MORNING NEWS HIGHLIGHTS - Wednesday, November 27, 2024 - 9 a.m.

TASR brings a quick morning overview of the most important events seen in Slovakia on the previous day (Tuesday, November 26): BRATISLAVA - Parliament will adjourn the deliberations on an opposition-sponsored motion to hold a no-confidence motion in Interior Minister Matus Sutaj Estok (Voice-SD) to February 4, 2025, with the decision passed by 76 votes of coalition Smer-SD, Voice-SD and SNS legislators, House Vice-chair Peter Ziga (Voice-SD), who's been tasked with heading Parliament in a temporary capacity, announced on Tuesday. The special session to hold the no-confidence motion was convened on Tuesday. According to its timetable, Parliament will reconvene as late as in February, as no sessions are planned for January. The next regular session is slated to start on February 4. BRATISLAVA - The opposition lambasted the decision to adjourn a parliamentary no-confidence motion in Interior Minister Matus Sutaj Estok (Voice-SD) to February 2025 and plans to table yet another proposal to dismiss the Interior Minister again, TASR learnt on Tuesday. "We won't wait until February. On Wednesday, we - the same parties as agreed before - will file a proposal for them [the coalition] to convene another special session within seven days," stated MP Frantisek Majersky (KDH). Together with other KDH legislators, he blasted the decision to adjourn the session. "It would be funny, were it not so tragically sad that we'll be having the Police Corps in a state of disintegration for another two months, no one will address the police brutality and there's the Interior Minister who concluded a reprehensible settlement with Andrej Babis," stated MP Marian Caucik (KDH). BRATISLAVA - Representatives of the doctors' labour union (LOZ) criticise Health Minister Kamil Sasko (Voice-SD) for his failure to present promised legislative proposals at their meeting on Tuesday, with LOZ head Peter Visolajsky warning after the talks that the government is grossly underestimating the situation. "Today we were told that the minister would present both the timetable for the implementation of individual items as well as the bill drafts. We've seen no bills to date and will be sent the items only by post... Hence, simply put, I'm afraid the government is grossly underestimating the situation," said Visolajsky. BRATISLAVA - Lawmakers of Voice-SD won't take part in votes on personnel appointments of any kind, which have been postponed by Parliament for quite some time, until the coalition arrives at an agreement on the new Parliament chair first, Voice-SD chair Matus Sutaj Estok declared at a press conference on Tuesday. Sutaj Estok plans to discuss the issue with SNS chair Andrej Danko. "After yesterday's session of the the coalition council and also a session of Voice-SD leadership, we agreed that Voice and its 27 lawmakers won't participate in any votes on personnel appointments, postponed by Parliament for quite a few weeks, until the deal on the Parliament's chair nomination is clinched," said Sutaj Estok. There are several pending personnel-related votes, which the House hasn't yet concluded, such as the election of Slovak Television and Radio (STVR) board members. BRATISLAVA - President Peter Pellegrini takes objection to a new institute introduced in an amendment to the Free Access to Information Act that enables charging information-seeking applicants over "extensive search for information" and chose to veto the bill on Tuesday, TASR learnt from the President's Office press department on the same day. According to the President, such an ill-defined and equivocal institute might trigger disputes in practice over when and how it is applied. The problem, in his opinion, is that it creates room for arbitrary assessments of applications and double standards in the process of exercising the right to information. "The goal should be to have more efficient and comprehensible legislation, seeing as the law on free access to information is employed by the people on a daily basis," stated the head of state. BRATISLAVA - Jaroslav Ninaj has become the new temporary director of the Slovak National Gallery (SNG) as of Tuesday, replacing Milos Timko in the post, the Culture Ministry has informed TASR. Ninaj was appointed to the post by Culture Minister Martina Simkovicova (a Slovak National Party/SNS nominee). "I believe that Jaroslav Ninaj, with his experience and professional attitude, will bring a new perspective to the gallery's management and at the same time create space for strengthening stability and constructive cooperation," said Simkovicova. ko