MORNING NEWS HIGHLIGHTS - Friday, 9 October 2026 - 9 a.m.

TASR brings a quick morning overview of the most important events seen in Slovakia on the previous day (Thursday, 8 October): BRATISLAVA - The extra-parliamentary 'We Are Family and Suliks' party views the stance taken by opposition MPs during the no-confidence motion in now former environment minister Tomas Taraba as an ill-considered move, party leader Boris Kollar and MP Jana Bitto Ciganikova (Independent), who should run on the party's slate in the next general election, told a news conference on Thursday. They point out that disputes and problems within the coalition were resolved following Taraba's dismissal. They fear that the situation has now calmed down and that the current governing coalition will remain in power until the next regular general election. "[Environment Ministry State Secretary] Filip Kuffa will replace Taraba. How will that help nature conservation? In my opinion, not at all. And I ask: how will it help people? Once again, it will just put another burden on them. Premier Robert Fico [Smer-SD] emerged as the winner once again. There is a strong chance that this governing coalition, this quarrelsome hodge-podge, will remain in office until the next regular general election. If the opposition had just let things be, it could have simply sat back and enjoyed it, eaten popcorn and waited for them to fall out," said Kollar. BRATISLAVA - At a press conference of the coalition Smer-SD party on Thursday, Finance Minister Ladislav Kamenicky (Smer-SD) asked coalition MPs to refrain from tabling amendments to the budget that could trigger disputes within the coalition. The party representatives who were present at the press conference also criticised speeches made by opposition MPs during the parliamentary debate. "Apart from the indexation of salaries, on which we've all agreed including at the Coalition Council meeting, we've also agreed not to introduce proposals similar to those that we saw in 2023. We want to deliver on what we've proposed," said Kamenicky. The finance minister described the opposition's statements as contradictory and misleading. "Everything is bad in Slovakia, both when there's no increase in salaries, and also when there is one," he said. House Vice-chair Tibor Gaspar (Smer-SD) rejected opposition claims that the coalition would attempt to "plunder" the state in the event of a provisional budget. Kamenicky stressed that a provisional budget would not be "plain sailing" for the government and expressed hope that it won't come to that. BRATISLAVA - Police officers' salaries will increase by €350 per month on average next year, with pay rises also to be enjoyed by other employees of the Interior Ministry, including firefighters and district office staff, Interior Minister Matus Sutaj Estok (Voice-SD) told a press conference on Thursday. "We've increased our original €200 promise to €350. That's valid and applicable, that's covered in the Interior Ministry's budget chapter, and the increase has been signed off," stated Sutaj Estok, adding that he signed a collective agreement with the police trade union. The average €350 increase consists of an 8.4-percent pay rise under the collective agreement, which police officers will receive as of July 2027, while the second component includes a €150 increase in risk allowances from January 2027. Sutaj Estok also pointed out that the pay rise is conditional on the approval of the state budget. The salaries of firefighters and mountain rescuers should also increase by an average of €170 per month as of July of next year. MARTIN - The construction of the new St. Martin's University Hospital in Martin (Zilina region) will cost €403 million (excluding VAT), Premier Robert Fico (Smer-SD) told a news conference in Martin on Thursday. When the money from the Recovery and Resilience Plan is exhausted, the project will be financed from the state budget for next year. According to Fico, the hospital should be fully equipped and ready to begin operating by the end of 2028. "The Recovery and Resilience Plan has provided €263 million (excluding VAT). At the moment, €220 million has been invoiced, which means there is still €40 million in the account to be used. The total value of the project is €403 million excluding VAT, and we guarantee that the funding required for construction in 2027 will be provided in next year's budget," stated Fico. Once completed, the new hospital in Martin will be one of the most modern hospitals in Central Europe, stated the premier. "As the existing hospital in Martin is currently the only facility testing robotics and the use of artificial intelligence, it's natural that all of this will be transferred to the new hospital. It will be a fully digitised hospital providing health-care services across all medical specialties imaginable," stressed Fico. WASHINGTON/BRATISLAVA - Economy Minister Denisa Sakova (Voice-SD) held talks with US officials on options to bring more LNG from the USA to Europe, as well as on alternative oil supplies, Sakova has stated on social media, adding that the talks were also attended by representatives of gas utility SPP and the Slovnaft refinery. At the White House, the Slovak delegation met with Jarrod Agen, Assistant to US President Donald Trump and Executive Director of the National Energy Dominance Council, and subsequently at the US Department of the Treasury with Deputy Secretary Francis Brooke. "I'm pleased that our US partners expressed support for the steps and timetable of the Slovak government. The US administration promised to implement all necessary measures towards ending Russian oil supplies by the end of 2027," stated Sakova. According to her, the Adria pipeline is currently the only realistic alternative oil route for Slovakia. She therefore discussed the possibilities of using this pipeline, as well as other projects that would strengthen the security of supply for Slovakia and the region as whole. BRATISLAVA - Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD) has criticised a statue mocking US President Donald Trump that is being displayed on the premises of the European Parliament (EP), describing it as a sign of the decline of the entire European Union (EU) while urging its removal, TASR learnt from the Government Office's press department on Thursday. Fico stated that he doesn't agree with all of the American president's policies, not by a long shot. However, he stressed the need for dialogue and mutual respect among partners. "At a time that calls for dialogue and mutual respect, insulting our partners on official premises demonstrates a profound failure to understand the times in which we live," stated Fico. He also criticised the EP leadership, stating that it can no longer distinguish between the legitimate right to hold a different opinion and the "actions of spiritually bankrupt individuals, adventurers and lunatics". ko