SUMMARY - Monday, 19 October 2026 - 5 p.m.

Bratislava, 19 October (TASR) - The V4 (Visegrad Four) countries (the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia) would like to channel European funds towards supporting industry in light of high energy prices, to enable the financing of companies' operating costs when drawing up further financial programmes, and to place nuclear energy on an equal footing with renewable energy sources (RES) in policy frameworks, Economy Minister Denisa Sakova (Voice-SD) stated on Monday following a meeting in Bratislava of the V4 countries' ministers responsible for energy and European Commissioner for Energy and Housing Dan Jorgensen, at which they signed a joint declaration on priorities in this area for the European Union. https://etasr.sk/article/23836954 Martin, 19 October (TAS) - Officers of the Police Corps Presidium's National Anti-Drugs Unit as part of an operation codenamed 'Finisher 2' arrested on Monday three people and charged two men, aged 34 and 25, with the particularly serious crime of the unauthorised production of and trafficking in narcotic and psychotropic substances, TASR was told by spokesperson for the Police Corps Headquarters Roman Hajek. https://etasr.sk/article/23837082 Bratislava, 19 October (TASR) - The Agriculture and Rural Development Ministry has prepared a state aid scheme to support small food retail stores in rural areas, Agriculture Minister Richard Takac (Smer-SD) announced at a joint press conference with Czech Industry and Trade Minister Karel Havlicek on Monday. https://etasr.sk/article/23836848 Bratislava, 19 October (TASR) - Slovakia sold government bonds totalling €530.4 million in its regular monthly auction in October, with maturity dates ranging from three to 25 years, at the average annual interest rates amounting to 3.622 - 4.694 percent, the Debt and Liquidity Management Agency (ARDAL) reported on Monday. https://etasr.sk/article/23836760 Bratislava, 19 October (TASR) - The Public Procurement Office (UVO) has initiated proceedings, as part of a restricted tender for the construction of the Turany-Hubova section of the D1 motorway, following objections to the conditions set out in other documents required for the preparation of a request to participate, the office announced on Monday in its journal, stating that the strategic agenda supervision department had initiated the objection proceedings on 16 October. https://etasr.sk/article/23836822 Bratislava, 19 October (TASR) - The management of state-owned railway infrastructure operator ZSR has initiated a meeting with negotiators from the Railways Trade Union's (OZZ) branch operating at ZSR for Thursday (22 October) in order to discuss a mediator's proposal for a collective agreement, OZZ announced on social media on Monday. https://etasr.sk/article/23837138 Bratislava, 19 October (TASR) - The number of older people in Slovakia has exceeded one million in the last two years, and their share of the total population is steadily increasing, TASR was told by Anna Cerulikova from the communications department at the Statistics Office. https://etasr.sk/article/23837163 Bratislava, 19 October (TASR) - Social-insurance provider Socialna poistovna (SP) plans to open a new client centre in the Eurovea shopping mall in Bratislava in 2027, SP representatives announced at a news conference on Monday, adding that the centre should provide services to clients seven days a week. https://etasr.sk/article/23837000 Notice: If you click on the link or copy it into the search window, the browser will display the full text of the message in the new e-TASR client zone. If you have any questions, please contact obchod@tasr.sk. am