Here’s what to do during the weekend of May 2-4 After Bratislava City Days last weekend saw the symbolic opening of the capital's doors to everyone Launched last Sunday and lasting for one more week Košice City Days are associated with an important historical event that occurred on May 7 Then King Louis the Great granted the city the first coat of arms in history the current event has grown significantly in scope from a one-day occasion to a marathon of events The programme is intended for all age groups individual events are free of charge and half of them are interactive The highlight of the weekend is the Use The C!ty series of multigene events bringing unconventional forms of culture and art to the city centre for the 17th year Click here to see the full programme Although arguably the main event of this weekend takes place in Bratislava in the form of the traditional Majáles, the town of Trnava is holding its first edition of its Trnavský Majáles event. Held between May 2-3 in the city amphitheatre, it going to feature popular Slovak musicians taking to the stage on both days. You can get your tickets here This Saturday, the picturesque village of Špania Dolina, central Slovakia, will play host to Slovak ensemble Solamente Naturali performing old Italian baroque instrumental music from the 17th century. Although date-wise the music is definitely old, the audience may get the impression it is actually contemporary or even experimental music they're listening to. Click here to learn more The first May weekend at the Červený Kameň castle is dedicated to traditional crafts of the past. Hand-made wooden, leather, metal, textile, floral and many other products can be had at the picturesque castle near Bratislava. Admission is free. Click here to learn more TIP: Basic as it gets and that's the point. Spend a night in the treetops for a handful of euros This year the Tatranský Slalom international canoe slalom competition celebrates its 77th edition and as such is one of the oldest events of its kinds. Just last year almost 250 athletes from 16 countries took part in it. The competition will be held in Liptovský Mikuláš, northern Slovakia on May 3-4. The admission is free, click here to learn more May 2-4: The Nitránsky Street Food Fest in Nitra May 3-4: Račianske Hody festival in Bratislava May 10: The Dobrý Trh market in Bratislava May 17: The Museum and Gallery Night May 18: The Spring vegan festival in Bratislava May 29-June 1: The BRaK book festival in Bratislava June 6-7: The Bratislava Collector Days June 6-8: The Weekend of Open Parks and Gardens Until June 1: The Trnavská Hudobná Jar classical music festival in Trnava WHAT TO DO FOR NOTHING: Visit special workshop as part of the Istropolitana Project or explore eco-education on Kamzík hill WHAT TO EXPLORE IN BRATISLAVA: Spend your day with actors, run through the forest or learn European history WHAT TO LEARN: You say potato, I say grule...or švápka? Around Košice, asking for a pipka will get you a pipe but elsewhere might get you a smack WHAT TO READ: An American describes 'trip of a lifetime' as he finds distant family and ties to 19th century Slovakia. After the Holocaust, the family of Gregory Stein scattered and members lost contact with each other WHAT TO DISCOVER: In the heart of Bratislava’s Nové Mesto district, in the post-industrial sprawl known as Dynamitka (a nickname derived from its past as a dynamite factory), one man has been quietly building his concrete palace. Once home to a factory, what’s happening here today might be just as explosive The European Roma Rights Centre (ERRC) has filed a criminal complaint to the Office of Inspection Service against an unknown police officer concerning a disturbing incident in Košice where a young Roma individual was allegedly subjected to police brutality The complaint demands an independent investigation Media reports and a video circulating on social media show a police officer kicking a young Romani male, possibly a minor, at the District Police Department Košice - Old Town on Pribinova Street. The incident shows the Romani minor restrained and defenceless The ERRC argues that this use of force violated international human rights standards being both unnecessary and disproportionate The ERRC's complaint is grounded in multiple legal frameworks including the European Convention on Human Rights Article 3 which prohibits torture and inhuman treatment and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child Article 37 protecting children from cruel treatment or punishment Slovak Criminal Code Sections 420 and 326 outline specific penalties for public officials who abuse their authority or engage in torture and inhuman treatment the ERRC maintains that at least one unidentified police officer (likely from the District Police Department Košice) violated multiple laws and calls for an effective investigation to hold the perpetrator accountable The ERRC also reported how the police blocked emergency medical services from accessing the scene.  and Rakúsy) where police conducted searches without arrest or search warrants and physically and verbally abused residents including elderly and disabled individuals video documentation captured the aftermath and witnesses’ reports on property damage alongside physical injuries the police maintained that the raids were conducted by the law The history of violence stretches further back; in 2012 an off-duty municipal police officer shot and killed three Romani individuals (aged 44, 19, and 24) and severely injured two others in the town of Hurbanovo Despite his explicit intent to "solve the Roma problem" and “finally deal with the Roma in Hurbanovo,” the court rejected racial motivation Although the minimal penalty under the Slovak Penal Code for this crime is 25 years the perpetrator received a nine-year sentence – a ruling showcasing systemic bias and institutional failure to perform obligations This is apparently the price for human rights violations Despite documented evidence, successful prosecutions remain rare, and many incidents of violence, police brutality, and hate crimes go unreported. An extensive record of attacks against Romani people in Slovakia can be found on the ERRC Incident Map ERRC's Call for Action The ERRC urges authorities to consider this recent incident based on a history of repeated excessive force against Romani communities The Slovak police forces has shown itself to be institutionally racist with antigypsyism evident in the ways Romani communities are policed inadequate accountability for excessive force and racial discrimination within the police concerning abuse and mistreatment of Roma Institutional antigypsyism has been repeatedly reinforced by stereotypical statements about Roma from Slovak politicians (including the Prime Minister) along with policies that stigmatise Romani communities.  Authorities must conduct an independent and effective investigation whenever reasonable suspicion of inhuman or degrading treatment exists The ERRC and other domestic and international bodies have stressed time and time again that such an investigation must meet the highest standards of independence and promptness while ensuring public scrutiny and involvement of victims As long as this process remains under the influence and control of the police or the Ministry of Interior Site Map | Privacy | Permissions | Copyright © 2025 ERRC View upcoming auction estimates and receive personalized email alerts for the artists you follow First monographic exhibition dedicated to the work of the visionary Argentinean artist Gyula Kosice (b the purpose of the exhibition is to highlight Kosice's pioneering role and to reposition him in the historiography of Latin American art The exhibition brings together around 75 works produced between 1950 and 1980 that comprise his key contributions to post-war modernism and includes his emblematic installation The Hydrospatial City (1946-72) from the collection of the Museum of Fine Arts This floating city consists of 18 independent modules that house dwellings arranged to satisfy different human needs and desires The ensemble is complemented by 8 light boxes that illustrate the position of some of these modules with reference to a galactic scale The project also contemplates the development of an in-depth research on the artist's use of plastic conducted by a specialized team and the publication of a reference catalog edited in collaboration with the ICAA-MFAH (International Center for the Arts of the Americas) in a double edition in Spanish and English The installation of The Hydrospatial City will be complemented in the exhibition by ink and watercolor sketches photomontages and multi-media panels created by Kosice himself to convey his vision of a city suspended in the atmosphere as we face the catastrophic impact of climate change the ability of The Hydrospatial City to question our lifestyles or claims to forms of inhabitation will inspire other responses MALBA will inaugurate on July 7th "Gyula Kosice: Intergaláctico" the first monographic exhibition dedicated to the Argentine artist born in 1924 in Czechoslovakia and deceased in Buenos Aires in 2016 Despite fading revenues and market instability Steel Košice places hope in potential investment from Japan’s Nippon Steel one of Slovakia’s largest industrial employers closed last year with a loss of €99.6 million nearly triple the previous year’s deficit falling by 15 percent to €2.7 billion according to the company’s latest annual report It marks a second consecutive year in the red for the Košice-based steelworks, which posted a €31 million loss in 2023, according to Index The company attributed last year’s deepening losses to a combination of unfavourable market conditions falling average sales prices across all products Neither lower energy prices nor reduced spending on raw materials were enough to offset the downturn steel prices hovered around €700 per tonne — €100 less than the previous year steel consumption across the EU declined by 2.3 percent the war in Ukraine and a weakening industrial outlook Production at the Košice plant dropped to 3.5 million tonnes market exposure is negligible — more than 60 percent of output is sold within the Visegrád Four countries (Poland Hungary and Slovakia) and the remainder to other EU states — Slovak producers are wary of the knock-on effects of renewed protectionism President Donald Trump reintroduced 25 percent tariffs on steel and aluminium Slovak industry leaders fear the move could trigger a reshuffling of global supply chains making Chinese steel cheaper and more competitive in Europe thereby squeezing demand for Slovak products Despite the gloomy figures and uncertain global climate the company’s leadership remains cautiously optimistic “Independent experts continue to view our company as a viable enterprise due to our strategic location and technical capabilities,” said company president James Bruno in the annual report Bruno also pointed to the potential benefits of a tie-up between parent firm U initially blocked by President Joe Biden and criticised by Trump Trump has since signalled he may accept a minority stake for Nippon and the Japanese firm has promised billions in investment — including possible upgrades at the Košice plant such as transitioning blast furnaces to electric Mile Svilar analyzes Roma’s 1-1 friendly result with KosiceRomaPressJuly 22 2024 at 8:18 PM UTC·1 min readRoma goalkeeper Mile Svilar spoke at full-time of Roma’s second preseason friendly After the final whistle of Kosice 1-1 Roma Svilar discussed the team’s preparations for the upcoming season in an interview with Roma TV “Today’s match helped us put some fuel into our legs,” said Svilar “I try to be a little less relaxed during pre-season Then there are six weeks to prepare for the league campaign “This is my third year here and I can’t wait to get started,” he added “Playing for Roma is always a great responsibility I do my job as always to prepare as best I can and be ready for the league.” Feature Films Database Southern Mediterranean films database Scriptwriters European Film Schools Production Companies Distributors International Sales Submit a Film Industry Reports Co-Production Podcast Online Screenwriting Training Course Guided Course for Feature Film Writing Script Analysis Analysis of the potential of your series Cineuropa's Training Catalogue Film Festival Photographs Newsletter Photogalleries EUFCN Location Award Euro Film Fest 27 Times Cinema GoCritic! Advertise on Cineuropa Logos and Banners FESTIVALS / AWARDS Slovakia by Cineuropa 26/12/2024 - Organisers expect to screen over 130 films during the event unspooling from 20-27 June; the prestigious Blue Angel Award will be presented to the best film in each competition section Slovakia’s IFF Art Film Košice (unspooling from 20-27 June 2025) is preparing to showcase three competitive sections – the International Competition of Feature Films and International Competition of Central and Eastern European Films – alongside more than ten non-competitive strands Organisers expect to screen over 130 films during the event will be presented to the best film in each competition section In the International Competition of Feature Films the spotlight will be on directors presenting their first with additional prizes recognising the best director and performances by leading female and male actors The International Competition of Short Films welcomes entries across all genres provided they are under 30 minutes in length the International Competition of Films from Central and Eastern Europe celebrates features by filmmakers from this region with no restrictions on genre or the director's filmography Films can be submitted via the official website Please subscribe to our newsletter to receive more stories like this directly in your inbox 05/05/2025Festivals / Awards – Czech Republic Czech Republic’s Anifilm goes sci-fi 05/05/2025HOFF 2025 The Shadow and U Are the Universe win at Estonia’s Haapsalu Horror and Fantasy Film Festival 05/05/2025Crossing Europe 2025 – Awards The New Year That Never Came and The Flats crowned at Crossing Europe 30/04/2025Cannes 2025 16 works to be presented in the Immersive Selection at Cannes 30/04/2025Festivals / Awards – Romania The New Year That Never Came sweeps the Romanian Gopos 30/04/2025goEast 2025 – Awards Holy Electricity comes out on top at goEast Subscribe to our newsletter to receive the most important daily or weekly news on European cinema Cannes 2025 Marché du Film AFCI runs its second annual Global Film Commission Network Summit at Marché du Film Festivals / Awards Czech Republic Distribution / Releases / Exhibitors Europe European Arthouse Cinema Day set to return on 23 November Cannes 2025 Marché du Film Indie Sales presents a three-star line-up at Cannes HOFF 2025 Crossing Europe 2025 Awards Cannes 2025 Marché du Film Be For Films to sell Love Me Tender in Cannes Cannes 2025/Sponsored Latvia set to shine bright at Cannes, led by Sergei Loznitsa’s competition entry Two Prosecutors Las Palmas 2025 MECAS/Awards Manuel Muñoz Rivas and Joana Carro win awards at the eighth MECAS Cannes 2025 Marché du Film Playtime to present some high-impact and entrancing trump cards at Cannes Production / Funding Italy Shooting begins on Walter Fasano’s Nino, a portrait of scoring maestro Nino Rota goEast 2025 Review: My Magical World Market TrendsFOCUSA busy spring festival season awaits the European film industry. Cineuropa will continue to keep its readers up to date with the latest news and market insights, covering the buzziest events, including Cannes, Kraków, Karlovy Vary, Tribeca, Hot Docs, Annecy, Brussels, Munich and many others Distribution, Exhibition and Streaming – 02/05/2025Slovak crime-thriller Černák becomes the highest-grossing film in domestic cinemasThe second film in the saga about a local mafia boss, directed by Jakub Króner, outgrossed its first part, which dominated Slovak cinemas last year Animation – 30/04/2025Mirko Goran Marijanac • Media sales executive, DeAPlaneta EntertainmentDuring our chat, the exec shared key insights from this year’s Cartoon Next and touched on the current climate for the animation sector Jaśmina Wójcik • Director of King Matt the First The Polish director discusses her approach to taking on a 1920s children’s literary classic in an unexpected way Želimir Žilnik • Director of Eighty Plus The Serbian director discusses his deep suspicion of ideologies in relation to his irresistibly charming latest feature, which follows a man whose life spans three political systems Paulina Jaroszewicz • Distribution and marketing manager, New Horizons Association Cineuropa sat down with the Polish distributor to discuss her company’s strategy as well as the connection between its distribution line-up and BNP Paribas New Horizons Festival’s programme Lorcan Finnegan • Director of The Surfer The Irish filmmaker discusses his mystery-thriller, how he created the character with Nicolas Cage and his approach to the use of colours in the film Privacy Policy The images used on this website have been provided by journalists and are believed to be free of rights if you are the owner of an image used on this website and believe that its use infringes on your copyright We will remove the image in question as soon as possible We have made reasonable efforts to ensure that all images used on this website are used legally and in accordance with copyright laws About us | Contact us | Logos and Banners Mission | Partners | Team | Donations | Terms and conditions The consortium of SOR Libchavy and Škoda Group has signed a framework contract with Košice Public Transport Company for the delivery of up to 30 articulated 18-metre electric buses in the second largest city in the country the vehicles are set to be charged during the day directly on […] The consortium of SOR Libchavy and Škoda Group has signed a framework contract with Košice Public Transport Company, in Slovakia, for the delivery of up to 30 articulated 18-metre electric buses in the second largest city in the country the vehicles are set to be charged during the day directly on the route via collectors connected to the existing tram and trolleybus overhead system in Košice The first phase will see the delivery of 11 vehicles with an option for a further 19 electric buses is CZK 610 million (over 24 million euros) Delivery of the first vehicles is scheduled for the turn of 2025 and 2026 These buses are fully low-floor and equipped with the latest permanent magnet traction motors ensuring high efficiency and low energy consumption The vehicles are also equipped with traction converters based on silicon carbide (SiC) technology which contributes to the efficiency and long-term durability of the components Passengers can enjoy a comfortable environment with air conditioning an automatic passenger counting system and Wi-Fi connectivity Safety is ensured by internal camera systems and a reversing camera “We are proud to have concluded this important contract with Košice Public Transport Company which represents a further step towards strengthening our position in the market for modern and environmentally friendly means of transport This project will provide the citizens of Košice with a modern and comfortable form of public transport and will contribute to the city’s ambition to become a leader in the electrification of public transport in Slovakia We believe that our electric buses will make a significant contribution to the sustainable development of urban mobility,” said Filip Murgaš Managing Director and Sales Director of SOR Libchavy “The unique charging system allows charging of electric buses during the day directly on the route via collectors connected to the existing tram and trolleybus overhead system in Košice This system greatly increases the flexibility and operational efficiency of the fleet The vehicles are therefore modern not only in terms of interior comfort and excellent driving characteristics but also in terms of the electric technology that is at the heart of the new electric buses,” explained Radek Svoboda Managing Director Škoda Electric at Škoda Group © Copyright 2012 - 2025 | Vado e Torno Edizioni | All rights reserved | P.I The city has secured the necessary building permit The Dolná Brána underground archaeological museum in Košice has reopened to the public after its winter break, according to Korzár Located beneath Hlavná Street in the city centre it invites visitors to explore the medieval fortification system through interactive exhibits A helping hand in the heart of Europe offers a travel guide of Slovakia “This unique site offers an engaging glimpse into Košice’s past,” said Martin Dani the organisation overseeing 13 cultural centres in the city the museum showcases parts of the city’s former sewer system and artefacts from St Elizabeth’s Cathedral it has become one of Košice’s top attractions over 50,000 people visited—twice as many as the East Slovak Museum Dolná Brána has been listed in the Central Register of the National Cultural Heritage Fund since 2010 the city refurbished the museum’s entrance platform Košice has also secured a building permit for a €2.7 million project aimed at preventing water infiltration and restoring the site’s stone and concrete structures and improved drainage,” said Mayor Jaroslav Polaček According to Richard Dlhý of Košice City Hall the city will apply for EU funding this year with restoration potentially starting in 2026 The museum last underwent a major renovation in 2021 a €180,000 grant from Hungary helped launch a new multimedia exhibition featuring 3D models and interactive displays A helping hand in the heart of Europe thanks to our Slovakia travel guide with more than 1,000 photos and hundreds of tourist spots Our detailed travel guide to the Tatras introduces you to the whole region around the Tatra mountains Lost in Bratislava? That's impossible with our City Guide Slovakia - Steel Arena in Košice is one of the most important multifunctional halls in Slovakia It has twice hosted the IIHF Ice Hockey World Championships and is the home venue of the hockey club HC Košice nine-time Slovak champion and holder of two Czechoslovak titles which plays in the highest Slovak hockey league As part of a comprehensive reconstruction of the ice rink lighting eight Ayrton Domino Profiles – supplied by Pro Music Ayrton’s exclusive representative for the Czech Republic and Slovakia – were installed as effects lighting by Pro Music’s long-time business partner Marcel Filko and his technical team from ma.cz Four Domino Profiles were rigged on a circular overhead video truss and another four on the structure above the ice surface from where the incumbent team makes full use of the Domino Profile’s comprehensive gobo offering and effects package for ambient and interval lighting and goal celebrations when the Domino Profiles really ‘light the lamp’ “We needed powerful profile LED luminaires for the demanding conditions of the ice rink,” says Marcel Filko “For durability and minimal maintenance requirements I was coincidentally working with Michal Konštacký We talked a lot about the technical details of Ayrton products and got many useful technical and application recommendations after which we invested in Zondas and are extremely satisfied “The selection of the lights for the Steel Arena went the same way offered solutions based on technical knowledge and good business terms and was able to deliver the lights on time We decided to go with Ayrton again and once again the decision proved to be the right one.” “When we first lit up Domino above the ice we were very surprised by the intensity and quality of the display of graphic motifs on the ice surface in any colour and with various complex gobo graphics,” comments the Arena’s technical team and the ma.cz technicians who helped with the configuration of lights and lighting console “The gobos are very distinctive and perfectly sharp across the entire surface And even though Domino hangs relatively high the effect it creates on the ice surface and in the auditorium will certainly not be lost even under the flood of light from the newly installed hall lighting And that is exactly what a prestigious Extra League arena like this one needs.” PLASA Media Limited is a company registered in England and Wales with company number 4111709 - VAT Number GB 762 5913 14PLASA Media Ltd At the end of the first world war, the country of Austria-Hungary disintegrated into countless smaller countries. Among the chaos, one country briefly appeared in the eastern region of Slovakia It was called both the Slovak People’s Republic and the East Slovak Republic It claimed that Eastern Slovaks’ dialect and culture was far too detached for them to be considered Slovaks and that they had more in common with the Hungarians than with the new Czechoslovakia 1918 before being occupied by the Czechoslovak army The only memory of this brief era in history is a restaurant with the same name It pays homage to this time by having its menu completely in the East Slovak dialect as well as having the republic’s constitution displayed for everyone to see in their bathrooms as well as allowing you to sign up for "citizenship" on their website Dine in a former general store from the Roaring Twenties Two of Manchester’s oldest buildings were moved twice a restaurant that became a crucial hub for Black activism in London but the Martin still makes out-of-towners feel at home—just like it has for the past century The French leader's hat sits in a glass case at the oldest restaurant in Paris This restaurant sits within the walls of an 18th-century fortification that once defended the city’s old quarter Belgrade’s oldest restaurant has a rather unusual name Travel back in time at a Moroccan-inspired restaurant that was the height of glamor in the 1970s Matthew Ryan to make Roma debut in Kosice friendlyRomaPressJuly 22, 2024 at 6:59 AM UTC·1 min readRoma’s latest signing, Matthew Ryan, is ready to begin his adventure with the Giallorossi starting from today’s preseason friendly with Kosice. For the Australian shot-stopper – signed on a free transfer a week ago – today’s match represents an important opportunity to demonstrate his worth and experience the emotion of his debut in the Giallorossi shirt. Daniele De Rossi is set to appoint Mile Svilar from the start against Kosice in Roma’s second preseason friendly. However, Corriere dello Sport writes that Ryan will certainly have space in the second half to enjoy his Roma debut. De Rossi sees Ryan as a potential leader of the dressing room, and his performances today will be crucial to affirm his role at Roma. 20 Apr 2025 16:00:00 GMT?.css-1txiau5-AnswerContainer{color:var(--GlobalColorScheme-Text-secondaryText2);}DAC 1904 Dunajska Streda won 3–2 over FC Kosice on Sun Predicted lineups are available for the match a few days in advance while the actual lineup will be available about an hour ahead of the match The current head to head record for the teams are DAC 1904 Dunajska Streda 2 win(s) Have scored 7 goals in their last 5 matches 20 Apr 2025 16:00:00 GMT?DAC 1904 Dunajska Streda won 3–2 over FC Kosice on Sun 20 Apr 2025 16:00:00 GMT.InsightsHave scored 9 goals in their last 5 matches DAC 1904 Dunajska Streda is playing home against FC Kosice at MOL Arena on Sun A consortium of SOR Libchavy and Škoda Group has secured a framework contract with Košice Public Transport Company to deliver up to 30 articulated 18-metre electric buses includes an initial order of 11 vehicles with an option for 19 more The first buses are scheduled for delivery between late 2025 and early 2026 positioning Košice as a leader in public transport electrification in Slovakia which represents a further step towards strengthening our position in the market for modern and environmentally friendly means of transport,” said Filip Murgaš “This project will provide the citizens of Košice with a modern and comfortable form of public transport and will contribute to the city’s ambition to become a leader in the electrification of public transport in Slovakia.” The fully low-floor vehicles are equipped with permanent magnet traction motors and silicon carbide-based traction converters Passenger amenities include air conditioning and an automatic passenger counting system Safety features comprise internal camera systems and a reversing camera “The unique charging system allows charging of electric buses during the day directly on the route via collectors connected to the existing tram and trolleybus overhead system in Košice,” said Radek Svoboda “This system greatly increases the flexibility and operational efficiency of the fleet.” This project marks a significant step in Košice’s public transport modernization efforts aligning with the city’s commitment to environmentally friendly mobility solutions The consortium’s success underscores the growing demand for electric buses in urban transport systems across Europe Looking to access paid articles across multiple policy topics Interested in policy insights for EU professional organisations Slovaks have been promised for years that construction of a highway connecting Bratislava and Košice Hungary has now built its own highway from west to the east meaning the two Slovak cities are now connected Over the next few years, Croatia and Kosovo will strengthen economic cooperation, particularly in the area of air and rail traffic as well as in infrastructure. [Shutterstock / 1tomm] Slovakia’s Interior Ministry confirmed the death of a 48-year-old man detained last week in Košice - Nad jazerom linking his death to injuries allegedly inflicted by an on-duty police officer The police patrol arrested the man at Kaufland, a grocery store, where he reportedly attempted to steal alcohol Thefts under €700 are now no longer considered a crime but a misdemeanour following amendments to criminal legislation by the current government the store’s security reportedly took him to a designated room and called the police After allegedly being severely beaten at the store by one of the two police officers the man is believed to have been taken to the police station He was later transported to a local hospital Reports indicate that he was a rough sleeper A store camera reportedly captured the assault, according to the news website Aktuality.sk responsible for investigating police misconduct It is reported that the two police officers denied beating the homeless man they stated that the man fell to the ground and injured his head while attempting to escape the police according to Police Chief Ľubomír Solák The two officers were detained on November 11 now faces manslaughter charges and a prison sentence of 12-15 years He was taken into pre-trial custody on November 13 while the latter officer has been released from detention and has returned to work who reportedly failed to intervene and stop his colleague following the session of the Defence and Security Parliamentary Committee criminal charges might be pressed against him at some point The head of the Police Inspectorate, Branislav Zurian, confirmed on November 14 that the charged officer returned to the store in civilian clothes after the beating and tried to communicate with the security staff there It is unclear whether he attempted to obtain video footage from the room where he assaulted the man Interior Minister Matúš Šutaj Eštok, a coalition leader and head of the Hlas party, stressed in a brief social media post on November 12 that the law applies equally to everyone He assured the public that the tragic incident a response to bomb threats that schools have been receiving in recent months On November 12, the minister also posted a video—his preferred way of communicating with supporters—addressing the Košice incident He condemned the behaviour of the police officer involved as unacceptable and pledged to purchase body cameras for police officers the interior minister told journalists that he saw no reason to submit his resignation Public Defender of Rights Róbert Dobrovodský expressed horror at the latest case of police brutality urging that video recordings be made during any police operations involving force Opposition MPs have also called for body cameras to be mandated for police officers Amnesty International Slovakia also expressed deep outrage over the police officer’s violent behaviour “This death is a tragic example of the dangerous abuse of police power and must lead to drastic systemic reform within the police force,” the organisation said in a statement The incident follows a recent visit by lawmakers to a Košice police station where, earlier this summer, another individual suffered abuse Similar incidents involving the Košice police have occurred in the past “This is clearly a long-standing systemic issue,” said Lucia Plaváková (Progressive Slovakia) calling for urgent action from the interior minister Freedom and Solidarity lawmaker Vladimíra Marcinková echoed this we see how fatal and tragic the consequences of ignoring this issue can be.” Marcinková also criticised the police officers who fail to condemn brutal attacks by their colleagues He had reportedly assaulted a woman who was a relative of a Lučenec police officer he had to be transported to a local hospital the Lučenec police denied any mistreatment the ministry announced the launch of a public procurement process for the "cursed section" of the Turany–Hubová highway the final unbuilt stretch of the highway set to connect Bratislava and Košice Funding for transport and housing from state budget is set to increase by over €740 million in 2025 The bulk of this investment is earmarked for transport infrastructure with projected expenditures of €1.84 billion this year This funding will support crucial projects including the construction of primary roads and the modernisation of railway infrastructure Financial backing for these initiatives will come from a mix of European Union resources and the coffers of respective state-owned companies This financing may help facilitate the construction of the problematic Turany-Hubová section of the D1 motorway in northern Slovakia After years of disputes regarding the construction process the project has moved into the phase of seeking firms to undertake the work This most expensive stretch of the motorway measuring 13.5 kilometres and estimated to cost nearly €1.5 billion (excluding VAT) which poses a significant obstacle to connecting Bratislava with Košice the country’s second-largest city in the east still has a long way to go before completion The rest of this article is premium content at Spectator.skSubscribe now for full access Immediate access to all locked articles (premium content) on Spectator.sk Special weekly news summary + an audio recording with a weekly news summary to listen to at your convenience (received on a weekly basis directly to your e-mail) PDF version of the latest issue of our newspaper Access to all premium content on Sme.sk and Korzar.sk The match will be played at 7:30 pm at the Kosice Football Arena: on this occasion the new stadium will be inaugurated and it will be a real event for local fans Roma will be returning to this location after 15 years: the only precedent dates back to the  2009-10 Europa League playoffs I confirm that I have read the privacy policy – EU VAT IT09305501000 - all rights reserved logos and artwork are registered or unregistered trademarks of Soccer S.r.l All other trademarks may be the property of their respective holders Speculation mounts over Polestar 7 production in Slovakia as Chinese-backed EV brand seeks to navigate EU tariffs Volvo’s next electric SUV remains shrouded in secrecy with the brand offering little insight into which models will be produced in eastern Slovakia speculation is mounting over what could emerge from its production lines Polestar’s links to Volvo are well established The Swedish automaker is partly owned by China’s Geely Holding which also controls a significant stake in Polestar Originally founded in 1996 as a racing outfit modifying Volvo cars for competition its ownership has since evolved: 39 percent of Polestar is controlled by China’s PSD Investment led by Geely chairman Li Shufu; Geely Holding holds a further 24 percent; Volvo retains 18 percent; and the remainder is publicly traded has helped Polestar emerge as a standalone brand Yet its manufacturing remains intertwined with Volvo and Geely Polestar currently produces three models – Polestar 2 and 4 – with the Polestar 5 due this year and the Polestar 7 expected to align with Košice’s production timeline Volvo has stated its intention to build two small electric SUVs in Slovakia Producing two nearly identical models under the same brand would risk internal competition—a problem previously faced by Jaguar Land Rover Košice could follow the example of Volkswagen and Stellantis which build multiple vehicles on shared platforms to cut costs while maintaining distinct brand identities The Košice factory is already attracting a growing ecosystem of suppliers Data from Slovakia’s investment agency shows that while German firms have traditionally dominated new projects Jiangsu Xinquan Automotive Trim has chosen Prešov for its plant A key driver for Polestar’s European production shift is the EU’s decision to impose tariffs on Chinese-made EVs citing state subsidies that distort competition Yet the move also mirrors China’s past demands that European manufacturers localise production within its borders Chinese carmakers are accelerating their European expansion while SAIC has reportedly explored Slovakia as a potential site which produces its EX30 and EX90 models in China has already relocated some production to Belgium to avoid tariffs Volvo’s move to Košice represents a €1.2 billion investment set to employ around 3,300 people in the first phase and gradually ramp up production to 250,000 vehicles per year The Slovak city looks to balance growth and heritage is set to unveil a new zoning plan in June next year replacing the current rules that date back to the 1970s.  Over four months of public consultation, the city received more than 1,700 suggestions, many focused on parking, land for family homes, and community gardens, reports the website Korzár The new plan aims to significantly increase green spaces with parks and greenery potentially expanding by half Architects have also refined the definition of a “tree,” specifying its age and size to ensure clarity in planning where high-rise buildings have transformed the skyline Reflecting on a visit to London after 20 years Polaček expressed disappointment at its transformation “I was shocked to see how beautiful areas disappeared I thought perhaps Košice was behind that the world now demanded more — bigger His perspective shifted after visiting Prague You don’t need skyscrapers everywhere or to create a ‘Manhattan.’ I deeply respect the mediaeval character of Košice This city’s quality lies in what it already is.” Polaček praised the work of former city architects for preserving Košice’s genius loci — its unique sense of place “You can still see the Calvary Hill and the iconic St Elizabeth Cathedral explained that Košice has clear spatial regulations to protect its character “There are defined sightlines that preserve views of significant landmarks.” The city’s major development focus is a new urban centre along the Hornád River an area architects see as Košice’s largest opportunity for growth This ambitious vision includes relocating the railway an idea under consideration for the past 30 years One of the key principles of the new plan is greater urban density “The denser the development and the better the service infrastructure the lower the city’s costs for maintenance and care,” Jerguš noted He pointed to the stark contrast between two city districts — Pereš and KVP While the similarly sized KVP estate is home to around 22,000 residents there are significant issues with access to services People have to travel into the city for essentials and employment opportunities within the district are virtually non-existent.” The new zoning plan will be presented to city councillors for approval at their June session A journey that put Košice on Slovakia’s digital marketing map Peter Šoltés is a marketing expert and founder of Promiseo a successful agency based in Košice launching his first web design business at just 18 What began as a small venture has grown into a recognised agency now part of the Association of Digital Marketing Agencies and a Premium Google Partner While 19 of Slovakia’s 20 biggest digital marketing companies are based in Bratislava Promiseo proudly represents Košice on the list Among their clients are many of the city's largest and most influential businesses Šoltés and his team develop marketing strategies that reach people throughout the day — from the TikTok videos you watch over breakfast to the podcasts you listen to on your commute these days a marketing agency often has to double up as an event agency too Driven by a strong sense of innovation and a keen understanding of modern marketing trends Šoltés continues to shape how businesses connect with their audiences — and how Košice’s companies make their mark Poland and the Baltic states are removing Soviet memorials; Slovakia is using taxpayers' money to restore them The Soviet memorial at Liberation Square in Košice will undergo reconstruction according to a contract between the city and the Municipal Greenery Administration The memorial is a national cultural heritage site and the work will include the restoration of moulded elements and stone plaques including the long-criticised communist-era hammer-and-sickle symbols and continues to function as a symbol of communism It has been revived in Russia in recent years to signify Soviet-era nostalgia and Russian irredentism In countries that fell under Soviet occupation it is widely regarded as a symbol of oppression The hammer-and-sickle symbols on the memorial have been damaged repeatedly over the years and controversy over them intensified after the Russian invasion of Ukraine expressed shock at the news: "It’s incomprehensible He regards the reconstruction of the hammer-and-sickle symbols “a gift” to Russia in light of the upcoming 35th anniversary of the Velvet Revolution which saw the communist government in Czechoslovakia overthrown The anniversary will be celebrated in Košice in just two days The Interior Ministry and the city of Košice will cover the cost of the work with the ministry contributing 80 percent of the expenses and the city covering the remaining €2,775 The project is set to be completed by the end of the year who is currently on probation for damaging the memorial "With the money spent on these repairs the monument could have been dismantled and moved to a dignified location There’s space for that; I’d even go there to light a candle," he said The idea of relocating the memorial has been discussed for years but the City of Košice has demurred pointing to the Venice Charter for the protection of monuments which forbids the relocation of heritage sites except on grounds of preservation or national interest Kalmus argues that this restoration makes a move unlikely The only sensible solution would be to move it to a cemetery a Košice local who participated in the Velvet Revolution called the restoration a slap in the face of the November events "It’s absurd to repair a monument that was declared a cultural heritage site by the Communist Party in 1983 The Soviet army didn’t liberate us; they came one day and took people to the gulags the next." signed a petition last year to rename Liberation Square to Legionnaires' Square – in reference to the Czechoslovak Legions that played a key part in the post-WWI establishment of Czechoslovakia – but the city council only acknowledged it without taking further action Neuwirth continues to push for the monument’s relocation citing the 1975 relocation of a Gothic church in Most the fact that the memorial was declared a war grave complicates the issue The Interior Ministry has stated that any modification or relocation of a war memorial must be approved by both the ministry and the property owner Explore our comprehensive portfolio that addresses the complete care continuum for many of the world’s most threatening diseases.  Discover the stories of pioneers pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in healthcare to help improve people’s lives around the world Patient-centered innovation has been and always will be at the core of our company Dive deeper into our fascinating technologies Siemens Healthineers opens new Ultrasound manufacturing facility in Košice Siemens Healthineers opened a new Ultrasound manufacturing facility in Košice with an initial capacity of up to 120 systems per week The company will use this new facility to expand manufacturing capabilities for its ultrasound products including the Acuson Sequoia and the Acuson Redwood These products can have a significant impact on how clinicians treat and monitor their patients.  The facility in Košice will manufacture some portion of all general imaging and cardiovascular ultrasound systems and will supplement additional manufacturing facilities in Asia and the United States The additional manufacturing facility will allow for a reduction of carbon emissions by more than 90 percent by ground shipping products to customers in Europe instead of via air freight from Asia.  “Being able to have products produced much closer to our customers in Europe Middle East and Africa is hugely important especially after all the shipping and supply chain challenges of the last couple of years We need to be able to deliver what our customers need and this new facility allows us to do this in a much more agile way We have had great success with our Research and Development facility in Košice and are excited to expand even more by adding manufacturing and other capabilities,” says Ajay Gannerkote president of the Ultrasound business area of Siemens Healthineers.  More than 30 new jobs have been created at the facility while 300 more Siemens Healthineers employees are located in an office in downtown Košice over 800 employees are now working for Siemens Healthineers in offices in Bratislava “The great advantage of Acuson Redwood is primarily its versatility It offers superior imaging capabilities for specialist departments as well as general radiology within a single hospital there is also a benefit in its quiet operation and in reducing the need for invasive procedures,” says prof Head of the 1st Cardiology Clinic at the Faculty of Medicine UPJŠ and ESICD in Košice.  A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held today at the facility attended by Siemens Healthineers employees and executive leadership For further information on the Ultrasound portfolio of Siemens Healthineers, please see www.siemens-healthineers.com/ultrasound/new-era-ultrasound. Prime Minister Robert Fico’s government is considering redirecting €300 million from its recovery plan to building an underground carbon dioxide storage facility either observed and verified directly by the reporter or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources The funds were initially earmarked for the US steel plant in Košice but a change in ownership has halted the investment As all investments under the Recovery Plan must be made by 2026 the government urgently sought alternative solutions to avoid losing funds We use cookies to personalize content and ads and to analyze our traffic and improve our service Gyula Kosice translated from the Spanish by Montana Ray 1924) is one of the more remarkable visionary artists of the previous century and certainly the most exotic Hungarian transplant to take root in Buenos Aires Kosice was a founder (with Carmelo Arden Quin and Rhod Rothfuss) of the influential Madí group in 1946 which helped to transmit and transform Bauhaus ideas in Latin America while adding an element of ludic invention and creative freedom Fascinated by technology and committed to an art of the future Kosice was among the first artists to use neon in sculpture and early on employed water in unprecedented ways in his work His iterations of the theoretical Hydrospatial City place him among a group of visionary thinkers including the late Paolo Soleri and Buckminster Fuller Recently Kosice participated in an extended interview with Gabriel Pérez-Barreiro director of the Colección Patricia Phelps de Cisneros published in book and ebook form as one of the “Conversations” series from the Fundación Pérez-Barreiro (as interlocutor and translator) and me took place in November via telephone in Buenos Aires and New York Lyle Rexer As I look over your early career and that of your fellow artists and members of Madí did a great job of naming movements and publicizing your intentions—bringing out manifestos arguing with each other—but that the actual output of work was quite slim Did this come from a belief that works of art involve a lot of theoretical preliminaries or that writing and discussion are part and parcel of the work Or was a lot of the early work simply lost Do you really maintain that all this theorizing was germane to the work produced in Argentina and Uruguay Another way to put this is: What is the relation between theory and practice We had drafted some manifestos and we’d already tried to make leaflets distributing these totally amongst ourselves We’d go to a café on Corrientes street: Café La Fragata People traveled from other countries to see us Our magazines [Arturo (1944) and Arte Madí Universal (1946–54)] sought out international collaborators and created a network of supporters of abstract art Things were effervescent then; we’d declared that “art is the currency of the absolute,” and from there our ideas started to clash we’d get into discussions that ended up elucidating many things I also want to mention Grete Stern—she was the one who brought all the Bauhaus documentation to Argentina She was a disciple of the master photographer Walter Peterhans She showed us all the Bauhaus material and was kind enough to translate a series of very valuable Bauhaus books LR Your descriptions of those days suggest that the manifestos and rather- sparse exhibitions of Madí and other proponents of abstract art were met with general indifference given that your stance was so public and provocative Did you have to exhibit in France before you could gain attention at home (the Argentine problem) to a place called Réalités Nouvelles [an organization that hosted an annual abstract-art salon in Paris] which held the first international exposition of Madí All of this is well documented; we were pretty successful there What we did was destroy the old concept of a painting the canvas and the frame were a thing of the past There was no logical reason to continue making art like that with the frame marking the end of a painting Gabriel Pérez-Barreiro What was the reception like in Argentina Other groups had a very negative opinion of our work the surrealists of that moment were attacking us ferociously Our work had nothing to do with automatism GPB So basically there was no interest in the type of activity or art that you were engaged in LR A related question: how did you actually support yourself my two brothers had opened a small leather-goods workshop but that also made it possible for us to buy materials If a specific material didn’t exist and we needed to import it LR For most artists of the Río de la Plata interest in North American art seems to have been virtually nil you continued to look to Europe for inspiration and dialogue Many of you in the various nonobjective and concrete art movements seemed to be working out or modifying ideas and approaches that derived from constructivism Why did Europe hold so much attraction for you Did North America eventually appear on your radar screen Artists from the United States were important and later there was another abstract artist there’s absolutely no contact with what’s going on in the United States This is true of a lot of the artists of that period that was clearly not the most exciting kind of postwar abstract art in America It surprises me that there’s never any mention of Pollock or people like Gorky Maybe this isn’t really a question for Kosice: what was the route by which artists in Latin America came to any conception of what was going on in North America Lyle finds it interesting that the people you’re mentioning are not the main protagonists of the scene in the United States It seems that the US was only really interested in Brazil in terms of its Cold War logic and that it was left to the artists elsewhere to create networks independently of any official efforts you included a section where international artists could send in images and this created a kind of social network of abstract images through the postal service It’s interesting today to see which artists wanted to be featured in a Buenos Aires magazine GK These people contributed to the international component of the magazine I also remember Hilla Rebay; she was integral to the magazine She helped to gain acceptance of the work abroad Hilla Rebay was one of the founders of the Museum of Non-Objective Art which later became part of the Guggenheim collection LR Certainly in Argentina the interest was always directed toward Europe did art from the US have much of an impact There didn’t seem to be much interest in the abstract art that was made up north Did you have much contact with artists in Brazil and Venezuela where nonfigurative art could actually be said to have influenced the social fabric and many other artists who were there for a conference They were more focused on concrete art than Madí there was that artist who played the guitar And also another Venezuelan I met in Paris whose name I can’t remember each one followed his own path and his own diction I well remember the first time I saw one of your pieces in the flesh but I was a bit intimidated to ring you up out of the blue.) The date on the work with neon Estructura lumínica Madí E-1 was so early—the late 1940s or early ’50s as I recall—that I was taken aback by its prescience not one we usually associate with ambitious works of art is really directed at our other interlocutor Gabriel has known your work much longer than I have and I would like to know what it was about his initial experience that was so compelling GPB I first came across Kosice’s work at his retrospective at the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes in 1991 I was still an undergraduate and knew next to nothing about Argentine art history Your use of the term affection is really appropriate as what I found (and still find) compelling about Kosice’s work is this mix of a rational formal language and an almost childlike delight in light I end the book of conversations talking about the school groups that come to Kosice’s studio every Friday morning It’s an amazing sight to see so many kids completely enthralled by the work many of whom have never really thought about art before I am more and more compelled by work that appeals beyond its milieu that leaps right over the cognoscenti to connect to the great unwashed that is unafraid to risk judgments like “gauche,” “naive,” and “overstated.” But Maestro I wanted to pick up a thread that I dropped at the beginning you wrote poems more than you made art (this reminds me a bit of László Moholy-Nagy who spread the gospel of the Bauhaus to North America) You were influenced by the poets Vicente Huidobro You mentioned that Huidobro visited Buenos Aires given that they could be classified as surrealists Vicente Huidobro sent a poem that was published inArturo we should add that Arturo was the first magazine published by this generation Kosice was an editor along with Arden Quin Although it announced itself as a “revista de arte abstracto,” there is relatively little visual art in a predominance of literature but the following year Kosice published a little booklet called Invención 1 in which his poems and manifestos are accompanied by the first articulated sculptures and in some way tried to reconcile the need to combine the imagination with a human being’s ability to poeticize the world through writing I’ve always tried to reconcile or balance the two elements—the language of the diction and the language of form and the kinetic—from a need to create works that become a permanence in themselves GPB So in that sense poets were important for you the ability to conjure up new worlds through text there is not much of a difference between working with words and working with artistic or plastic concepts for you LR This is not absolutely critical and I don’t mean to harp on it but I’m interested in your relationships with other writers I interviewed Borges and asked him a question that was a bit provocative sometimes no.” I didn’t have a tape recorder then; I carried a pen and a little notebook “Write that I’m agnostic!” (laughter) Just as I was going was called “A Hydrolyzed Dialogue with Jorge Luis Borges.” He always talked a lot about himself; he reveled in it about hydrokinetic art and the need one has to make works with a value of synthesis with respect to their general environment In the ’40s you didn’t have any contact with him GK His work always interested me very much Cortázar translated from French to Spanish for UNESCO He dealt with all of the correspondence.LR Because so much of what you have done has been in language I wonder whether there are other influences that we haven’t articulated GK I’ve had many important literary influences I remember when García Márquez’s book came out One Hundred Years of Solitude for example And also some other Latin American writers but even more so the writers who’d emigrated from Europe to Latin America The Latin American Boom hadn’t happened yet GPB And who from France might have been an influence And it’s not that I was influenced by him; besides I had done something that nobody else had dared to do: the portable Madí dictionary corresponding to what can be or what can’t be but always in the terrain of doubt and possibility as a critic and a curator whose job it is to stand outside work and assess its historical position if you would talk a bit about the importance of Kosice’s work in the context of post–World War II Latin America do you think that his work has something to say to contemporary artists GPB I think Kosice is in many ways the “missing link” in our understanding of the avant-garde in Latin America His simultaneous adoption and rejection of the precepts of geometric abstraction are What I mean by that is that he makes work that is ideologically within the tradition of abstraction and constructivism but he refuses to adopt it as a formal dogma He maintains that the ideas are more important than the results and while this has made it difficult for his work to circulate widely—because it doesn’t always have a professional “finish”—it points to fundamental questions in postwar art: Is abstraction a style or a language Does it contain a predetermined set of meanings or can it be reinterpreted When Kosice creates a geometric sculpture that can be manipulated by any viewer he is rejecting any idea of a fixed or stable set of relationships and opening the door to kinetic art and to a relational aesthetic that will become fundamental to this history in the late 1950s and ’60s I think of the obvious examples of Lygia Clark and Hélio Oiticica One of the things that impresses me is that in so many developments of late 20th-century art I’d like to talk in our final segment about your most visionary project Perhaps it’s best to call these designs futuristic rather than utopian were you aware of Buckminster Fuller’s writing and designs What about Paolo Soleri’s Arcosanti project Did you truly believe when you began that your conceptions could be built or is this a case of going into the woods to do something other than hunt the bear You insist on the scientific or logical character of these designs few of their elements are functional; they are poetic and spiritual If not a “machine for living in,” per Corbusier Is that the most important function of human beings I’m going to answer these questions slowly Utopias dissolve with the possibility of being And where are we going to put all of these people Combining a great process of creativity with state-of-the-art technology I speak about “porvenirismo” instead of futurism [“el porvenir” means “the future” in Spanish] “to come.” The “almost here” is what interests me The futurist movement experienced a total decline when it started to become influenced by the surrealists futurism begins to disintegrate a little into factions I want to end this term to reach the future For me the most important thing is to be able to imagine a future in the sense that Leonardo was able to be well ahead of his time with his inventions: flying machines then it is possible to foretell something that is not possible at a given moment GPB So you believe in the power of imagination it’s important to underline the provisional nature of the Hydrospatial City—it’s less a set of maquettes and more a proposal or provocation The diagrams that you made to accompany the project that indicate areas “to feel like doing something” [“para tener ganas”] or a “rotational anti-tower to capture the imprecise limits of distance” [“anti-torre girable para captar los límites imprecisos de la distancia”] avoid any possibility of them being taken literally I love how the whole project avoids the question of architecture completely and makes it a project of invention the machinations of imagination and invention I always repeat that “art is the currency of the absolute”—that which is unlike everything else That which has nothing to do with anything outside of the work itself A work that speaks for itself is what writers should permanently strive to achieve Let’s do this: Why don’t we split the honor in two and keep a little piece of it for each one Descriptive diagram of the Hydrospatial City The diagram indicates spaces designated for 1) choosing the dream and the emphatic daydreaming of unrealities 2) autosuggestion to attain serenity and mirages 4) space for lost steps and absences that are recycled 7) creating obstacles to define impromptu celestial bodies 8) bridge to make the transition from chance to the administration of chance 10) Argentine platform for friendship and gaucho behavior 11) relegation of meaning and the intelligible response to the omnipresent in everything 12) climax of emotion and its humorous illustration and 13) intercode with sympathetic access to confidences and flattering forecasts The National Highway Company has announced long-expected tender for the final stretch of the D1 highway The National Highway Company (NDS) has announced a tender for the Turany-Hubová stretch This is the final section of the highway connecting the two biggest cities of Slovakia where construction has not yet been launched the first cars should be driving this stretch with a price tag close to €2 billion in 2032 shortening the way from the capital to Košice by about 30 minutes “I think that we all have been waiting for this the so-called cursed Turany – Hubová stretch,” Transport Minister Jozef Ráž said on Monday and we have reached an important milestone.” The minister is hopeful that the procurement will be completed without problems the process should be helped by the law on strategic investments as this project has obtained the status of a strategic investment making the process of getting necessary permissions easier “I hope and believe that this tender will run smoothly and won’t be the subject of many appeals and obstructions as we often see in Slovakia,” said Ráž as cited by the TASR newswire The stretch should be part of the main European TEN-T network which Slovakia has committed to completing by 2030 Based on the highway construction experience so far there is little chance that Slovakia will make it Former Slovak ice-hockey goalie coaches some of NHL's best netminders and look forward to taking ride on Christmas tram Good evening. Here is the Wednesday, December 4 edition of Today in Slovakia - the main news of the day in less than five minutes A tender for regular flights from Bratislava to Košice has been announced by Transport Minister Jozef Ráž (Smer nominee) the flights with a capacity of at least 40 are to depart every Monday the European Commission's permission to launch an air link has been obtained "We'd like to invite all operators interested in serving this route to apply for the tender," said the minister on Wednesday The maximum one-way ticket without luggage has been set at €80 A return ticket without luggage should cost €130 tops while a ticket with luggage shouldn't exceed €145 The minister added that the price can only decrease and expects the tender to be over by the beginning of next year Further information on prices will be announced after the tender is over Ráž expects huge demand from airlines CULTURE: World-renowned mime Milan Sládek has died at 86. The news was confirmed by the artist's family, writes Denník N SPORT: Former Slovak ice-hockey goalkeeper Peter Budaj is making waves in NHL as Anaheim Ducks' goalie coach. The team's two netminders are among the best TRAVEL: Are you planning on going skiing in the next few weeks? Even though the VAT is going to increase from January 1, operators of ski resorts have already increased prices of ski passes. Find out how much. CULTURE: Dating back to 1930s, Serbian Slovaks' art is now included on the UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list AWARD: Saved from certain destruction, a historic mansion in Orava region rose like a phoenix to claims awards as a hotel, including the latest: it is the best historic hotel in Europe design-wise 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 During the year or so he has been reviewing restaurants, The Slovak Spectator's Mark Taylor had yet to visit a basic Slovak pub-restaurant that serves pirohy and halušky with plenty of good local pilsner. Find out why and what he thinks of the traditional Slovak dish in his review of the 1. Slovak Pub the venue that claims to be the biggest and the best Slovak pub Bratislava's Christmas tram is once again going to take to streets The historic K2G articulated car (#7085) will follow a circular route through the city centre via the following stops: Jesenského - Námestie SNP - Kapucínska - Nábrežie - Jesenského are scheduled between 16:00 and 20:00 during working days and between 12:00 and 20:00 during weekends Slovakia will continue to provide humanitarian assistance to Ukraine and supplies of non-lethal military equipment stated Slovak Foreign Affairs Minister Juraj Blanár (Smer) after the talks of NATO Foreign Ministers in Brussels Slovakia will provide the 14th humanitarian package by the end of the year Slovakia is exposed to a record reliance on foreign funding According to ČSOB analyst Marek Gábriš the state reported debt of some €73 billion in late November while the lion's share is constituted by the sale of government bonds the police identified and found a man who had called the President's Office a day earlier announcing he would set himself on fire in front of the Presidential Palace in Bratislava The man's behavior is the subject of investigation WEATHER FOR THURSDAY: Cloudy to overcast skies, occasional showers expected. Daily temperatures will rise to between 0 °C to 5 °C. (SHMÚ) If you have suggestions on how our news overview can be improved you can reach us at editorial@spectator.sk Follow The Slovak Spectator on Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram(@slovakspectator) “Judgement and prejudice only increase distances Hostility and sharp words are not helpful.  Marginalizing others accomplishes nothing.  Segregating ourselves and other people eventually leads to anger.”  Pope Francis used these words to condemn the discrimination that the Roma people face “The path to peaceful coexistence is integration.”   He made the remark during a meeting Tuesday evening with the Roma community of Košice where he is on the 34th apostolic journey of his pontificate   The Luník IX neighbourhood where the Pope met them has the highest density of Roma people in Slovakia.  Basic services such as gas electricity and heating are scant in the run-down and overcrowded tenement buildings After listening to the testimonies of some of the Roma people the Pope said it is not easy to leave prejudice behind even for Christians.  “It is not easy to value others especially if we see them as problems or enemies; if we pass judgement without making any effort to get to know them and to listen to their stories.” the Holy Father lamented the gossip or rumours we pass or the prejudices “we disfigure by our words the beauty of the children of God who are our brothers and sisters.  “We cannot reduce the reality of others to fit our own pre-packaged ideas; people cannot be pigeonholed.”  Our knowledge and appreciation of others must be grounded in our acknowledgement that each of them possesses the inviolable beauty of a son or daughter of God Recalling the words of Saint Pope Paul VI - “In the Church no one ought ever to feel out of place or set aside.”  He told them that too often they have been the object of prejudice and harsh judgements which make humanity poorer.  Restoring dignity He explained that integration through peaceful coexistence as an organic gradual and vital process starts with coming to know one another without encountering obstacles and exclusion.”  “They deserve a well-integrated and free life,” the Pope said calling for “courageous decisions on behalf of children to promote their dignity to educate them in such a way that they can grow up solidly grounded in their own identity and be given every opportunity they desire” The Salesians of Don Bosco assisted by the Salesian sisters and numerous volunteers have established a pastoral and community centre in Lunik IX helping the integration of the Roma people Pope Francis thanked all who dedicated themselves to the task religious and the laity.  He encouraged them saying “Do not be afraid to go out to encounter the marginalized.  You will find that you are going out to meet Jesus.”  He said Jesus awaits them “wherever there is need Pope Francis also expressed his closeness with refugees and prisoners.  Do not be afraid to go out to encounter the marginalized.  You will find that you are going out to meet Jesus.  He awaits you wherever there is need is required.  Those are the places where he will be found Thank you for reading our article. You can keep up-to-date by subscribing to our daily newsletter. Just click here Mlynský Náhon is the oldest technical monument in the city The wider Košice centre may soon change as the town hall wants a historic waterway to once again be part of it. The ambitious idea draws inspiration from the Canal Saint-Martin in Paris, France, and canals in Utrecht, the Netherlands, reports Korzár the waterway is the oldest engineering work in the eastern-Slovak city It was either an artificially created distributary of the Hornád River or a modified meander of the river's distributary The waterway was named after a watermill that used to stand on its bank part of the waterway was pumped out and changed into a four-lane road now Štefánikova Street connecting the north and south of Košice Mayor Jaroslav Polaček started working on the idea five years ago building on the vision of his predecessor Rudolf Schuster who even had plans for boating in the city park The current management will change the waterway from Anička Park to the Jumbo shopping centre based on the 2020 landscape and urban planning competition winning design There are also plans to take the waterway even further the city has obtained an approved building permit While last year the town hall said that it would finance the transformation from its own budget "We would like to apply for Eurofund resources to finance the revitalisation there is currently no call announced that would allow it We are waiting for this to happen," says the mayor The Slovak city unveils a strategy to support its 22,000 foreign residents Košice, the second-largest Slovak city, has unveiled a Strategy for Foreigner Integration to address the growing number of foreign residents. City councillors approved the plan on Wednesday, December 11, reports Korzár website. Košice is home to nearly 22,000 foreigners accounting for almost 10 percent of its total population according to data provided by the Foreigners’ Police Over 18,000 of these are from non-EU countries and approximately 6,800 have tolerated residency the number of foreigners has risen significantly since 2018 with a sharp increase between 2022 and 2023 “The trend of growth was evident even before,” the city stated the majority of foreigners were aged 18–60 (72 percent) with children and young people under 17 comprising 18 percent accounting for 62.8 percent of foreign residents.  The city highlighted that the foreign population is predominantly of working age and contributes economically Košice admits to gaps in data collection which hampers a comprehensive understanding of the needs of foreigners the city anticipates further growth in immigration with the arrival of Volvo’s new plant in Valaliky expected to employ 7,200 workers by late 2026 “Foreign workers often take on jobs that are less appealing to the domestic workforce filling labour gaps,” the document also notes It also praises foreigners running businesses in Košice who contribute to the local economy on par with domestic residents through taxes and levies “Those engaged in entrepreneurship often introduce new services and products that revitalise the local economy and diversify the market they also create job opportunities for the local population.”  Košice plans to establish an Integration Unit within City Hall by the first quarter of 2025 This will include a Support Centre for Foreigners and a First Contact Office with a projected budget of €219,000 for next year The city also aims to allocate €10,000 to develop a centralised data system for tracking and analysing immigrant residency The city emphasises that it must be prepared for future refugee crises and will continue to create opportunities for children and young adults to ensure that they can thrive in adulthood.  Telegrafia alarm systems warn people of floods and earthquakes The Tomark company was nominated for the FéliX Business Award in the Exceptional Family Business category in 2024 based in the eastern Slovak city of Košice belongs among the top in the development of alert systems used in municipalities as well as industrial companies where they warn of approaching critical situations and threats to employees’ health An award granted to businesses that is organised by Index economic magazine and Slovenská Sporiteľňa bank It is awarded to inspirational and socially responsible companies and municipalities for activities that contribute to the country’s prosperity and modernness the company founded by brothers Peter and Štefan Marčák focuses on doing business abroad Its sirens are used in 96 countries across the globe “We supply big alert systems with dozens to hundreds of sirens but we also have small projects where their number is in single digits,” Peter Marčák explained while his brother Štefan is responsible for its business activities Peter Marčák worked for the state-run Tesla Pardubice towards the end of the communist era The company was developing radiolocation technology and had quite a name in then Czechoslovakia European Commission recently approved state incentives for the carmaker A €1.2-billion investment by Chinese-owned Swedish car manufacturer Volvo Cars in eastern Slovakia is expected to create thousands of new jobs and contribute to more ecological transport in Slovakia and elsewhere The company is building its third European factory in the Valaliky industrial park near Košice where it will produce all-electric vehicles Both Slovakia and Sweden consider the investment a priority “The Volvo investment will contribute to the creation of thousands of jobs and to ecological transport,” said Marek Eštok deputy minister) of the Foreign Affairs Ministry on a visit to Košice for celebrations to mark Europe Day on May 9 He was accompanied by Christian Danielsson state secretary of the Swedish Ministry of European Union Affairs The Slovak government is providing a direct financial incentive of €267 million to support construction of the plant the European Commission said in early April the investment “will contribute to the EU’s strategic objectives relating to job creation regional development and the European Green Deal” no police officers have faced final convictions is investigating a case involving a group of Košice police officers who allegedly beat and sexually assaulted a detained man at a police station The officers work at the police station on Pribinova Street in Košice’s Old Town, according to the Korzár website citing a June 25 document initiating criminal proceedings The incident is said to have occurred last month when the officers arrested the man at Maratón mieru Square From the attacked man’s statement on June 12 it emerges that he was arrested after an employee of Košice Self-governing Region (KSK) reportedly refused to assist him when he arrived at the KSK office 10 minutes before closing who then took the man to the police station the guard told the police that he had been their colleague for 15 years He reportedly told them to give the man what he deserved According to the document from the end of June one of the officers attacked the arrested man right in the police car “The police officer pulled the hood of the hoodie that the man was wearing over his head and punched him five times with a fist on the left side of the head.. they put cuffs on his ankles at the police station on Pribinova Street and placed him barefoot in an interrogation room on a chair.” The latest chapter in our popular mini-series of European anniversaries reflects on a record-breaking night for the Club – not one to be celebrated For today marks 26 years since Cliftonville suffered their heaviest ever loss on the continental stage; an 8-0 thumping by FC Kosice contributing to a 13-1 aggregate defeat in the Reds’ maiden Champions League sojourn Trailing 5-1 from the first leg at Solitude the Reds travelled to Slovakia with virtually nothing to play for but their ultra-slim hopes of springing an unlikely surprise on their hosts was snuffed out after just four minutes when Jan Kozak opened the scoring Szilard Nemeth was next on the scoresheet and Vladimir Janocko gave Kosice a 3-0 half-time lead on the night but it was after the break that Cliftonville’s resilience was shattered; Janocko registering his second ahead of substitute Martin Prohaszka getting his name on the scoresheet It was 6-0 (and 11-1 on aggregate) when Ruslan Lubarskiy netted on 67 minutes with Prohaszka and Jozef Kozlej wrapping things up for Kosice who suffered a narrow defeat to Brondby in the next round’s group stage shootout Full contact details HERE the Prague-Košice train (operator - Czech private company RegioJet) collided with a freight train on the territory of the Czech Republic According to reported the Czech news portal iDNES the accident happened near the new Pardubice station The publication Hospodářské noviny writes that the RegioJet train passed the stop sign and this could have previously caused a collision with the freighter Passenger and freight train accident in the Czech Republic Photo: Fire and Rescue Service of the Czech Republic According to the previous one information Ministry of Foreign Affairs the citizenship of the other dead is being clarified Another 34 people suffered minor injuries and received medical assistance on the spot Individuals were taken to medical facilities in the cities of Pardubice and Hradec Králové Ukrzaliznytsia reported the that among those who died in the train accident in the Czech Republic there are no passengers of the trailer cars that were traveling to Chop from which most passengers transfer to trains to Ukraine is also expected to be delayed," the report says The train to Przemyśl has already left Pardubice It will depart with a delay of up to 10 hours A new railway route will run from Prague to Chop "Ukrzaliznytsia" opened online sales of tickets for the Chop-Budapest-Vienna train Ukravtodor is already restoring the Kyiv-Chop route, which was destroyed by Russian airstrikes +380 (44) 465 53 41 +380 (67) 638 76 00 hello@pragmatika.media https://pragmatika.media Tourists suffering from the so-called "Košice syndrome" You can read this exclusive content thanks to the FALATH & PARTNERS law firm which assists American people with Slovak roots in obtaining Slovak citizenship and reconnecting them with the land of their ancestors finding affordable parking is a top priority especially if your hotel does not offer a spot I discovered a convenient public parking lot just a short walk from Hlavná ulica (Main Street) Košice is a city where everything feels delightfully close: I found that all my meetings were within a brisk 15-minute walk or a quick 10-minute electric scooter ride from the heart of the city This compactness made exploring Košice a breeze a former graphic designer whose journey took a thrilling turn six years ago launched Local Nomad—a unique travel agency dedicated to showcasing the lesser-known wonders of Košice and its surroundings their carefully curated experiences go beyond the city's renowned historical monuments With minimal marketing and a savvy use of the Internet Local Nomad has become the go-to choice for curious travellers Košice has become a popular destination for tourists thanks to the arrival of low-cost airlines connecting the city to Ireland and Britain there are connections to Košice from Vienna The city is particularly appealing to foreign visitors due to its UNESCO-listed monuments Oľhava mentions that they mainly take tourists to the Spiš and Gemer regions where there are up to 19 UNESCO-listed monuments Trips typically cost between €100 to €200 per person per day The clients come from diverse backgrounds and countries seeking unique experiences away from popular tourist destinations "These are people who want to experience something different from regular big cities like Prague or Budapest That's why we take them to islands of positive deviance the Zlá diera (Evil Hole) cave or the wall paintings in Žehra," explained Oľhava Some are also lured to a climbing rock in the Hájska dolina valley Most of the visitors have the so-called Košice syndrome "They do not know what to expect from this city Many are pleasantly surprised and even excited They are especially surprised by the number of monuments the cleanliness of the city and disappointed by the prices of services which are not so cheap in Slovakia compared to the West with spring and autumn being strong seasons “The goal is to attract more local clients to cover the weaker summer weeks,” Kupec said Discover Eastern Slovakia with our Košice Guide Today's territory of Slovakia was part of different monarchies throughout history including the Austro-Hungarian Empire from 1867 until 1918 with the exception of the inter-war years 1939-1945 during which the Nazi-aligned Slovak state existed the territory was a part of Czechoslovakia the current names of Slovak municipalities were different Here's a list of the largest municipalities in Košice district with their historical names stated in brackets: Trstené pri Hornáde (Abaújnádasd) Nižná Myšľa (Alsómislye The full list of all Slovak municipalities, including their historical names, can be found at ww.geni.sk (in Slovak only) Košice was named the European Capital of Culture Former industrial buildings were renovated with European funds and transformed into cultural hubs such as Kunsthalle and Kasárne-Kulturpark have not only survived but are thriving today The status enhanced the creative industry in Košice and the infrastructure is still visible and functional director of the organisation K13 Košické kultúrne centrá (K13 Košice Cultural Centres) The venues were meant to have a five-year sustainability plan but continue to operate today like the Bravo building (part of the Kasárne-Kulturpark complex) it also works as an art museum and a library The Bravo building charges commercial rent and hosts local startups and a development centre for Tatra banka Another successful project in Košice is the transformation of unused heating substations in housing estates into local cultural centres The former military barracks (kasárne) while the SteelPark offers science and technology demonstrations for children but mostly when there is a big event," added Dani He plans to collaborate with local companies that use their premises for events which is building a factory for electric cars near Košice "The culture would not work without commercial partners The city contributes about €2 million annually covering only about half of the costs,”said the director of K13 Peter Radkoff and his team embarked on a groundbreaking project with the creation of the Kasárne-Kulturpark complex they had refurbished the rundown building of a former tobacco factory and its surroundings Transforming this neglected relic into a vibrant cultural hub a spacious pub-like space with a brick-like interior and a coworking space for young entrepreneurs this cultural centre was independently operated and was only supported by the Košice Region "We generate 80 percent of our revenue from our own business and the remaining 20 percent comes from grants," Radkoff the founder and director of Tabačka Kulturfabrik the centre currently lacks institutional support They do receive some funding from the Slovak Arts Council (FPU) but it is insufficient and only covers events Municipalities are unable to directly finance operations the civic association that is behind Tabačka reinvests all profits from its gastronomy business into cultural events Their main clients are the residents of Košice but people come to us for the restaurant and cultural events Local IT companies indirectly support them by organising events at Tabačka they find it challenging to secure cultural sponsors in Košice and that also affects culture," notes Radkoff their civic association took a loan of €250,000 from a private investment fund to improve the energy efficiency of the old building and heating," says Tabačka's general manager Filip Kakara Tabačka and former military barracks premises are also utilised by IT companies associated with the IT Valley organisation aiming to create a technologically advanced and innovative business environment in eastern Slovakia The initiative also supports entrepreneurs in the cultural sector by providing training in creative business emphasises the importance of self-sufficiency in eastern Slovakia and highlights the organisation's commitment to financing cultural initiatives in the region She notes that the improved gastronomy in Košice is partly due to the influence of the IT sector Hučková identifies the need for improvement in housing and education in Košice particularly to accommodate the requirements of foreign experts relocating to the area IT Valley aims to facilitate collaboration between the automotive industry and IT companies in Košice to work on joint projects such as developing software for cars is shaping up to be a game changer in the city's prosperity and development The factory is to employ more than 4,000 people and among them will be many qualified experts and managers The announced investment of the Swedish car company is already affecting the lives of people in Košice and the surrounding area "People are eager for new job opportunities and to improve their lives," said Martin Seman the car company has 90 employees in various engineering and technical positions The factory will not hire more people until the end of next year Seman promises that in addition to job opportunities the company will bring better roads and improved education to Košice and its surroundings Arriving in Valaliky from Košice might initially unsettle visitors as they navigate a narrow this rough start quickly fades into memory as the charm of the village begins to unfold Once a driver passes the threshold into Valaliky they will be greeted by well-maintained bicycle lanes The refurbished local church and municipal office also stand as proud testaments to the village's commitment to being a great place to live A new health centre and bustling public market with a stage for cultural events have recently transformed the local landscape According to Mayor Štefan Petrík these exciting developments underscore a thriving forward-thinking village that stands proudly on its own merits "We are a vital village with 4,500 people young people from Košice are also moving here Volvo's investment will only strengthen this trend," Petrík says He welcomes the emerging Volvo factory behind the village "We believe that the bypass of our village will be completed the broken and winding road from Košice will be repaired and a bicycle path will be built all the way to the city People would definitely commute there in the summer It's only 10 kilometres away," opines the mayor Petrík mentions that future employment at the Volvo plant may not primarily benefit local residents since many already work at U.S locals and others are hopeful for higher salaries at Volvo or in their current jobs The mayor also mentioned that Volvo plans to recruit workers from distant eastern Slovak areas such as Zemplín and Gemer regions Volvo aims to employ many local Roma people The mayor pointed out that even the Roma from Valaliky are mostly employed He stressed that the top priority should be the construction of a motorway from Košice to Zemplín via the Dargov Pass and to Gemer via the Soroška Pass This would allow people to commute to Volvo independently instead of relying on buses The mayor believes that the factory will benefit the entire region similar to the impact of the Kia Slovakia car plant on Orava which led to the growth of local businesses and motivated young people to stay instead of leaving for the West located near the Hungarian border and less than 20 kilometres from Košice stands as one of the wealthiest municipalities in Slovakia This prosperity is largely due to its expansive industrial park which has been thriving for over two decades and continues to expand took the lead in creating the industrial park had worked as a manager in the industrial park before taking office He is excited about the park's growth but is concerned about potential traffic issues due to the logistics companies operating there Konkoly is looking for alternative transportation options for commuting to work The companies have also built a cycle path from Kechnec to the neighbouring village of Perín-Chym through the industrial park Konkoly is also interested in improving railway transportation The municipality is working with the national railway operator hoping to encourage more people to use trains for commuting The industrial park's employee catchment area extends to the Trebišov district Konkoly is set to revamp local railway transportation with ambitious plans in the works to modernise the local train stop Partnering with the national railway operator the municipality aims to make commuting by train a more appealing option for residents The industrial park's employee catchment area stretches as far as the Trebišov district The mayor has observed that Kechnec's booming industrial park is now facing new competition from Volvo which has recently hired away some of its top managers This has sparked a lively battle for talent seeing it as a sign of the significant opportunities ahead for eastern Slovakia He envisions a major economic boom on the horizon Kechnec is currently buzzing with activity drawing people to the village with its array of amenities and plans for a vocational secondary school and about a hundred new homes The municipality is stepping up as a developer aiming to attract not only new residents but also Slovaks who have relocated to Hungary many Košice residents sought affordable weekend retreats across the border in Hungary often settling permanently in villages like Tornyosnémeti A similar trend was seen near Bratislava with the Hungarian village of Rajka with Hungary-based Slovak families commuting to Košice for work while their children attend school there Kechnec's closer proximity offers a promising alternative "I hope that this developing village will become a new home for these families," said the mayor A helping hand in the heart of Europe thanks to our Slovakia travel guide with more than 1,000 photos and hundred of tourist spots Our detailed travel guide to the Tatras introduces you to the whole region around the Tatra mountains Lost in Bratislava? It's impossible with our City Guide causing 1 fatality and prompting evacuations The Slovak Hydrometeorological Institute (SHMÚ) said that the rain was brought by an area of low pressure which moved from the central Mediterranean Košická Belá municipality in Košice-okolie District in the Košice Region recorded 123.1 mm of rain Piesok in Modra municipality in the Bratislava Region recorded 65.5 mm and Kľak in the Žarnovica District The heavy rain caused several rivers to break their banks in particular the Hornád river in the Košice Region Levels of the Hornád river in the city of Košice jumped from around 1 metre on 12 October to 4.17 metres on 14 October which is well above the highest warning mark (level 3) of 4 metres Firefighters responded to over 250 interventions during the severe weather including rescue and evacuation of around 60 people in the Košice Region The worst affected areas were the districts of Spišská Nová Ves and Gelnica in Košice according to the country’s Fire and Rescue Service (HaZZ) Other badly affected areas as of 15 October were Revúca and Zvolen in Banská Bystrica Region and Prešov and Poprad in Prešov Region One fatality was reported in Trencín Region as a result of flooding As of 16 October the Nitra river at Nové Zámky in Bratislavský región and the Morava river at Kopčany and at Moravský Svätý Ján in Bratislavský región were still above the highest danger mark (level 3) a yellow (second level) warning was in place for heavy rain for the whole country along with several flood warnings including 5 level 3 warnings Cookies | Privacy | Contacts © Copyright 2025 FloodList        Kosice January 7 (TASR) - The police arrested a man suspected of engaging in terrorism and committing other crimes in Kosice on Tuesday morning Kosice regional police spokeswoman Lenka Ivanova stated on the same day adding that after carrying out the necessary procedures he was put in a police detention cell.        "Further procedures are being carried out not only towards the filing of charges but also towards implementing other steps," she said.        The police carried out the operation on one of the streets in Kosice's borough of Dargovskych hrdinov The raid also included a special task force bomb-disposal experts and chemists from the Criminalistics and Expertise Institute the Slovak Intelligence Service (SIS) also contributed significantly to the successful result.        The same man was also arrested in Kosice in 2021 At that time he was found in possession of various chemical materials and a large quantity of chemicals dangerous substances and substances for the production of explosives and even ammunition and non-functional ammunition As a result of the proceedings at the time the police charged him with the crime of illicit arming and trafficking in weapons and he was given a suspended sentence in court         According to the police spokeswoman 48-year-old Marian [name abbreviated due to legal reasons] became radicalised as the years passed and his activities gradually took on contours related to terrorism mainly through professional articles freely available on the internet and scientific literature on energetic materials and other sources techniques and skills for producing and using explosives which he then shared on his own social communication platforms 'offering' guidance on the procedures for the production of precursors explosives from freely available sources and their use in public spaces the production of poisons and chemical weapons and describing the exact procedures for various detonations and for placing explosives," reported Ivanova         According to the police the man also used his publicly accessible profiles to endorse violence post radical opinions with left-wing extremist leanings and instructions on how to make weapons and explosives that could inspire others and incite them to commit terrorist crimes Where most of Slovak cross-border commuters work Good evening. Here is the Wednesday, October 16 edition of Today in Slovakia - the main news of the day in less than five minutes The new train schedule does not include InterCity trains operating between Bratislava and Košice, which means they are most likely to be cancelled, reports the Denník N daily that does not mean there will be fewer trains Tatran Express trains are to depart every hour instead of two-hour intervals While it takes approximately 4 hours 45 minutes for an IC train to travel between both cities an Express train covers the same route in about 5 and half hours The daily reports that the reason is that IC trains have been unprofitable for a long time four pairs of IC trains operate between Bratislava and Košice The former head of the Transport Ministry's railway department Since the schedule two years ago took away four stations from the route operated by Express trains the difference between both categories has diminished arguing that railway transport needs investment instead of cancellations as railway transport is the most ecological means of transport the ministry has announced a public competition to reintroduce regular flights between Bratislava and Košice The goal is to commence the connection between two of the biggest cities in the country at the turn of March and April next year Previously, the flights were operated by Czech Airlines. The company cancelled them in 2018 due to being unprofitable and low interest. Not even higher state subsidies changed the company's decision, reports Index magazine Opposition party Progressive Slovakia (PS) asked Transport Minister Jozef Ráž to not cancel the IC trains in the next few days the party will be initiating a petition The Slovensko (formerly OĽaNO) launched its own on Wednesday "I know of no other country in Western Europe or in the world that would make rail travel between its two biggest cities take longer. On the contrary, the trend is to go in the opposite direction and we can now see we have it backwards," said PS caucus head Martin Dubéci, as quoted by Korzár adding that a fast train connection is important for the eastern part of Slovakia INVESTMENT: South Korean company to invest €170 million in former mining town, creating hundreds of jobs TRAVEL: In Jelšava, off-road vehicles take tourists into the depths of an unseen underground world TRAINS: Reconstruction of one of the finest examples of Baťa architecture finished, have a look 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 When it comes to cross-border commuting in Europe These are people with a permanent residence in Slovakia but generally travel to another country for a week to work "Commuters make up almost five percent of all employed people in Slovakia, one of the highest figures in the European Union," the Institute of Financial Policy (IFP) at the Finance Ministry cites in a report The main programme will be screened at the Kino Lumière cinema in Bratislava After last year's record summer season Košice Airport now reports an even greater influx of passengers during this year's summer resulting in record season for the second time in a row 18.3 percent more passengers came through the airport in the first nine months of 2024 than in the same period of 2023 The most popular destination was by far Antalya in Turkey saying that he did not talk about the SIS report on the assassination attempt from May 15 but rather a report concerning other potential attacks on the prime minister Bratislava airport will switch to winter flight schedule on October 27 during which five airlines will provide regular flights to 19 destinations passengers can use charter flights to get directly to 12 exotic destinations such as Qatar One novelty will be the first-ever flights from the airport with a Boeing 787-9 aircraft launching on October 30 to Mauritius and Phuket in Thailand WEATHER FOR THURSDAY: Mostly sunny, with cloud cover increasing throughout the day. Daily temperatures between 10 °C to 17 °C expected. Level 1 wind warning issued for several districts in western Slovakia. (SHMÚ) Follow The Slovak Spectator on Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram(@slovakspectator).