Slovak Spectator

Looking back at 'utopian' Bratislava housing estates through graffiti and symbols
Artists Matúš Maťátko and Filip Sabol worked on their latest paintings together for the first time. Break the Wall is their first joint display.

News digest: Pandemic situation worsens, more districts join black tier
Robert Fico refuses to explain leaked recordings. Daily caseload the highest since the second wave’s peak.

Bratislava is finally linked to Košice, through Hungary
The missing stretch of the M30 highway was put to use on Tuesday.

Number of black-tier districts doubles, but national emergency will not be declared
The districts in the black tier of the Covid automat follow the strictest anti-pandemic measures.

When injured or lost in the mountains, who do you call?
Mountain rescue service has an app that can save lives.

Why do you care how I eat bacon? Fico refuses to explain meetings at cottage
Fico plays down journalists’ questions.

New block of flats will where former block exploded, only some inhabitants want to return
Plan for three flats on each floor, 15 flats altogether.

Third doses administered in Slovakia but not for everyone at the moment
Six months must pass from the administration of the second dose, people with immunity problems an exception.

Coronavirus in Slovakia: 4,746 new cases confirmed (graphs)
The total number of PCR-confirmed cases has exceeded 465,000.

News digest: Former PM met with people close to corruption scandals
Košice and Bratislava finally get highway connection - via Hungary. Supreme Court hands editor-in-chief of Zem a Vek magazine €4,000 fine.

With her mom’s recipes, popular radio host taught Slovaks to cook Rusyn meals
Regional meals succeeded beyond community, beyond Slovakia’s borders.

Thumbelina and Ugly Duckling, soon to be read by Rusyns in their native language
An architect decided to make a book translation and collected money via crowdfunding.

What is next for philanthropy?
Martina Kolesárová describes the current trends reshaping philanthropy with the aim of delivering meaningful solutions with a lasting impact.

Pumpkin! Worms! Action! What to do with your pumpkin after Halloween
A group of Žilina activists is live streaming Californian worms eating a pumpkin to promote composting.

Bratislavans visit shopping centres for entertainment, not just for shopping
Willingness to innovate and expand their function as places of entertainment makes shopping centres ‘crisis-resistant’.

Long-standing frame of Železná Studnička restaurant is history, building was removed
It should be replaced with something tasteful that continues the Snežienka tradition, the mayor of the borough opined.

Police recorded cottage meetings of Fico, Kaliňák and people close to corruption cases
Prosecutors claim the recordings confirm attempts to interfere with the investigation of major corruption cases under Smer governments.

News digest: One half of districts is following very strict pandemic measures
Court decision reveals details about war among the police. Problems surround another planned reform. Slovak film awarded in Chicago.

Conspiracy theories impact the decision to get vaccinated
More than 60 percent of people in Slovakia believe in at least one conspiracy theory.

Reform of national parks to be postponed, also due to objections of coalition partner
Boris Kollár and his Sme Rodina party talk about objections to the current draft reform. Some coalition partners do not understand, and the prime minister even talks about having a certain line.

Who needs an opposition when you have Boris Kollár?
The Recovery Plan has a problem - one of its own architects.

Writer of history: Dobrá Voda
Discover the ancient castle ruins breathing with history.

Man finds ancient grave and remains while digging foundation for garage
Archaeologists date the uncovered grave in Gbely to the Migration Period.

Direct flights to Dubai return to Bratislava
They will be operated by the Smartwings airline once a week.

Court sees no reason to detain NAKA investigators, but describes suspicions of the police inspectorate
The reasoning of the regional court that decided to release the charged police officers working on high-profile corruption cases was published.

German investor moves R&D to Slovakia, promises extraordinary salaries
The German concern Hella built four industrial parks in Slovakia.

Divers' latest find fished out of mountain lakes dates to Austria-Hungary
Divers clean up mountain lakes in Slovakia every year.

News digest: Slovakia marks anniversary of one of its biggest accidents in water transport
People are obliged to show Covid passes, the Bratislava's Old Town promotes its most beautiful trees and construction of the traditional ice house in the High Tatras has started.

Bratislava’s Old Town introduces most beautiful trees via game
One of the spotlighted trees is a majestic European beech in the evangelical cemetery Kozia Brána (Goat Gate).

Slovak e-mobility specialist expands its e-van portfolio
Voltia is partnering with Stellantis to expand its e-vans and adapt them for urban delivery.

Time capsule stored in Bratislava's St Michael statue 176 years ago reveals its secrets
The public can see the items found in the box in the Bratislava City Museum at the Old Town Hall this weekend.

Parents did not want them to speak Slovak, but “totally Americanised” old boys are giving it a try
I want to become a Slovak citizen so I must learn Slovak, says second-generation Slovak-American Gregory Fabian.

Weekend: German adventurer is walking to Iran, with his stubborn donkey
Jazz music is taking over Bratislava this weekend.

‘Speaking English is almost like having a hot potato stuck in your mouth the entire time you talk’
But in Slovak, your tongue actually works, says an American who learns Slovak.

Slovakia’s industry strives to be greener, needs more money and time
Companies in Slovakia innovate to reduce emissions.

News digest: Part of Slovakia in the worst possible colour of European Covid map
The Covid vaccine booster will be available for more people starting Monday. Education system reform is about to start.

Educational reform should move Slovak schools into 21st century
The reform is made up of three main laws that have been already approved by parliament.

State sent millions of euros in pandemic first aid to shell companies
It is possible that suspicious companies have gained up to €24 million from public finances.

In a rich English family, she had to shower an eight-year-old. What followed surprised her even more
The experience of the first Slovak au pairs is wide-ranging. Some dealt with sexual harassment or no windows in their rooms, others had a wonderful time.

New Low Tatras attraction fascinates and worries hikers
Two white chamois have been observed in the national park, but their colour exposes them to danger.

Twitter buys chat app co-developed by Slovak
The price of the transaction has not been published.

Some petrol stations report a shortage of fluid for diesel engines. Minister says no cars will have to remain parked
Production of AdBlue substance impacted by high prices of natural gas.

Hundreds of thousands in Slovakia have income below poverty line
Yet Slovakia belongs among countries with lowest poverty risk rates in Europe.

Russia, not emission allowances, is to blame for electricity and gas prices
Gazprom is tightening the taps and gas prices are rising, claims MEP Martin Hojsík.

Buongiorno Slovacchia

Ambasciatrice Flumiani: più arte e cultura del Belpaese in Slovacchia
L’Ambasciatrice Flumiani si è incontrata la scorsa settimana con la ministra slovacca della Cultura Natália Milanová, un colloquio cui ha partecipato anche Alessandra Sanniti, [ ... ]

Doppia cittadinanza, in dirittura di arrivo un emendamento in Parlamento
Un emendamento alla legge sulla cittadinanza che è all’esame del Parlamento in questa sessione parlamentare prevede che non dovrà più perdere automaticamente il passaporto [ ... ]

Sarà Revúca la Città slovacca della Cultura per il 2022
La città di Revúca si è aggiudicata il titolo di Città della Cultura 2022 in Slovacchia. Un titolo assegnato dal Fondo di sostegno all’arte [ ... ]

Bratislava, piano regolatore: meno pubblicità per strada e meno gioco d’azzardo
Il consiglio comunale di Bratislava hanno approvato una modifica al piano regolatore della città che prevede un rafforzamento della regolamentazione delle strutture per cartelloni [ ... ]

Frode occupazionale in vari paesi, lavoratori reclutati anche in Slovacchia
Le polizie di Belgio, Italia e Lussemburgo la scorsa settimana hanno sciolto una vasta organizzazione criminale colpevole di frodi occupazionali e riciclaggio di denaro. [ ... ]

Italia, marcia indietro del governo: rimane (per ora) il bonus prima casa per gli espatriati
“Il Governo fa marcia indietro e stralcia dal Decreto Fiscale pubblicato in G.U. l’articolo che prevedeva la cancellazione delle agevolazioni fiscali per l’acquisto della prima casa in Italia da [ ... ]

Washington vs. Mosca e Pechino: dialogo tra sordi mentre l’Europa dorme
Joseph Nye sostiene che gli Stati Uniti corrono il rischio di andare come sonnambuli verso il precipizio di una guerra con la Cina. Le ragioni risiedono [ ... ]

Un’Europa protagonista sul palcoscenico mondiale
Il ruolo internazionale dell’Unione europea è in crisi. Solo un’azione decisa su obiettivi chiari e d’intesa con gli Stati Uniti può affrontare le tendenze che stanno [ ... ]

Il 1° novembre cerimonia a Samorín per i caduti italiani della Grande Guerra
L’Ambasciatore d’Italia Catherine Flumiani invita gli italiani in Slovacchia a presenziare il 1° novembre alla cerimonia in ricordo dei caduti italiani nella prima guerra [ ... ]

Lengvarský: situazione negli ospedali “stabile” e “sotto controllo”
Il ministro della Salute Lengvarský valuta “stabile” e “sotto controllo” la situazione negli ospedali, dove i direttori sanitari stanno adattando le degenze in base [ ... ]

Ministro Sulík: alcune aziende potrebbero rimanere senza gas
Dopo avere affermato nei giorni scorsi che non ci saranno problemi, intervendo ieri al programma Na Telo di TV Markíza il ministro dell’Economia Richard [ ... ]

Non passa in Parlamento la “Giornata del tradimento di Monaco”
La scorsa settimana la plenaria del Parlamento ha respinto una proposta del partito di opposizione Smer-SD per designare la data del 30 settembre quale [ ... ]

Italia, il Giorno dell’Unità nazionale e il Centenario del Milite Ignoto
Mancano 10 giorni al 4 novembre, Giorno dell’Unità Nazionale e Giornata delle Forze Armate. Ricorrenza che quest’anno assume un significato ancora più rilevante con il Centenario della [ ... ]

Cosa accade intanto nel mondo
Sudan Il 25 e il 26 ottobre migliaia di persone hanno partecipato alle manifestazioni a Khartoum contro il colpo di stato militare. I soldati [ ... ]

La Turchia di Erdogan sfida gli alleati occidentali
Con alleati come questi, chi ha bisogno di nemici? Il presidente turco Recep Tayyip Erdoğan ci ha abituati alle sue uscite provocatorie, come quando ha [ ... ]

Disoccupazione in Slovacchia scesa ai minimi da un anno e mezzo
Il ministero del Lavoro informa che a settembre il tasso di disoccupazione è stato il più basso degli ultimi 17 mesi. La disoccupazione del [ ... ]

Scalatore caduto sugli Alti Tatra in condizioni critiche in ospedale
Un turista slovacco 57enne è stato recuperato ieri dai soccorritori alpini e portato in elicottero all’ospedale di Poprad dove è arrivato in condizioni critiche [ ... ]

Un nuovo ponte ciclabile sulla Morava aiuterà il turismo transfrontaliero
A breve sarà disponibile per i cicloturisti un nuovo ponte transfrontaliero sulla Morava, a congiungere il comune slovacco di Vysoká pri Morave con la [ ... ]

I comuni slovacchi alle prese con i rincari dell’energia
L’Associazione delle città e dei comuni della Slovacchia (ZMOS) ha scritto ai presidenti della commissione parlamentare economica e della commissione per la pubblica amministrazione [ ... ]

Il deficit delle finanze pubbliche slovacche nel 2020 “solo” del 5,5%
La Slovacchia ha chiuso il 2020 con un disavanzo pubblico del 5,5%, un risultato migliore della stima del 6,2% fatta in primavera. Secondo il [ ... ]