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This week, Slovakia has faced severe floods and heavy rains, causing significant damage across the country. Rivers overflowed, submerging homes and roads, particularly in the eastern and northern regions. Emergency services have been working tirelessly to rescue stranded residents and restore access to cut-off areas.
Michal Simecka, leader of the opposition PS party, was removed as House vice-chair in a secret parliamentary vote, with 76 MPs voting for his dismissal. No MPs opposed the motion, and one ballot was invalid. Opposition parties PS, SaS, KDH, and 'Slovensko' chose not to participate in the vote. In response to his removal, Simecka criticized Premier Robert Fico, stating that while he was ousted from the vice-chair position, he remained the opposition leader and would focus on defeating Fico in the next election.
Simecka sarcastically remarked that Slovakia’s issues, such as high food prices and teacher salaries, were supposedly solved by his dismissal. He condemned the government for failing to address real problems and accused them of political revenge for his effective opposition work. Other opposition leaders, like KDH's Milan Majersky, called the move a threat to democracy, arguing that the strongest opposition party should hold the post.
The governing coalition agreed to a €2.7 billion public finance consolidation package to reduce next year's deficit to 4.7% of GDP, Prime Minister Robert Fico announced. VAT will increase to 23%, but a reduced 5% VAT will apply to basic food items. A tax on financial transactions for businesses and higher income taxes for firms with large profits will also be introduced.
Cultural workers in Slovakia organized protests on Thursday, September 19, under the slogan "Slovakia Stands with Culture," in 14 cities nationwide. The protests aim to support 3,500 workers from over 360 cultural organizations who have entered the strike alert. They oppose what they consider hasty and harmful actions by the Ministry of Culture, led by Minister Martina Šimkovičová, citing a lack of communication from politicians.
The Medical Trade Union (LOZ) is asking the Minister of Health Zuzana Dolinková (Hlas-SD) to dismiss director of the Trenčín University Hospital (FN) Michal Plesník and his deputies. The union cites major failures in management as the reason for the dismissal request.
According to LOZ, hospital management failed to resolve personnel issues in the cardiology department. The union claims that the department lacks quality personnel, which lead to an uncertified urologist serving in cardiology.
The Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) confirmed that past Slovak governments failed to act on closing landfills in compliance with EU regulations. Environment Minister Tomáš Taraba acknowledged the ruling but clarified that it does not impose financial sanctions on Slovakia. The Environment Ministry is now working on legislative changes to ensure Slovakia meets its obligations swiftly. The ECJ ruling relates to a dispute between the European Commission and Slovakia over 21 landfills that did not meet the requirements of the EU Landfill Directive. Taraba emphasized ongoing negotiations with the European Commission, with only a few landfills left needing a solution.
The number of personal bankruptcies in Slovakia dropped by 20% year-on-year to 688 in August, the third lowest figure this year, according to CRIF – Slovak Credit Bureau. Of these, 62% were men, continuing the trend of men declaring bankruptcy more often than women. Over 97% of bankruptcies involved people with primary or secondary education, with only 16 cases involving university graduates. The majority were individuals aged 30-39, and 14% were homeless, a notably higher figure than in previous months. Additionally, nine married couples and 22 people with family ties declared bankruptcy.
