Fan-filmed video of AC/DC's July 21 concert at Old Airport Vajnory in Bratislava, Slovakia can be seen below (courtesy of the Milos Pavlik YouTube channel)
The "Power Up" European tour marks AC/DC's first with the band's new touring lineup consisting of singer Brian Johnson
drummer Matt Laug and the latest addition to the group's touring lineup
Belgium and Paris before winding down at Croke Park in Dublin
The European tour is the first run of gigs since AC/DC's return to the stage at last year's rock Power Trip festival in Indio
AC/DC's last tour took place in 2015 and 2016 and had a $180 million gross
with 2,310,061 sold tickets reported to the Pollstar box office
Laug is an American drummer who has played with many bands/artists such as Alanis Morissette
Matt moved to Los Angeles after graduating from South Florence High School in 1986 and after attending college in L.A.
Laug supported AC/DC as part of SLASH'S SNAKEPIT on the North American and European legs of the "Stiff Upper Lip" tour
In its announcement about Laug's addition to the band's Power Trip lineup
AC/DC offered no explanation for the absence of the band's longtime drummer Phil Rudd
who rejoined AC/DC for the recording of the group's comeback album
Rudd was ousted from AC/DC when he was sentenced to eight months of home detention by a New Zealand court in 2015 after pleading guilty to charges of threatening to kill and drug possession
He was replaced on the band's "Rock Or Bust" tour by Chris Slade
who had previously served as AC/DC's drummer between 1989 and 1994
who appeared on all but three of AC/DC's 18 previous studio albums
It was the release of that album that led indirectly to Rudd's arrest
with the drummer allegedly so angry at a personal assistant over the way the record was promoted that he threatened to have the man and his daughter killed
AC/DC postponed the last 10 dates of its spring 2016 North American trek after Johnson was advised to stop playing live or "risk total hearing loss." The band went on to complete the European and North American legs of its "Rock Or Bust" tour with GUNS N' ROSES frontman Axl Rose as a "guest vocalist." At the time
Johnson had been AC/DC's singer for 36 years
ever since replacing the late Bon Scott in 1980 and making his debut on the classic "Back In Black" album
To enable him to perform live with AC/DC again
the now-76-year-old Johnson worked with audio expert Stephen Ambrose
who said he could help resolve the singer's hearing problems
who invented the wireless in-ear monitors that are widely used by touring artists today
claimed to have invented a new type of ear-bud that would allow Johnson to perform without causing further damage to his eardrums
After three years of experimenting and "miniaturizing" the equipment
Johnson previously said the technology could allow him to tour again
Chaney is best known as the bassist of JANE'S ADDICTION and as a member of Alanis Morissette's touring and recording band
Chaney was also a member of TAYLOR HAWKINS AND THE COATTAIL RIDERS and CAMP FREDDY
as well as being a prolific and versatile session musician
having played with artists including Joe Cocker
Chaney is also a founding member and partner in the all-star supergroup ROYAL MACHINES along with Dave Navarro (JANE'S ADDICTION),Mark McGrath (SUGAR RAY),Josh Freese (FOO FIGHTERS) and Billy Morrison (BILLY IDOL)
Bassist Cliff Williams announced his retirement at the end of AC/DC's 2015-2016 "Rock Or Bust" tour
Williams — and Johnson — took part in the recording sessions that resulted in "Power Up"
Both of them were also part of the AC/DC lineup that performed at Power Trip
During an October 2020 interview with Dean Delray's "Let There Be Talk" podcast
Cliff was asked if Johnson's departure from the road was what led to his desire to stop touring
I was at a point — and this is at the beginning of the 'Rock Or Bust' tour — that I just felt
I knew that I didn't wanna keep doing these two-year tours
so I made them aware of the fact that this was gonna be my last go-round
God bless Axl for coming in and helping us out
he wanted to take part in the recording sessions for "Power Up" as a tribute to Angus's late brother
founding AC/DC rhythm guitarist Malcolm Young
who died in 2017 from effects of dementia at age 64
Malcolm is credited as a writer on all 12 tracks on "Power Up"
"If 'Back In Black' has [late AC/DC singer] Bon Scott all over it
'Power Up' has got Malcolm Young," Cliff said
And it's the band that we played together with for 40-plus years
And I wanted to do that — I wanted to come back and do that
"We did some rehearsals earlier [in 2020] before this darn COVID thing popped up
and we had great rehearsals," he continued
Everyone goes home to their respective homes
we've been here ever since [because of the coronavirus-related shutdown]."
Cliff went on to confirm that his commitment to AC/DC was only for "a few" dates in support of "Power Up"
"For both [my mental and physical] health," he said
which I won't bore you with the details of
Williams previously revealed that a "terrible" bout with vertigo contributed to his 2016 retirement
He also admitted the return of both Johnson and drummer Phil Rudd convinced him to rejoin the group
"It was like the old band back together," he told Rolling Stone
but as close to the band that's been together for 40-plus years as we can possibly make it
"Power Up" was recorded over a six-week period in August and September 2018 at Warehouse Studios in Vancouver with producer Brendan O'Brien
who also worked 2008's "Black Ice" and "Rock Or Bust"
Foreigners share their experiences and frustrations trying to navigate the online booking system
In recent months it has become increasingly hard for people to book appointments with the Foreigners' Police
Foreigners who live in Slovakia typically have to visit the unit about once a year for one reason or another
for instance to register their stay in Slovakia
The current electronic booking system, launched in 2021
requires an appointment to be booked online in advance
For most people this originally meant a 2-3 week wait for a slot
first-served system which by 2021 had resulted in the frequent sight of non-EU citizens camping outside Foreigners' Police stations overnight
The old system had devolved into a grey market in which self-appointed queue managers drew up lists and offered visitors the chance to jump the queue by buying a place on their list
The online booking system was supposed to end this practice
by allocating specific time slots to specific applicants
with third parties being allowed to book scarce appointments and re-sell them to the highest bidder.In October
even President Peter Pellegrini complained
that the failure of the online booking was holding Slovakia back
There is now some prospect of respite, as the government has announced that it is making changes to how the system works, such as streamlining the process for firms to invite workers from abroad
and allowing many applications to be handled electronically
They have also announced changes to how Ukrainian refugees can apply for ID cards
to reduce the strain on the Foreigners' Police offices.
the Interior Ministry said that bookings will soon be made only with an electronically verified document
though the ministry has not clarified what form this document would take
Despite the government claiming that the system is working perfectly
with just 20 percent of applicants missing their appointments
they did acknowledge that “speculators” were abusing the booking system by buying and selling appointment slots
This has occurred despite the Interior Ministry issuing a press release last year claiming that the booking system had been secured against electronic system abuse
In other EU countries, like Germany, EU citizens do not require a residence permit and must simply register their place of residence at their local municipal authority
Problems with the booking system are among the reasons why the opposition seeks to remove Matúš Šutaj Eštok from his position as interior minister
many foreigners have been voicing their frustration with the current situation
The Slovak Spectator reached out to some for them to share their stories
I have been consistently checking the system at various times throughout the past two months in an effort to secure an appointment for my daughter
This experience has left me increasingly disappointed in the e-booking system
as it not only appears unreliable but is also neither user-friendly nor functional
I do not want to believe that this is intentional
My experience with the Foreigners' Police hasn’t exactly been quick
and my appointment was set for my birthday
Among the documents needed was a certificate showing that I’ve been living in his apartment for eight years
Once I gathered all the documents – the notarised letter from my landlord
and my Italian ID – we went to the police
I submitted my documents to the police officer
He stepped away to check something with a colleague
this document isn’t correct.” I replied
“What do you mean it’s not correct
It’s signed by the notary and my landlord.” He said the document was invalid because it only showed that my landlord was Slovak and didn’t include my nationality
but we left (despite my trying to explain that I'm an EU citizen and this rule made no sense)
I’m waiting for my landlord to come back from outside Europe
I have been waiting for an appointment with the Foreigners' Police since August 15
I graduated here this year and secured a job
My employer ended up having to lay me off
I finished university here and after graduating I landed a job at IBM
According to an SMS from the Foreigners' Police that I got a year ago
I am trying to apply for issuance of the residence permit and I can’t be more frustrated
I’ve never seen a date for this kind of operation available
In the last five days I got 85 captcha verifications texts
so you can imagine how often I attempt to book that appointment
“renewal of temporary residence permit”
but learned the hard way that the application will not be accepted without the right appointment
don't support the process – I was told it’s even against the law here
yet the HR department keeps asking me to renew the card as they are obliged to keep my valid residence card
I am not willing to buy a spot because I don’t want to contribute to a business that blooms on the abuse of the legal system here
And what these “businesses” did to the reservation system – the system is overloaded and while bots keep patching it
normal people can’t even click through the form to finish a reservation
A couple of times I had the date and was able to proceed with the questionnaire
yet I didn’t get the reservation confirmed as “the date is not available anymore”.
I am a permanent resident who is trying to book an appointment to change my address so that I can park where I am staying
I have been trying since May 2024 and I still have not been able to get an appointment
Now I am struggling to park my car as they will allow me to park my car only if I am registered at my current address
my roommate told me that she wants to apply for long-term residence
she told me that she still couldn't get an appointment even though she woke up at 2:00
I was confident because I got an appointment in August pretty easily
I finally got an appointment for her at the end of October
I can tell you that I tried more than 200-300 times and couldn't imagine how it works for someone who needs to be at work during the day and needs to sleep during the night
Now I'm trying to get an invitation appointment for me
where I needed to fill in all my information
Unfortunately the system gave me an error again
So I'm still trying to get an appointment
It’s impossible to update the ID card (for permanent residence) in order to have the new version of the chip
I have been trying for months to get an appointment. It’s also impossible to invite business partners from a third country
as it's impossible to register in order to validate the invitation letter
The country is losing potential business.
Slovakia enjoys the benefits of collective defence thanks to its NATO membership
President Peter Pellegrini said during his visit to the NATO Force Integration Unit in Slovakia at Vajnory Barracks in Bratislava on Saturday
March 29 (TASR) - Slovakia enjoys the benefits of collective defence thanks to its NATO membership; however
the country mustn't forget about Article Three of the treaty
the obligation to be capable of defending itself before the arrival of allies
President Peter Pellegrini said during his visit to the NATO Force Integration Unit in Slovakia at Vajnory Barracks in Bratislava on Saturday. "If we talk about the future of NATO
we've agreed that Slovakia wants to be part of the European (defence) pillar of NATO
is pressuring its allies in the European Union to fulfil their commitment to a similar extent as the USA itself
and therefore strengthening the European pillar within NATO seems completely logical today," stated Pellegrini
He stressed that the defence money must be spent in an effective manner. The head of the state thinks that the fact that Slovakia isn't part of the so-called alliance of the willing shouldn't be viewed tragically
There were several defence summits or initiatives to send troops to Ukraine that took place outside the NATO and EU structures
but in the end they turned to be ahead of reality
he said. Defence Minister Robert Kalinak (Smer-SD) at a joint news conference stated that some countries have a problem with not being invited to peace talks on the war in Ukraine
Slovakia's strong representation in NATO is proven by the fact that the country is sending soldiers to the NATO multi-national brigade in the Baltics
Kalinak reiterated that he respects the different opinion of his coalition partner
Administrative changes for foreigners in Slovakia
Good evening. Here is the Wednesday, July 17 edition of Today in Slovakia - the main news of the day in less than five minutes
Australian hard-rock band AC/DC will perform in Bratislava as part of their Power Up Tour Europe 2024 series of concerts
Tens of thousands of people are expected to descend upon the former Vajnory airport on the outskirts of Bratislava
the Bratislava Public Transport Company (DPB) is going to boost select services to help concert-goers to get to the event
traffic restrictions will also apply later on Sunday near the former airport as the nearby overpass will be closed and roads to Vajnory will be only accessible to residents of the borough
65 will operate the OC Vajnory stop close to the venue
A special train will also run between the Bratislava main railway station and the Vajnory train station
every Tram 4 will run directly to the Zlaté Piesky stop (usually
every second tram runs to the Nové Mesto train station stop; instead
Bus X4 will go in this direction starting at the MiU Nové Mesto stop)
more trams will be added between 17:00 to 21:00
linking the Zlaté Piesky stop with the city centre
65 will run on shorter lines; Buses 52 and 56 will end at the Na Pasekách stop
from which you will have to walk to the venue
Buses 53 and 56 will end at the Zlaté Piesky stop
visitors will be able to hop on trains to the main railway station
take a ride on an extraordinary Tram N4 to the city centre and Bus N53 to the main railway station
More detailed information can be found on the imhd.sk website
TRAVEL: Due to increased interest, the Bratislava airport adds new parking spaces for passengers
BUSINESS: Closer than ever. Courier company plans to expand across Slovakia
If you like what we are doing and want to support good journalism, buy our online subscription with no ads and a print copy of The Slovak Spectator sent to your home in Slovakia
On July 15, new regulations regarding the residence and employment of foreigners in Slovakia came into effect. This is the most significant amendment since 2011, when the Foreigners Residence Act first came into effect. Find out more about the changes here
The Zoya Museum - Elesko Wine Park gallery in Modra, Bratislava Region, is hosting an exhibition of works of 93 Bratislava Region-based artists. Called "The Colour of Joy in You", the goal of the 28th edition of the event is to showcase colourful paintings, textures, and sculptures. The exhibition lasts until September 15 and is open every week from Wednesday to Sunday. More information here
A child was found dead in an overheated car in the village of Markušovce
First responders were unable to revive the child left in the car in front of a family house
No signs of injury on the child's body were found
A police investigator started a criminal prosecution for the crime of murder
Slovak MEP Miriam Lexmann (KDH) from the European People's Party faction was elected as a quaestor of the European Parliament
Quaestors are responsible for administrative and financial matters directly affecting MEPs
She said that this will allow her to influence fundamental issues in the functioning of European institutions
and she believes that this will also help Slovakia
Lexmann is the second Slovak MEP to assume the post after Monika Beňová (Smer) in the previous term
The number of hepatitis cases are increasing in eastern Slovakia
hospitals are running out of beds for patients
12 patients are currently being hospitalised
there are only beds for four more patients left
Reiman University Hospital in Prešov has 35 patients
More than 80 percent of patients are from other districts
The number of infected is expected to increase
President Peter Pellegrini signed the amendment to the law on the Audiovisual Fund
Pushed by the far-right Slovak National Party
the changes bring about several modifications
with five members appointed by Culture Minister Martina Šimkovičová (SNS nom.)
deciding on grants instead of the fund's director
The amendments were criticised by film industry professionals for reducing transparency and aiming at political control of the fund
WEATHER FOR THURSDAY: Light cloud cover, occasionally showers and storms expected. Daily temperature will rise to between 24 °C in the north to 34 °C in the south. Level 1 and 2 high temperature warning issued for several districts in southern parts of the country. (SHMÚ)
If you have suggestions on how our news overview can be improved
you can reach us at editorial@spectator.sk
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Heated tents have popped up in the capital
A rising number of illegal migrants stuck in Bratislava on the way to western Europe made the city declare an emergency situation the past weekend
The movement of illegal migrants in Central Europe has been hampered since the reintroduction of border checks in the region. Slovakia tightened its border with Hungary last week
Cooler temperatures also prompted Bratislava to make the announced step
“It enables the city to provide necessary assistance more operatively and efficiently,” said the city’s spokesperson Peter Bubla
adding that it is the task of the state to deal with the situation
The city, in cooperation with different organisations, has been providing emergency overnight accommodation for children, women and vulnerable people since last weekend. Food, medicines, translation services are also provided, the Sme daily writes
“We would like to ask the public not to bring food or clothing at this time
our supplies are sufficient and no help from individuals is needed,” said the municipal police on Facebook
Men mostly stay at the main railway station
the place from where they are trying to make it to neighbouring countries
Some can be seen near the Government Office
but many arrive to Bratislava’s Vajnory borough
This is where the Foreigners’ Police office is situated
The police also came across Turkish people
The Interior Ministry is said to be putting up tents where illegal migrants are lingering this week
Vajnory has already erected heated tents on Regrútska Street
we will also take men in,” said Vajnory mayor Michal Vlček
Children make up a tenth of illegal migrants
a migrant child almost died on Monday morning
“The child was highly hypothermic and fell unconscious,” the mayor told Denník N
Vajnory has experienced the inflow of illegal migrants since summer
Apart from Bratislava, Banská Bystrica also decided to declare an emergency situation due to illegal migrants. The city will provide a heated tent for illegal migrants
It will be put up in the Mičinská parking space
“There are also mothers with children among the illegal migrants
so we want to create adequate conditions for them to at least warm up and have a rest,” said Banská Bystrica mayor Ján Nosko
Unlike the summer
only dozens of illegal migrants are currently staying in the central Slovak town
it is estimated that several hundreds of illegal migrants are staying in the capital city at the moment
The police have not recorded any crimes committed by the illegal migrants
The Vegget microfarm is located on a cooperative in Bratislava's Vajnory locality
The former filmmaker and producer-turned passionate grower now sports a thick beard
It's February and the soil is still sleeping
"We are currently testing whether [the plants] will survive the winter," Filip points to lettuce
"Almost 40 percent of the harvest fails
but that's mainly because we experiment a lot."
on which they grow more than a hundred varieties of vegetables and herbs
we begin to understand why their plants appeal to the best Slovak chefs
Non-traditional herbs from all over the world
as well as candy-sweet varieties of tomatoes
a Hungarian restaurant with two Michelin stars noticed the microfarm
the microfarm's main clientele are households
to which a box of fresh crops is delivered every week along with instructions from chefs
The latest addition is an application that advises people on how to best process their delivery
The young couple have settled their eyes on a new vision called the Vegget 2.0 project
which will elevate their farm to a tourist attraction
What is the main idea behind the Vegget microfarm
Filip (F): To remind people how great vegetables can taste when grown organically and fairly
Our slogan reads "We nourish and enrich"
people get to know new species and varieties
a carrot can have five colours and each one will taste slightly different
We never wanted to grow potatoes on a large field
Our generation still vividly remembers tasting fresh crops from our grandparents' garden when we were small
we are creating a new memory for our customers' children
They will not get this from generally available vegetables
We warn customers that once they taste fair organic vegetables
There is a big difference between this and an industrially made one
Our vegetables are loaded with a huge number of different bacteria
These are all the elements that support immunity
Vegetables extract these elements from our living soil
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The first Vietnamese people arrived in former Czechoslovakia in the 1950s
but they have never been recognised as ethnic minority in Slovakia
Thanh Cuong Nguyen has always been a rebel
he went to the movies without telling his parents
He then married a Slovak woman without giving his parents a heads up and is now involved in another “rebellious” act
The Association of Vietnamese Entrepreneurs in Slovakia
is hoping to convince the Slovak government to grant the Vietnamese community the official status of an ethnic minority
“It could immensely help us,” he said
who is known as “Samo” to his Slovak friends
came to Slovakia in 1987 to study psychology
Many Vietnamese people had arrived in former Czechoslovakia before him
and their migration to today’s Slovakia has not stopped since the 1950s
Over a bowl of soup at a popular Vietnamese restaurant
which is set in between various Asian warehouses and businesses in Bratislava’s Vajnory
the kind-hearted and easy-going Vietnamese man shares some of the memories tied to his life in Slovakia
including a film-like meeting with his future wife and how his parents could barely talk to their grandchildren because they spoke very little Vietnamese
“They were holding each other’s hands
but they were struggling to have a conversation,” he said bitterly
Stories like this would probably end differently if there were a school with Vietnamese as a language of instruction in the country
the community first needs the status of an official minority
Vietnamese people turned to the government’s Council for Human Rights
Minorities and Gender Equality with their request to be accepted as a minority in February 2022 – nearly a decade after the ambition was first reported on by the media
the Vietnamese community’s spokesperson
admits it took a long time to figure out who to turn to
“We also did not know what criteria we should meet,” he added
There are currently no rules in this regard
A working version of a bill that should bring more clarity to the issue has been prepared following consultations with minorities and other parties
according to Plenipotentiary for Minorities Lászlo Bukovszky
“The final verdict on recognition or non-recognition is to be decided by the government,” he said
The last community that was granted the official status of an ethnic minority was the Serbian one
The government took into consideration a two-page opinion piece written by expert Marián Gajdoš from the Slovak Academy of Sciences
in which he summed up the history and the character of this group’s migration to and within Slovakia
as well as its demographic and economic background
the situation of Vietnamese people has improved
The national government recognised them as another official ethnic minority in summer 2013
granting them access to state funds and support for their culture and language
The Vietnamese community at first had to meet two conditions: the historical presence of a community in the country and a sufficient number of members
no limits are specified in Czech legislation
almost 65,000 people from Vietnam resided in the country temporarily or permanently
The success of the Vietnamese minority in the Czech Republic has inspired Vietnamese people in Slovakia
In a letter signed by six Vietnamese organisations sent to the Council
the community writes that Vietnamese children are “multicultural people” who are fluent in Slovak and absorb Slovak culture
“Our effort is also to maintain their Vietnamese identity and language,” the community said
The 2021 census shows that 2,793 people identified themselves as Vietnamese and 489 people marked Vietnamese as their “other” nationality
The 2021 data published by the Foreigners’ Police reveals that 7,235 people from Vietnam have permanent or temporary residence in the country
Vietnamese people add they have established charities and businesses
such as Vietnamese bistros and clothing and grocery stores
and help different communities across the country and beyond
most recently refugees affected by the war in Ukraine
“We came to Slovakia to make our and our children’s dreams of a better life come true,” the community claimed in the letter
“We believe we belong with the country
and we contribute to making it better.”
Many arrived in Slovakia during communism when then Czechoslovakia was supposed to help post-war Vietnam educate its next generation of experts
Those that came either studied in schools and universities or worked at state-owned industrial plants such as the Juraj Dimitrov Plant in Bratislava
and East Slovakian Ironworks in Košice
The families and acquaintances of those who decided to stay started to arrive in Slovakia
One of the ways to stay legally in post-communist Czechoslovakia was to start a business
Trang Tran runs two Viet Bistros in Košice and one Viet Bistro in Trebišov together with her husband Tung
The bistro owner belongs to the second generation
“I follow in my parents’ footsteps,” she said
Trang’s mother and he were sent to Slovakia in the eighties
Her father studied at a vocational school and worked at the Košice ironworks
Her mother worked at the clothing plant Tatrasvit in Svit
Trang Tran believes that the official status of an ethnic minority would help the Vietnamese community
“Many “new” Vietnamese coming to Slovakia think we are a small community that does not have our say
unlike the community in the Czech Republic,” she said
Trang Tran claims most Vietnamese families already maintain their traditions and the Vietnamese language
she has observed a change in the third generation of Vietnamese people growing up in Slovakia
“They speak Vietnamese with their parents
but Vietnamese children speak Slovak to one another.”
This article is part of the Our Minorities project
carried out with the financial support of the Fund for the Support of the Culture of National Minorities
and a milestone hit by the Mochovce nuclear plant
Good evening. Here is theTuesday, August 15edition of Today in Slovakia - the main news of the day in less than five minutes
The police point out closures and traffic restrictions in Bratislava's Vajnory borough in connection with the Lovestream Festival
Headlined by The Killers and Imagine Dragons
The restrictions apply to the section from the intersection of Pri Starom Letisku to the roundabout in front of the Vajnorský Nadjazd
The detour will go along Príjazdna Street in both directions
There will also be restrictions on the section from Rybničná Street to the roundabout in front of the Vajnorský Nadjazd
The detour will run from the intersection of the road I/61 with the local road Pri Mlyne
through the intersection of the road Pri Mlyne with the third-class road Roľnícka Street and then along Rybničná Street in the direction of Bratislava - Rača in both directions
vehicles with the permission of the organiser of the event
vehicles transporting a person with a disability can access the closed sections from both sides
Cycling: There is a wide range of bicycles to choose from in shops. Sellers are now offering relatively high discounts
Energy: The third unit of the Mochovce nuclear power plant is already operating at 90 percent of its maximum producing capacity
Travel: After 12 years, tourists can once again take the legendary cable car from Dedinky to the Geravy Plain
This is the only functional single-seat cable car in Slovakia
While Slovakia has placed poorly in previous international rankings for innovation capacity, it is still home to a range of innovators developing groundbreaking solutions and startups addressing global challenges. Some of them are attracting international attention
The Bratislava City Museum (MMB) exhibits the original statue from the Maximilian Fountain
which stands on the Main square in Bratislava
The statue of Maximilian is on display in the entrance areas of the Old Town Hall until September 30
a copy of the statue is placed on top of the Maximilian Fountain
The Renaissance fountain was built as a gift to the city in 1572 by the Hungarian king Maximilian
Its author is the Austrian stonemason Andreas Luttringer
Details about the fountain: In the central part of the fountain, there is a cylindrical part depicting four peeing boys
At the top of the fountain is a statue of King Maximilian
holding a shield with the coat of arms of the Kingdom of Hungary
He is often mistaken for the knight Roland
Public Defender of Rights Róbert Dobrovodský measured a temperature of 30.9 degrees Celsius in one of the cells of the police department in western Slovakia
He pointed out that such conditions threaten people's health and there is also a risk of human rights being violated
The European Innovation Scoreboard (EIS) for 2023 identified Denmark, Sweden, Finland, the Netherlands and Belgium as the five most innovative countries in the EU, while Romania, Bulgaria, Latvia, Poland and Slovakia were named as the least innovative countries in the EU. (TASR)
WEATHER FOR WEDNESDAY: Cloudy. Occasional showers. The highest daytime temperature will reach 32°C. (SHMÚ)
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Enthusiast builds a network of container saunas around Slovakia
One of his saunas is now benefiting Ukrainian soldiers in Kharkiv
While hiking along the green path in the Small Carpathian up to Sakrakopec Hill
which is known for the biggest airplane disaster in Slovakia
hikers may bump into a sauna built into a black cargo container painted with white folklore-inspired ornaments
This is one of the three saunas that Lukáš Kubica
“In a sauna I have discovered emotions I haven’t experienced anywhere else and I would like others to discover them too,” Kubica told The Slovak Spectator
He sees the Finnish sauna as beneficial not only for the body
CONCERT: Nina Kohout - Little Butterfly
OUTDOOR: Sun(DJ)set with greyArea
FESTIVAL: Rainbow Pride Bratislava
SPORT: Oktagon
CONCERT: AC/DC
CIRCUS AND WORKSHOP: Duo Krastafci – Circus On the Contrary
CONCERT: Nessa Gomes
MOVIE: I
CONCERT: International Youth Music Festival
YOGA: Yoga at Sunset
Art museums in Bratislava: current exhibitions
Highlights of the year
How and where foreigners can socialise in Bratislava (a page offering basic info regarding life in Bratislava
including religious services for non-Slovak speakers
one of the most prominent figures on the Slovak music scene
A graduate of studies at London's prestigious The BRIT School
she won the title of Discovery of the Year at the Radio_Head Awards in 2020
More info:website
Come and enjoy the summer evening at Devín
where the Sun(DJ)set will surely make you want to dance
GreyArea is the pseudonym of Boris Vitázek and his DJ productions combine fast genres such as jungle
footwork and harder dance rhythms with experimental music
Tickets: €10 (you can buy them here)
Devín Castle (Muránská 10
More info:website
It will be the 14th edition of Rainbow PRIDE Bratislava
The festival opens its doors to all who want to learn and celebrate culture in its full diversity
Roma and the voices of the younger generation will all be a part of the pride celebration
More info: website
Look forward to seeing the most competitive fighters of the domestic scene and the quarterfinals of the Tipsport Gamechanger in the lightweight category
Tickets: €79 - €129 (you can buy them here)
More info:website
This will be a unique opportunity to see the legendary rock-n-roll band during their Power Up European Tour
Tickets: €134.65 (you can buy them here)
concert starts at 17:00 (AC/DC will come on stage at 21:00)
More info:website
Come and have fun together with artists during a lively juggling performance by Duo Kyseli Krastafci
and a workshop for children where they can play with the bestseller among toys - Magna-Tiles magnetic building set
there will also be mega bubbles to add to the fun atmosphere for both young and old
More info: website
This famous Portuguese singer has performed concerts in 25 countries in recent years
Tickets: €45 (you can buy them here)
More info:website
The story of fifty-year-old Daniel from Newcastle
finds himself in an exhausting carousel of applications for support or benefits from the state
Tickets: €4.5 (you can buy them here)
Kino Film Europe (Štefánikova 25
More info:website
Choirs and orchestras from 9 countries will take part in this festival: from China
More info: website
and let your thoughts flow freely during a short meditation together with a teacher from Yoga House Bratislava
Tickets: €8 (you can buy them here)
More info:website
Danubiana
Slovak National Gallery
Nedbalka
Bratislava City Gallery
CONCERT: Zucchero - July 28
FESTIVAL: Love Stream - August 16-18
FESTIVAL: Uprising - August 30-31
CONCERT: DJ Bobo - October 5
CONCERT: World of Hans Zimmer in Bratislava - November 6
CONCERT: Mirelle Mathieu - December 15
Read more about the limitations at the department in Bratislava's Petržalka between March 14 and March 16
the Foreigners' Police department for Bratislava will move to new premises on Regrútska Street in the Vajnory borough in the east of the capital on Monday
the Police Corps spokesperson Andrea Dobiášová informed
"The clients' comfort is further increased thanks to the 'children corner' and barrier-free adjustments," Dobiášová wrote
New opening hours at the Foreigners' Police Bratislava department as of March 19
The police claim the work conditions for the immigration officers will improve too
which they hope should have a positive effect on their communication with the clients
The rooms will be bigger and equipped with new furniture
There are 27 parking spots in front of the building at the moment
but the police say they are in talks with the local public transport office to improve the connections
the Foreigners' Police also introduces consultation days in cooperation with the local branch of the International Organisation for Migration
"Clients can obtain important information regarding residence
based on the European good practices example of the so-called one-stop shop centres," Dobiášová noted
The current office of the department on Hrobákova Street in Petržalka will work with some limitations due to the planned move
These are the opening hours on the days leading up to moving day:
The police will not provide information on the phone number +421-9610-36855 on March 14 as of 12:00
The new phone number will be published as soon as it starts operating
A total of 41 soldiers will be assigned to the Slovak unit
The NATO Forces Integration Unit Slovakia (NFIU SVK) was established at the Bratislava barracks located in Vajnory borough on January 24
While the opening ceremony was attended by several top NATO representatives
The founding of NFIU SVK is part of the Readiness Action Plan that the Alliance greenlighted in response to the changing security environment on NATO borders
said Slovak Defence Minister Peter Gajdoš (nominee of the Slovak National Party)
“We perceive this organisational element as a contribution to national but also collective defence in terms of post-Wales summit security development,” said Gajdoš
adding that the primary task of the NFIU is to provide effective despatch of NATO forces on the eastern flank in case of need
The NFIU SVK does not represent a NATO base in Slovakia
Similar Integration Units have been established in seven other countries: Bulgaria
The main purpose of NFIU SVK is to provide support to NATO collective defence during the planning process
providing assistance to training and joint exercises and
providing and coordinating the arrival of allied troops in a given region
A total of 41 soldiers will be assigned to the Slovak NFIU
with 21 posts earmarked for Slovakia and 20 for personnel from other countries
The NFIU SVK reached its initial operational capability on January 1
Full capability is slated to be reached as of June 1
The opening ceremony was attended by NATO Assistant Secretary-General for Public Diplomacy Tacan Ildem
Deputy Chairman of the NATO Military Committee Lieutenant-General Steven M
Shepro and NATO Allied Joint Force commander General Salvatore Farina
Ildem thanked the Slovak government and the citizens for supporting NATO and allowing NFIU to be established in Slovakia
our people safe and our countries in peace,” Ildem said
The Defence Ministry originally considered a public opening attended by journalists
which could have been perceived as an opportunity to promote the alliance with NATO that is supported also by the current government
Similar events have already taken place in the Baltic countries where the units have been opened in the past two years
The Slovak media however were not allowed to attend and those who learned about the event were stopped by the military police on the driveway
The ministry explained that it is the complex itself which the public is not allowed to enter
The ministry decided to close the event after the scandal following the promotion of Slovak National Party chair Andrej Danko to captain
The ministry was reportedly afraid that journalists would have asked about the dubious promotion
Spokesperson for the Defence Ministry Danka Capáková however called it nonsense.