of funds intended for the functioning of mobile testing facilities, known as MOMs, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the police posted on social media on Tuesday, adding that as an employee of the Health Ministry, the accused is alleged to have caused the ministry loss amounting to almost €1.8 million. The Health Ministry told TASR that it has been, and will continue to be, cooperative with the law enforcement bodies should they request it. According to the ministry, it doesn't have any further details regarding Tuesday's police operation or the course of the investigation itself. "According to the findings to date, the accused, as an employee of the Health Ministry, is alleged to have entered data from false invoices into the ministry's accounting and financial system between March and December 2021. These invoices hadn't been properly registered at the ministry's registry office," wrote the police. The invoices are alleged to have misused the identification details of actual operators of mobile testing facilities with whom the ministry had concluded cooperation agreements. However, the bank accounts listed for these entities were said to belong to other individuals. "Based on the data entered in this way, the system generated payment documents, and the funds intended for the fictitious operation of mobile collection points were transferred to accounts that didn't belong to the actual operators," stated the police, adding that between 31 March 2021 and 30 December 2021, a total of €1,777,849.71 was allegedly paid out in this way. BRATISLAVA - The opposition Christian Democrats (KDH) want to bring the discussion on irrigation and drought into Parliament, and in their draft resolution submitted for the September session they're calling on the government to take concrete steps, while urging it not to sign a €500-million public-private partnership (PPP) project to modernise irrigation systems, the party told a press conference on Tuesday. "We want to open a discussion on the parliamentary floor because this is a matter of national importance, strategic infrastructure, and, ultimately, food security," said KDH MP and parliamentary caucus leader Marian Caucik. According to him, the irrigation systems in Slovakia are largely defunct, while Agriculture and Rural Development Minister Richard Takac (Smer-SD) is failing to address the issue. "Last week, he presented some measures that we consider to be nothing more than a sticking plaster. This isn't a systematic renewal of irrigation, nor is it about retaining water in the landscape. The government is handling this issue on its own and behind closed doors. There's no discussion in this process," said Caucik, adding that the issue is too important to be handled in the way that the government is currently doing so. "The government has had a plan for irrigation renewal since 2023, along with €32 million, an institution responsible for it, and three years of time. Why has it failed to do its homework?" asked KDH MP Rastislav Kratky, who doesn't understand why, after years of inactivity, the state is seeking salvation in a foreign investor who will be earning a margin on the investment for 20 to 30 years. At a press conference on Tuesday, Takac also commented on KDH's claims regarding the €32 million earmarked for irrigation in the current Strategic Plan for the Common Agricultural Policy for 2023-2027. According to KDH, calls for proposals for this funding haven't yet been announced. "These calls for proposals are being prepared; they are currently with the monitoring committee, where they are being reviewed, and they'll be published within two weeks or so," said the minister, adding that he expects state-owned enterprise Hydromelioracie and farmers to apply and to carry out various activities eligible under the call. am