MORNING NEWS HIGHLIGHTS - Sunday, February 9, 2025 - 9 a.m.

TASR brings a quick morning overview of the most important events seen in Slovakia on the previous day (Saturday, February 8): BRATISLAVA - The planned hydroelectric power plant Malinec is the biggest ecological and economic opportunity for central Slovakia, which would make the Podpolanie area one of the richest corners of Slovakia, Environment Minister Tomas Taraba (a Slovak National Party/SNS nominee) posted on a social network on Saturday, adding that he'll launch an explanatory campaign for the project. "If the local government and the self-governing region oppose billions coming into the region, which will bring a lot of money into the budgets of municipalities every year in share taxes, if the local authority says it doesn't want people to have jobs but would rather have poverty, that is, of course, their right," he wrote. The minister points out that the benefits of the project are worth billions of euros and will raise the standard of living in Slovakia. He also plans to present calculations to local residents according to the project variant that proves to be the most suitable. Taraba informed at a press conference on Friday (February 7) that the Malinec hydropower plant project is currently in the feasibility study phase and could bring billions of euros not only to the state budget but also to the locality. He said the area is advantageous as there is no need to flood any other villages and evict people. However, the planned project is facing both concern and opposition, and a petition has been launched to stop it. BRATISLAVA - The court has remanded in custody the accused in the case of the kidnapping and deliberate intoxication of a student identified only as Sona, spokesman for Bratislava Regional Court Pavol Adamciak told TASR on Saturday, adding that the court's decision is not final as the accused has kept the time limit for making a statement. A prosecutor of the Prosecutor-General's Office overturned this week the decision to halt the criminal prosecution in the case, instructing the Bratislava regional prosecutor to take further action and make a new decision. In January, the Constitutional Court found that Sona's rights had been violated in the case of her abduction and deliberate intoxication. The court upheld the victim's appeal regarding the termination of the criminal prosecution of the perpetrator due to his mental condition. The Prosecutor-General's Office ordered that the case should be reopened and acted upon again. Police received a missing person's report for the student last September. Sona was found unconscious and intoxicated near a hospital in Bratislava's borough of Petrzalka. Ivo P. [name abbreviated due to legal reasons] was charged with rape and restricting personal freedom. A court remanded the accused in custody. At the end of April, the prosecution against Ivo P. was halted due to his mental illness, and he was placed in a medical facility. BRATISLAVA - The completion of the fourth reactor block of Mochovce nuclear power plant in Nitra region is proceeding according to plan, stated general director and board chairman of power utility Slovenske elektrarne (SE) Branislav Strycek, adding that fuel loading should take place in the last quarter of this year and electricity should start to be supplied to the grid at the beginning of 2026. "As far as reactor four is concerned, I'm very happy to say that in 2024 we were absolutely on schedule, we have no delay. Those problems that were on unit three were solved on unit four, because we solved them simultaneously on both units, they have been eliminated," he stressed. Strycek pointed out that in December, the fourth reactor block passed an important milestone, a so-called cold hydro test. Other types of tests will follow. "We expect that fuel loading should occur in the last quarter of 2025... But by the time you connect it to the grid, you have to be at 20-percent capacity, and that takes some two, three months. So in the beginning of 2026 we should start supplying electricity to the grid," stated the SE head. BRATISLAVA - The Culture Ministry has announced a selection procedure for the post of Slovak National Theatre (SND) director. Candidates can apply until February 15. The ministry wrote on its website that it expects candidates to have an overview of cultural life, current trends and the discourse of public cultural institutions and cultural policy. They also need knowledge of legislation, mastery of planning and budgeting processes, experience in managing a multi-person team, work experience and other professional skills. The procedure will take place at the end of March and the selection committee will be appointed by the culture minister. For the time being, the SND is headed on a temporary basis by director Zuzana Tapakova. She was appointed to the post at the end of August last year by Culture Minister Martina Simkovicova (a Slovak National Party/SNS nominee). Previous SND director Matej Drlicka was dismissed by the minister on August 6, 2024. FILAKOVO - The Ministry of Investment, Regional Development and Informatisation launched a national project to map brownfield sites in Slovakia, with a budgeting of €2 million allocated to identify unused industrial structures, Investment Minister Richard Rasi (Voice-SD) stated on Friday (February 7). Subsequently, the ministry plans to issue a call for projects aimed to revitalise the sites. The national project of brownfield mapping is supposed to identify unused or damaged structures and areas suitable for future transformation. "There are places, which used to be operational in our towns and villages once, but now are empty. They often pose an environmental burden or exist without any benefit to local and regional authorities," said Rasi. The two million euros will come from the EU funds, added the ministry. am