MORNING NEWS HIGHLIGHTS - Monday, 26 October 2026 - 9 a.m.

TASR brings a quick morning overview of the most important events seen in Slovakia on the previous day (Sunday, 25 October): BRATISLAVA - The State Electoral Commission on Sunday confirmed the results of Saturday's (24 October) regional elections, with all eight self-governing regions retaining their incumbent governors. Juraj Droba (Freedom and Solidarity, Progressive Slovakia, Democrats, Team Bratislava) will continue to head Bratislava region, having secured approximately 71 percent of the vote. Rastislav Trnka will remain as governor of Kosice region. Running as an Independent candidate, he received around 32 percent of the vote. Milan Majersky (Christian Democratic Movement, Slovakia, Freedom and Solidarity, For the People, Conservatives–Christian Union, Progressive Slovakia) will continue to head Presov region, having garnered more than 48 percent of the votes cast. Branislav Becik (Voice-SD, Smer-SD, Slovak National Party, Republic, Right to the Truth, Brothers of Slovakia) retained his post as governor of Nitra Region with 51 percent of the vote. Erika Jurinova (Slovakia, For the People, Nova, Progressive Slovakia, Freedom and Solidarity, Christian Democratic Movement, Democrats, Conservatives–Christian Union, Civic Conservative Party, Democratic Party–Civic Democrats of Slovakia) will head Zilina region for another four-year term. She received around 52 percent of the vote. Ondrej Lunter, who ran as an Independent, retained his post as governor of Banska Bystrica region with approximately 65 percent support. Jozef Viskupic (Progressive Slovakia, Freedom and Solidarity, Christian Democratic Movement, Democrats, Slovakia, Hungarian Forum, Civic Conservative Party) will remain as governor of Trnava region, having secured around 54 percent of the vote. Jaroslav Baska will continue to head Trencin Region. He stood for Smer-SD, Voice-SD, Republic and the Slovak National Party, receiving approximately 57 percent of the vote. On Saturday, voters elected their representatives to the bodies of towns, municipalities and self-governing regions for four-year terms. The turnout in the regional elections reached 46.56 percent. BRATISLAVA - The State Commission for Elections and Supervision of Political Parties' Financing on Sunday confirmed the results of Saturday's (24 October) combined local and regional elections. Mayors in five of Slovakia's eight regional cities retained their posts, while Kosice, Trnava and Trencin will have new leadership. Bratislava will continue to be led by Matus Vallo (Team Bratislava, Progressive Slovakia/PS, Freedom and Solidarity/SaS, Democrats), who garnered 64.36 percent of the vote, equalling 121,846 votes. Ladislav Lorinc (Kosice Party) has been elected as the new mayor of Kosice, having received 39.89 percent of the vote. Frantisek Olha (PS, Democrats, Democratic Party–Civic Democrats of Slovakia) retained his post as mayor of Presov, gaining 40.69 percent of the vote. Marek Hattas (Team Nitra Region–Association of Nitra Region Candidates, PS, SaS, Christian Democratic Movement/KDH, 'Slovakia' party, Democrats, Civic Conservative Party/OKS) retained his post as mayor of Nitra. He received 50.66 percent of the vote in Saturday's local elections. The city of Trencin will be led for the next four years by its current vice-mayor Jan Forgac (Independent), who garnered 69.17 percent of the vote. There will be no change in Zilina, where incumbent mayor Peter Fiabane (Independent) won 41.22-percent support. Eva Nemcovska (Independent) has been elected as the new mayor of Trnava, receiving 60.47 percent of the votes cast. Jan Nosko (Independent) retained his post as mayor of Banska Bystrica, securing 46.78 percent of the vote. The voter turnout in Saturday's local elections reached 48.48 percent, with 2,171,581 voters casting their ballots. BRATISLAVA - No serious political conclusions can be drawn from Saturday's (24 October) combined elections, Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD) declared on Sunday. In his view, the elections have not changed Slovakia's political landscape, as evidenced by the fact that voters did not replace a single regional governor. Fico also expects every political party to express satisfaction with the results. He underlined he was proud of Slovakia's ability to organise and manage democratic processes smoothly. "Prime Minister Robert Fico congratulates all those elected in yesterday's local and regional elections and thanks all candidates who stood for election. He hopes that cooperation between the government and local and regional authorities will continue, particularly in preparing for and conducting the government's numerous away-from-home sessions, as well as in ensuring stability and Slovakia's ability to face demanding external challenges," the Government Office stated. BRATISLAVA - President Peter Pellegrini looks forward to working with the newly elected representatives of the people, congratulating all the winners in his post on social media. "I would like to thank the Slovak people for taking part in Saturday’s local and regional elections. I would also like to thank everyone involved in organising and preparing the elections for ensuring they proceeded peacefully and without complications," the president added. BRATISLAVA - House Chair Richard Rasi (Voice-SD) highlights the importance of cooperation between local authorities and state institutions, as well as the need for dialogue between representatives of different political parties, with respect to Saturday's (24 October) combined elections, the Parliament's Office press department told TASR on Sunday. Slovakia needs strong, well-prepared and responsible local authorities, said Rasi, adding that the people rightly expect their elected representatives to be able to work together for the benefit of the entire community. "The true measure of success will not be the political affiliation of a mayor or regional governor, but the quality of life of the people whom local government is meant to serve," said Rasi. The parliamentary chair thanked voters for taking part in the elections. He noted that turnout was higher than in the previous elections in 2022, describing this as a positive sign of public interest in civic affairs. He congratulated those elected. BRATISLAVA - Bratislava residents have made a clear decision and I respect their choice, mayoral candidate Jozef Raz declared on Sunday after finishing second in Saturday's (24 October) election for the Slovak capital's mayor. Raz congratulated incumbent Matus Vallo on retaining the post, describing him as a strong opponent. Raz said he was ready to work together with him. "Bratislava residents have made their decision, and I think they have made it clearly. I respect their choice," Raz added. BRATISLAVA - Representatives of political parties have thanked all the voters who took part in Saturday's (24 October) combined elections. Speaking in a televised debate on TA3 on Sunday, they said that they were largely satisfied with the results. Parliamentary chair Richard Rasi (Voice-SD) said that the turnout in the combined elections was high, approaching 50 percent. "Voters have shown that they haven't given up on regional politics," he stated, adding that there was public interest in this level. Voice-SD was the strongest regional party, he said, expressing satisfaction that it's defended its position. The party will seek to carry this success over into national politics. MP Jan Richter (Smer-SD) said that little has changed on the political map from Smer's perspective. The party has more or less defended its position in the local elections, he said, although it believed it could have achieved a better result. Richter described Jozef Raz as the best candidate for Bratislava mayor, despite his defeat in the capital. BRATISLAVA - The governing Voice-SD party was the most successful political party in Saturday's (24 October) local elections, its leader Matus Sutaj Estok claimed at a press conference on Sunday, citing the number of mayors elected with the party's support. He described the results as encouraging ahead of next year's parliamentary elections. "Voice-SD has a total of 568 elected mayors, including 260 candidates directly from our political party, Voice-SD. A further 103 candidates were elected in coalitions, while 160 candidates from other parties received our support and won, and another 45 coalition mayors, whose affiliation hasn't yet been precisely established, also ran with our support," said Sutaj Estok. He added that 101 Independent mayors who accepted support from Voice-SD have also been elected. "Almost one in five mayors in Slovakia today was elected on the Voice-SD ticket," he stated. BRATISLAVA - Opposition Progressive Slovakia (PS) leader Michal Simecka on social media highlighted the party's successes in Saturday's (24 October) combined elections. Simecka views the outcome as solid, although they can't be fully satisfied. At the same time, he stated that Smer-SD and its allies suffered major defeats. He also commented on the results achieved by PS-backed candidates. "We're growing and putting down roots across Slovakia. For example, we have become the largest political force at regional level, with candidates backed by PS securing as many as 132 seats (31 percent) in regional councils. In many towns and villages, PS-backed candidates will hold a majority and shape local policy, winning 576 seats in municipal councils in total," said Simecka. jrg