The Specialized Court in Pezinok decided to impose custody on the accused Samuel S an 18-year-old student who was the victim of Thursday's knife attack at the gymnasium in Spišská Stará Ves was buried in eastern Slovakia The Specialised Criminal Court (SCC) in Pezinok has taken the student accused in the case of the attack at the gymnasium in Spišská Stará Ves into custody The decision of the pre-trial judge is not yet final the accused has retained the deadline for filing a possible complaint The court spokeswoman Katarína Kudjáková informed about it "The reason for the detention is the fear that the accused might flee or continue his criminal activity escape and preventive detention," the spokeswoman said adding that the judge rejected the accused's motion to impose supervision by a probation and mediation officer The prosecutor waived his right to file a complaint against the detention decision The student faces charges of the particularly serious crime of premeditated murder The prosecutor of the Regional Prosecutor's Office in Prešov filed a motion to take the accused into custody on Saturday (18 January) Monika Podstavková covered the topic of the transport of the attacker to Pezinok: were killed in the attack at the gymnasium in Spišská Stará Ves while another student was hospitalised by medics Police said on Saturday that they had charged an 18-year-old student with premeditated murder and suggested that he be taken into custody Relatives and friends said goodbye to the 18-year-old student in the village of Spišské Hanušovce A gifted and smiling third-year student at the gymnasium sang beautifully and wanted to become a doctor The family did not wish her to be disturbed in her grief and pain only invited guests were allowed to go to the cemetery The mother of the murdered student is a high school teacher and it will not be easy for her to return to the place where her daughter died Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker Six metres wide and more than three metres high This is the new bench that has appeared near Pezinok in recent weeks specifically over Mandľový Sad in the Škridláky area The oversized viewing bench opened to the public through a ribbon-cutting ceremony presided over by the mayor of Pezinok together with other representatives of the town management It is the largest bench not only in Pezinok the town of Pezinok is gaining a nicer look and appeal," said Mács after cutting the ribbon The surrounding vineyards are visited daily by many people "Seeing the entire town from here and the bench itself enhances this experience even more," the mayor added the town wants to continue to make the wine-growing countryside more appealing with other attractions of a similar nature Lost in Bratislava? Impossible with our City Guide The town's intention was to make the vineyard landscape more attractive with a giant bench which is currently in great demand not only in Pezinok "Many tourists are willing to travel long distances to see them and that is why they are a worthy addition to tourism-oriented activities," said the person behind the idea of ​​building a giant bench above Pezinok from the environment department of Pezinok Town Hall The reason for choosing the Škridláky location was that it offers the best panoramic view of Pezinok A helping hand in the heart of Europe thanks to the 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? It's impossible with our City Guide Show Breaking News BarCloseWorldJan Gebert Full Screen1 / 12Previous photoNext photoA car supposedly carrying the suspect in shooting of Slovakia's Prime Minister Robert Fico Officials in Slovakia say Prime Minister Robert Fico has undergone another operation two days after his assassination attempt and remains in serious condition (AP Photo/Tomas Benedikovic)Policemen guard the area as they wait for the suspect (AP Photo/Tomas Benedikovic)A couple walk towards a building at the F The man accused of attempting to assassinate Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico made his first court appearance Saturday as the nation's leader remained in serious condition recovering from surgery after surviving multiple gunshots (AP Photo/Denes Erdos)A general view of the F (AP Photo/Denes Erdos)A car supposedly carrying the suspect (AP Photo/Tomas Benedikovic)FILE - Slovakia's Prime Minister Robert Fico speaks during a press conference with Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban at the Carmelite Monastery in Budapest A man charged with attempting to assassinate Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico was escorted by police to his home on the morning of Friday with media saying that it was part of a search for evidence File)Journalists gather as they wait for the suspect (AP Photo/Tomas Benedikovic)Members of the media film outside the F (AP Photo/Denes Erdos)Policemen guard the area as convoy brings the suspect (AP Photo/Tomas Benedikovic)Policemen guard the area as convoy brings the suspect (AP Photo/Tomas Benedikovic)Copyright 2024 The Associated Press Slovakia’s Specialized Criminal Court ordered the detention of the suspect after prosecutors said they feared he could flee or carry out other crimes if set free The suspect can appeal the order to the Supreme Court was shot in the abdomen as he greeted supporters following a government meeting Wednesday in the former coal mining town of Handlova Video showed Fico approach people gathered at barricades and reach out to shake hands as a man stepped forward extended his arm and fired five rounds before being tackled and arrested Government ministers outside the hospital where Fico is being treated said his condition Saturday looked promising after two hours of surgery Friday removed dead tissue from his gunshot wounds But he still is not healthy enough to travel to a hospital in the capital nurses and entire medical staff,” Defense Minister Rober Kalinak said outside University F where Fico was taken by helicopter after the shooting “I can’t find words of gratitude for the fact that we are steadily approaching that positive prognosis.” was held behind closed doors and under tight security by heavily armed police Reporters were not allowed on the grounds of the courthouse Officers carrying rifles wore flak jackets helmets and had balaclavas covering their faces They guarded a gate that only opened when a vehicle presumably carrying the suspect came and later left with a two-car police escort Little information about the suspect has been disclosed after prosecutors told police not to publicly identify him or release details about the case Unconfirmed media reports have named him and said he was a 71-year-old retiree known as an amateur poet who may have once worked as a mall security guard Government authorities gave details that matched that description They said the suspect didn’t belong to any political groups though the attack itself was politically motivated It’s not clear how long the hearing lasted but the suspect was inside for about four hours police took the suspect to his home in the town of Levice and seized a computer and some documents Footage showed the gray-bearded man being escorted out of the building while holding a shopping bag full of items in his cuffed hands He was wearing a helmet and protective vest Police didn’t comment on the apparent search With authorities remaining largely silent about the case it was not clear how the suspect got a gun Slovakia has strict rules on firearms and gun owners must have a good reason to possess one and are required to pass a test Slovakia has one of the lowest gun ownership rates in Europe It was ranked 23rd out of 27 European Union countries with a gun ownership rate of 6.5 per 100 people according to the Association of Accredited Public Policy Advocates to the EU World leaders have condemned the attack and offered support for Slovakia and Fico who has long been a divisive figure in Slovakia and beyond His return to power for the fourth time last year on a pro-Russia anti-American platform led to worries among fellow European Union and NATO members that he would abandon his country’s pro-Western course Slovakia was one of Ukraine’s staunchest supporters after Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022 but Fico halted arms deliveries when he returned to power have led opponents to worry Fico will lead Slovakia down a more autocratic path many of his political and business associates were the focus of police investigations Thousands of demonstrators have repeatedly rallied in the capital and around the country of 5.4 million to protest his policies Fico said last month on Facebook that he believed rising tensions in the country could lead to the killing of politicians and he blamed the media for fueling tensions Supporters of Fico who showed up outside the hospital Saturday spoke of the divisions in the country that had led to this moment “We are here mainly because the opposition’s hatred of this government has come to such a point that a psychopath who is an assassin has been created and has (tried to) assassinate Prime Minister Robert Fico,” Marek Soun said “He has been harassed for months and months by today’s opposition.” Despite nobody being named as temporary leader of Slovakia there was nothing imminent that needed the premier’s attention and the government was operating as planned and moving forward with Fico’s agenda Communication with Fico was limited given his condition The next government session is planned for Wednesday and Kalinak will be in charge Associated Press reporters Karel Janicek in Vsetin and Brian Melley in London contributed to this report rewritten or redistributed without permission TV Listings Email Newsletters RSS Feeds Closed Captioning / Audio Description Contact Us Careers at WPLG Terms of Use Privacy Policy Public File FCC Applications EEO Report Do Not Sell My Info 1.0 Host Exhibit Copyright © 2025 Local10.com is published by WPLG INC. This article was published more than 6 months ago Policemen wait for the suspect in the shooting of Slovakia's Prime Minister Robert Fico to be brought to court in Pezinok 2024.Tomas Benedikovic/The Associated Press The man accused of attempting to assassinate Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico was ordered to remain behind bars Saturday Fico is in serious but stable condition after surviving multiple gunshots The suspect fired five rounds before being tackled to the ground and arrested Prosecutors told police not to publicly identify the man or release other details about the case but unconfirmed media reports said he was a 71-year-old retiree known as an amateur poet who may have once worked as a mall security guard in the country’s southwest was guarded by police wearing helmets and balaclavas and carrying rifles News media were not allowed in and reporters were kept behind a gate outside The suspect left the courthouse just hours after government ministers announced that Fico’s condition looked promising after two hours of surgery Friday to remove dead tissue from multiple gunshot wounds Police on Friday took the suspect to his home in the town of Levice and seized a computer and some documents With police remaining largely silent about the case it was not clear how the suspect came to possess a firearm World leaders have condemned the attack and offered support for Fico and Slovakia Fico has long been a divisive figure in Slovakia and beyond His return to power last year on a pro-Russia At the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022 Slovakia was one of Ukraine’s staunchest supporters but Fico halted arms deliveries to Ukraine when he returned to power Fico’s government has also made efforts to overhaul public broadcasting — a move critics said would give the government full control of public television and radio coupled with his plans to amend the penal code to eliminate a special anti-graft prosecutor have led opponents to worry that Fico will lead Slovakia down a more autocratic path and he blamed the media for fuelling tensions His plan to overhaul the penal system would eliminate the office of the special prosecutor that deals with organized crime Despite nobody being named as temporary leader Associated Press reporter Karel Janicek in Vsetin Report an editorial error Report a technical issue Authors and topics you follow will be added to your personal news feed in Following Welcome to The Globe and Mail’s comment community. This is a space where subscribers can engage with each other and Globe staff. Non-subscribers can read and sort comments but will not be able to engage with them in any way. Click here to subscribe If you would like to write a letter to the editor, please forward it to letters@globeandmail.com. Readers can also interact with The Globe on Facebook and Twitter Welcome to The Globe and Mail’s comment community This is a space where subscribers can engage with each other and Globe staff We aim to create a safe and valuable space for discussion and debate If you do not see your comment posted immediately it is being reviewed by the moderation team and may appear shortly We aim to have all comments reviewed in a timely manner Comments that violate our community guidelines will not be posted UPDATED: Read our community guidelines here We have closed comments on this story for legal reasons or for abuse. For more information on our commenting policies and how our community-based moderation works, please read our Community Guidelines and our Terms and Conditions This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page Stanford University The Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies (FSI) and the The Europe Center (TEC) are pleased to host President Zuzana Čaputová of the Slovak Republic for a fireside chat with Michael McFaul, director of FSI, with welcome remarks by Anna Grzymała-Busse President Čaputová will speak about the impact Russia's war on Ukraine is having on Central European countries Slovak President Zuzana Čaputová is the first woman to hold the presidency as well as the youngest president in Slovakia's history President Čaputová's political career began in 1996 after graduating from the Comenius University Faculty of Law in Bratislava Čaputová worked in the local government of Pezinok and then transitioned into the non-profit sector working at the Open Society Foundations she worked closely on the issue of abused and exploited children Čaputová joined the Progressive Slovakian political party and was elected as a Vice-Chairwoman for the party She also served as the Deputy Chair until 2019 when she resigned to launch her presidential campaign she was awarded the Goldman Environmental Prize for her work in addressing the toxic landfill in Pezinok Čaputová ranked #83 on the Forbes’ World's 100 Most Powerful Women list Learn more about how your support makes a difference or make a gift now Media is barred from hearing as 71-year-old man appears in closed session over attempted assassination of prime minister The suspect in the shooting of Slovakian prime minister Robert Fico appeared in a closed court hearing on Saturday outside Bratislava amid growing fears about the future of the deeply divided nation and reporters were kept behind a gate by armed police officers wearing balaclavas shot several times at point-blank range during a rally in the mining town of Handlová had more surgery on Friday as the country reeled from the most serious attack on a European leader in decades The government has released only sparse details about the assailant or the health of the prime minister who remains in a stable but serious condition Slovak media identified the attacker as Juraj Cintula who the authorities described as a “lone wolf” who had recently been radicalised A poet and former security guard, Cintula was known in his home town of Levice in provincial Slovakia as an eccentric but likable man His political views appear to have developed erratically He is seen railing against violence in one YouTube clip but later praising a violent pro-Russian paramilitary group on Facebook for their “ability to act without approval from the state” He later adopted staunchly pro-Ukrainian views which grew increasingly strong after Russia’s invasion In his published writing and personal conversations Cintula expressed xenophobic views about the Romany community in Slovakia a popular topic among the country’s far-right parties Neighbour and friend Mile L’udovit said the pair would occasionally discuss politics and that Cintula had been angry about the growing attacks on free speech under Fico’s leadership a major topic of concern for the Slovakian leftwing opposition but I think it was a ticking timebomb before something like this would happen,” said Pavol Šimko Wednesday’s assassination attempt in Handlová has shone a light on what officials and many Slovaks say should be seen as a wider symptom of the country’s polarised political environment “We are now truly becoming the black hole of Europe,” added Šimko referring to comments made by former US secretary of state Madeleine Albright who coined the phrase to describe Slovakia in 1997 after the abduction of the son of then president Michal Kováč and the murder of a key witness in the case Acts of political violence have become a grim fixture in recent Slovak history but this latest is by far and away the most serious have appeared to be eager to capitalise on his shooting Speaking on state radio on Friday morning, the Hungarian prime minister, Viktor Orbán, drew a link between Fico’s views on the war in Ukraine and the attempted assassination Since Fico’s return to power, “Slovakia started on the path of peace, and this was a big help for Hungary,” Orbán said. “We have now lost this support. We know that the perpetrator was a pro-war person,” he added, without providing any evidence. The Hungarian prime minister, who often employs conspiratorial narratives, has spent more than a decade nurturing a relationship with the Kremlin and has repeatedly argued the west should stop providing support to Ukraine. Of course [Fico] he became the target. There are only a few like him in Europe. And they need to take care of their own safetyDmitry Medvedev, former Russian presidentIn his radio interview, he suggested – again without evidence – that the shooting in Slovakia was part of a geopolitical struggle. “The combinations that connect the assassination attempt with the war are not unjustified,” he said. “The pro-war parties are negotiating with each other, which is why the head of the [George] Soros empire and the US secretary of state also went to Kyiv,” Orbán said. In Moscow, former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev praised the Kremlin-friendly Fico, also implying that he was targeted for his views on the Ukraine war. “Of course, he became the target. There are only a few like him in Europe. And they need to take care of their own safety,” he said. Ľudovít Ódor, opposition party Progressive Slovakia’s lead candidate for the European parliamentary elections, said that foreign politicians “should not misinform foreigners and should not make political capital out of this for themselves”. In an interview with independent Hungarian news outlet Partizán, Ódor, who briefly served as Slovakia’s caretaker prime minister last year and comes from Slovakia’s Hungarian-speaking minority, warned that “we have seen how this just comes back like a boomerang to us”, noting that many people in southern Slovakia watched Hungarian media. The attack has also raised questions about a possible failure by the Slovak security services and sparked fears in other European capitals that similar incidents could occur there. Slovak authorities have opened an investigation into the response of security forces at the scene. A source said that the security services were caught off guard and that Cintula was not known to them. “Other European security services will be looking at their measures, realising that the danger can come out of nowhere,” the source said. Polish PM Donald Tusk said on Thursday he received threats after the assassination attempt on his Slovakian counterpart, with a media outlet reporting his security protection would be strengthened. In Belgium, prime minister Alexander De Croo filed a police complaint against a radio presenter who urged listeners to “take him out”. Read more“You see that it is possible to shoot down a prime minister So I would say: Go ahead,” the radio presenter told his listeners on a station that airs from the Belgian province of West Flanders Some in Slovakia said they were anxious the attack would embolden the authorities to launch assaults on the media “I worry that the ruling coalition will now use the shooting as a pretext for a big crackdown They already started blaming the opposition and the media for it,” said Lenka Szabóová But it seems like it will only tear us apart.” This is the archive of The Observer up until 21/04/2025 The Observer is now owned and operated by Tortoise Media Archaeologists argue the birthplace of the wheel could be the Slovak Carpathians The invention of the wheel revolutionised almost every aspect of life The first archaeological evidence of wheeled carts dates back to the Copper Age These discoveries appeared in various locations across Europe suggesting the rapid spread of this transformative technology While Mesopotamia is most often credited with the invention of the wheel where it likely began as a potter’s wheel Some historians suggest it may have first appeared on the Black Sea coast of modern-day Turkey proposed by American historian Richard Bulliet posits the Carpathian region as the birthplace of the wheel Bulliet argues that the rise of copper mining in the region necessitated the use of wheeled vehicles to transport heavy loads from deep within the mines. This theory, outlined in his 2016 book and now published as a study in “Royal Society Open Science” was developed using archaeological finds such as the clay models of carts from the Slovak Carpathians The delicate wooden artefacts did not survive as well making the reconstruction of ancient carts more challenging The study posits that the evolution from rollers – simple cylindrical logs used to transport heavy items – to wheeled carts was a gradual process grooves were cut into the rollers to prevent loads from slipping may have been the first to use wheeled carts Carbon-14 dating suggests this culture was active around 3600 BC While it remains impossible to definitively claim Slovakia as the birthplace of the wheel Bulliet’s research adds an intriguing perspective to the debate exploring the engineering ingenuity of prehistoric Carpathian societies The oldest preserved wooden wheel was found in Slovenia Miroslav Marček appears in court over shooting of Ján Kuciak and Martina Kusnirova A former soldier has admitted killing a Slovak journalist and his fiancee a crime that sparked mass protests leading to the resignation of the prime minister Robert Fico Miroslav Marček told the special criminal court in Pezinok that he accepted guilt an admission that could reduce his sentence from potential life imprisonment Marček was charged with shooting Ján Kuciak in their house near Bratislava in February 2018 Two other defendants including Marian Kocner a businessman who had been a subject of Kuciak’s reporting said they were innocent of charges of ordering the killing One defendant who police say helped Marček to carry out the killing did not make a statement at the hearing The killing led to large demonstrations against corruption that forced Fico and the country’s chief of police to step down Several senior justice officials later quit after investigations revealed they had been in contact with Kocner Last year Slovak public television reported police sources as saying Marček had admitted his guilt during questioning confessed in December to facilitating the murder and was given a 15-year prison sentence Need Help? My Profile Logout Fragment one of the most popular central European bluegrass bands ever is celebrating their 30th anniversary by doing a reunion tour Bass player and vocalist Jana Mougin is chronicling their tour for us at Bluegrass Today A special (and totally unexpected) surprise was a delicious cake we’ve received from one of our friends.  It was another great concert and I started to be a little sad that our tour was drawing to an end. One more show in Budapest, Hungary tomorrow and we’ll have to say goodbye. emailAbout the AuthorGuest ContributorOccasionally we have Guest Contributors who share their thoughts and experiences on Bluegrass Today Latest Event ListingsSearch Events powered by AhSo © Bluegrass Today 2025powered by AhSo is pleased to announce that its wholly-owned subsidiary has been awarded the exploration license for the Trojarova Antimony-Gold Mine near Pezinok in Western Slovakia The Trojarova license is located some 15 km north of Bratislava The license awarded covers the historic resource and numerous historic mining works in the ore-district Figure 1: Location map of Trojarova license with historic drillholes and mining works The Trojarova locality is situated northwards from Sb-Au deposit Kolarsky vrch in one of productive zones of a larger area between the towns Pezinok and Pernek in Male Karpaty Mountains Positive geochemical anomalies were detected in exploration boreholes and subsequently the Trojarova adit was constructed in order to investigate the Au-As and Sb mineralizations The drillholes had intercepted a high-grade Sb mineralization The adit started to be excavated in the 1990s funded from the State budget until a German investor entered the project the investor did not fulfil his financial obligations at an advanced stage of the underground construction and the project was halted the adit had not yet reached the part of the deposit with the high-grade ore And there exists a Lidar survey for the Trojarova claim Image 2: The underground workings at Trojarova Several historical resources have been calculated using the Soviet-style classification of mineral deposits: The first was in 1989 based on initial drilling program where they defined blocks of 1.665 million tonnes @ 2.77 % Sb & 0.81 g/t Au* The second resource was calculated in 1992 based on previous results and infill drilling: 0.831 million tonnes @ 5.645 % Sb & 0.676 g/t Au* The most recent resource estimation from 1995 reflected the data obtained from the underground exploration by the Trojarova adit Exploration was prematurely terminated before drill-verified rich ore was accessed and therefore the reserve estimate is more pessimistic: 0.415 million tons @ 0.162 % Sb and 1.148 g/t Au The exploration project was also primarily aimed on Au-As ore rather than Sb-rich ore 1995: Záverečná správa a výpočet zásob Pezinok – Trojárová II 1995: Final report & resource estimation on Pezinok – Trojárová II deposit Note: Historical resources or reserves that have been estimated by previous operators are not NI 43-101 compliant ************************************************************************************* commented "It has been a goal of ours to secure this asset since last year when it first came to our attention and therefore our subsidiary Slovak Antimony Corp made an application for it and we are very pleased to now add it to our asset base in Slovakia With extant high-quality adits for access to the resource area the company expects that bringing this mine to production will be substantially less costly than a de novo operation Our next task at Trojarova will be extending the adit to access the historic Antimony resources outlined by State geologists in the Communist era" Detailed mapping and bulk sampling will be completed on the project over the coming months to advance the company towards production The company plans to reopen the Vysna adit at Tienesgrund in late 2022 The company is seeking quotations from mining contractors for the reopening of the Bear Creek adit(s) The Company’s disclosure of technical or scientific information in this press release has been reviewed and approved by Micky Allen Allen is a Qualified Person as defined under the terms of National Instrument 43-101 Antimony (symbol Sb from the Latin word stibium) is a silvery white metal Antimony oxide is primarily used in fire-retardant formulations for plastics whereas Antimony trisulfide is used in the production of explosives It can also be used for producing semiconductors it is usually mixed into alloys for further applications (e.g. Antimony is a strategic metal used to harden lead in ammunition/ordnance and lead-acid storage batteries Antimony has seen its demand driven by military usage but this has changed since fire retardants arose to become the main application for the metal The latest new technology to utilize the metal is Antimony molten salt batteries for mass storage The potential here is for a quantum surge in demand if this new technology gains broad adoption China has long dominated the production of the metal is suffering declining internal production from mines but it still dominates the processing of the concentrates much of which comes from artisanal sources in the developing world Antimony is one of the few metals that registers as critical in all the rankings (US UK & Australia) of criticality of supply Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release This release includes certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements" Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally Forward-looking statements in this press release include Molten Metals’s plans to continue aggressive exploration at Unga in 2021 and its goal of defining a resource in excess of one million ounces its plan to continue infill drilling to expand to depth where the system remains open and its belief that the SH-1 prospect has considerable potential for expansion Although Molten Metals believes that the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions such statements are not a guarantee of future performance and actual results may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements Factors that could cause the actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include market prices continued availability of capital and financing Investors are cautioned that any such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements Forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs estimates and opinions of the Company's management on the date the statements are made Except as required by applicable securities laws the Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements in the event that management's beliefs New Age Metals is a green metals, mineral exploration company focused on the exploration and development of platinum group metals and lithium. The Company is completing a Pre-Feasibility Study on its flagship River Valley PGM Project, one of the largest... LEARN MORE PEZINOK — A former soldier admitted in court on Monday killing a Slovakian journalist whose murder two years ago led to anti-corruption protests that brought down the government of long-time prime minister Robert Fico Miroslav Marcek told a court he was hired to kill 27-year-old Jan Kuciak who he shot along with Kuciak’s fiancée Martina Kusnirova at their house outside Slovakia’s capital Bratislava in February 2018 including a prominent businessman who the investigation into the murder showed had links with security officials as well as judicial and political figures have been charged in relation to the couple’s deaths The case is seen as a test of Slovakia’s judicial and political system ahead of an election in February Four suspects were in court on Monday in Pezinok who Marcek said had approached him with an offer from another of the defendants to undertake the contract killing A Reuters reporter said they were led into the courtroom by guards wearing balaclavas and carrying automatic rifles roundups and interviews to help you make better buying decisions By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc The next issue of Shopping Essentials will soon be in your inbox Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. told the court how an initial plan to kidnap Kuciak and then kill him was abandoned because it was too complicated he said he hid outside the house before the victims came home on Feb 21 then waited for an opportunity to strike He said he had killed Kusnirova so that she could not identify him. “He (Kuciak) was falling backwards, he held on to the door with one hand, and she came. It was not possible to just leave,” Marcek said. He told the court he was sorry for his actions and that he had decided to confess after seeing the victims’ families on television. A fifth suspect, Zoltan Andrusko, admitted to facilitating the murder and was sentenced to 15 years in prison last month. Also in court on Monday was businessman Marian Kocner, who is accused of ordering the hit. He denied that charge, but admitted a lesser offense related to illegal ammunition found by police at his house. A third defendant, Alena Zsuzsova, denied charges of being an intermediary in the killings. Szabo, a former police officer, pleaded not guilty to murder. Slovak media reported that Szabo said he had been approached by Andrusko about beating up Kuciak, but not killing him. Kuciak’s investigative journalism had delved into cases of fraud involving businessmen with political connections. He had reported on Kocner’s business activities, including the takeover of a television station and property deals. Fico, his cabinet, and later the national police chief all resigned after the murders sparked Slovakia’s biggest protests since the fall of communism, with crowds calling for an independent investigation and an end to widespread corruption. Fico continues to lead his Smer party ahead of the February parliamentary election. Last March, liberal lawyer Zuzana Caputova rode a wave of public fury over corruption to win election as Slovakia’s first female president. transmission or republication strictly prohibited This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy For the second time Club Arena Gyor successfully organized the Hope Cup for boys in the U11 U12 and U13 age categories The organisers of the event initiated it for the first time in April of this year with the main goal of providing the youngest male players in the country including members of the Future Hopes Program with international experience and enriching competition without participant limits The objective remained unchanged for the current tournament According to the plans the Hope Cup will be regularly held twice a year in the future The invitation for the current 2nd tournament was accepted by 12 foreign teams from 7 countries (Austria Belgium Latvia Italy Romania Slovakia and Hungary) and 12 Hungarian clubs From the field of 24 Hungarian and 29 foreign competitors a total of 104 participants competed for prestigious medals and trophies in the three age categories Most successful team based on overall points: The European Table Tennis Union (ETTU) is the governing body of the sport of table tennis in Europe and is the only authority recognized for this purpose by the International Table Tennis Federation The ETTU deals with all matters relating to table tennis at a European level including the development and promotion of the sport in the territories controlled by its 58 member associations and the organization of continental table tennis competitions She graduated from the Faculty of Univerzita Komenského in Bratislava The Office of the President of the Slovak Republic can be contacted by the public via the contact form there is a direct contact to the President's spokesperson They discussed the novel coronavirus pandemic and its effects Both presidents considered it important that in a time of this grave crisis Slovakia and Austria showed solidarity with the worst-affected countries and joined global efforts to support the development of a COVID-19 vaccine that will be  accessible for all “The president and I spoke about how we coped with the recent difficult period and also about what we need to do for our countries to preserve economic stability and keep the social effects of the crisis to a minimum we spoke mainly about the European Recovery Plan I see it as a historic opportunity for Slovakia and the whole European Union to leap a generation ahead.” The heads of state agreed that the recovery must be environmentally-friendly and must make climate protection a long-term priority President Čaputová presented Slovakia’s plans in this area especially the country’s commitment to carbon neutrality by 2050 which Slovakia has made as the first country in the region She also mentioned the plan to phase out brown coal in power generation by 2023.  “I very much appreciate the Austrian president’s invitation to the Austrian World Summit Its theme will be the relationship between the climate crisis and the pandemic especially a green and fair recovery and the sustainable restarting of economies affected by the crisis.” Created by TRIONYX digital The Specialised Criminal Court in Pezinok has found Tibor Eliot Rostas conspiracy magazine Zem a Vek editor-in-chief Rostas was ordered to pay a fine of €4,000 on December 16 If any of the parties appeals against the verdict the Supreme Court will take over the case next a prosecutor from the Specialised Prosecutor's Office initially proposed probation without a fine 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 When Slovakia's best professional basketball team takes the home court in the town's Športová hala it seems that anything is possible.An elderly man dishes out high-fives and winks at the athletes while dancing an intoxicated jig behind the players' bench during all time-outs Hulking six foot ten inch Croatian centre Aramis Maglič prefers launching long-range bombs over banging down low with the other bigger men And the undisputed star of either team is Devon Lake a relatively diminutive (six foot two inches) African American who left a job as an anger management counsellor at a US prison to pursue his hoop dreams overseas."It's a different world," says the soft-spoken Lake after yet another victory this one a 108 to 68 thrashing of the league's fourth best team Lake scored 24 points on eight of 11 shooting including three 3-pointers and several darting drives past athletically inferior defenders outscoring opponents by an average score of 99 to 66 Devon Lake has played basketball in Taiwan takes the home court in the town's Športová hala An elderly man dishes out high-fives and winks at the athletes while dancing an intoxicated jig behind the players' bench during all time-outs a relatively diminutive (six foot two inches) African American who left a job as an anger management counsellor at a US prison to pursue his hoop dreams overseas "It's a different world," says the soft-spoken Lake after yet another victory Lake's path to this 'different world' - to Pezinok a small town of 22,000 inhabitants 20 kilometres east of Bratislava - has been unorthodox After finishing university at Southeast Missouri State University where he was the school's fifth all-time leading scorer he turned down an offer to play in the Continental Basketball Association in 1994 Dominican Republic to begin his foreign basketball career "It just took off from there," he says to date he's played in Rio de Janeiro first in Svit (a town near Poprad in northern Slovakia) and now in Pezinok There were also two breaks from basketball one in 1996 when he worked at a youth club as a computer and gym instructor and the second in 1999 at the US correctional facility counselling prisoners awaiting their release His eclectic past appears to have served the 30 year-old Lake (he turned 30 on March 3) in adjusting to Slovakia Although he stands out on the street for his skin and on the court for his skill Lake says he manages to feel like an average resident "We've got guys [on the team] that have played in the Olympics and who have played against the 'Dream Team' [the US's collection of NBA stars]," he says "I just go out and try to help the team win I don't feel like I have to score 20 points certainly feel the pressure of playing against him Lake dropped in a first quarter 3-pointer which pushed his team's lead to 27 to 12 and gave him 10 points over the game's first eight minutes The opposing coach threw his hands up in frustration while his players' shoulders collectively slumped who moments before had been shouting profanity-laced insults at refs and players "He's good," said one of the tamed fans Lake's former university coach Ron Shumate who has since retired from basketball and now lives in Kentucky Shumate recruited Lake out of a highschool near Memphis Tennessee and coached him for all four years of his eligibility "What attracted me to Devon was that he's a good fine young man to start with," said Shumate February 27 When we recruited him and got him to come [to Southeast Missouri State University] we felt like we really got an outstanding young man and player he and his coaching staff conducted "background checks to see if the player had any problems academically or socially he was very helpful to the younger players in getting them adjusted to college life and college basketball." The coach also spoke of Lake's "intelligence" and "level head"; required characteristics in dealing with the unsavoury aspects of any culture and traits which Lake said he had occasionally had to draw on in Slovakia "I've had a few experiences with skinheads in Bratislava," Lake says adding that Pezinok citizens "wouldn't tolerate" such thugery I go out and I see people having a good time And a lot of times I see them dancing and listening to black music and I see them dressing like black people in America if you like those things that some black people do or the music they listen to then I think I deserve a fair chance to be accepted as well because I'm black Don't take my customs and what I like and use it for your enjoyment if you can't accept me "Sometimes I get looked at harsh by some people but then at the same time I look at them and they're enjoying the black music and they're wearing the saggy pants or whatever then I feel like you should be able to accept me." especially by his teammates and the Pezinok fans although he adds with a smile: "Basketball is basketball anywhere in the world When you're playing good they're going to pat you on the back and when you're not playing good they're going to rip you apart." One reason why he says he has been so well accepted is because communication between he and his teammates is so easy thus settling a fan debate at the recent game "What language are they speaking?" "What are you talking about?" countered the first "The coach is from Pezinok - he doesn't speak English!" but he said communication had been no problem "It would be better if I spoke English," he said Coach Černický said this was fortunate because Lake "is a very important part of the team He is fundamentally sound and tactically strong." Lake agreed that communication was no problem but I am able to speak Slovak and the players are able to understand what I say The players from other countries speak English too and the basketball terminology over the years has been taught in English." having been in Svit and now back in Slovakia again every week it gets better and better for me in terms of speaking the language Lake says that besides being away from his wife and three kids who live in the US the biggest drawback to living in Slovakia is the cold winter and a lot of times I'm not prepared for the weather the Dominican Republic and places like that the weather can be a small problem at times." he's had few other problems in adjusting I like to party," he says as he excuses himself from the interview to have a 'meeting' with his teammates The area around Bratislava has become internationally known as the home of folk majolica a particular style of ceramics produced since the 16th century particularly centred on the towns of Pezinok and Modra The craft was brought to the area by the Habans Switzerland and the Netherlands to settle in western Slovakia who have continued the production to this day – are made from clay and are something between regular porcelain and terracotta The clay is spun on a potter’s wheel But then a glaze of melted glass is applied that covers the red pottery in a white sheen Various patterns are then hand-painted onto the white coating Any red indicates a more expensive product one of the most noted producers of majolica ceramics is Renáta Hermyšová a former employee of a state-owned pottery company who Hermyšová transformed her house into a small factory and shop to create and sell her wares now employing more than 10 people to fulfil orders received from across the world where she supplied ceramics to the organisers of the Nagano Olympics This article was published in the latest edition of Bratislava City Guide , which can be obtained from our online shop.For those who would like to see it online first, you can read it for free here. Visitors are invited to take tours around the small factory where they can see the production methods up close The processes are intricate and rely very much on the skills of individual craftsmen and women; there is not a machine in sight Rather there is a potter’s wheel and some painstaking brushwork involved in each item before the item is stamped with an “R” and is ready to hit the shelves In case any visitor is sceptical of the skills required to produce such items there is even the chance to take a spin on the wheel yourself Anyone wanting to know more about the lifestyle of the Habans should head to Veľké Leváre where a house in a former Haban village has been reconstructed in its former style and is now a museum dedicated to the enigmatic community The Habans were similar in beliefs to the Amish of today and also lived in simple They excelled in the seemingly diverse fields of pottery with many of their methods credited as the basis for modern practices harried out of Slovakia by the Catholic Habsburgs but some descendants remained in the village for several generations to be snapped in some terrific photographs showing the entire community posing in the village square the house in Veľké Leváre is long and narrow The ground level comprises two large rooms utilised as galleries to showcase authentic Haban clothing as well as the machinery they used to make it the long attic-like room is a single dormitory-style bedroom that at time of writing none of the museum’s signs or information panels were in English This article was published in the latest edition of Bratislava City Guide , which can be obtained from our online shop.For those who would like to see it online first, you can read it for free here.________________________________________ more than 22 percent of voters cast their ballots The coalition of Progressive Slovakia and Spolu (who supported Zuzana Čaputová in the presidential election in March) won the election ahead of the ruling Smer when Slovakia posted a turnout of 13 percent >>> Read more about the EP election in Slovakia here>>> Slovak parties and their European families Progressive Slovakia/Spolu 20.11% elected MEPs: Michal Šimečka (PS) Smer-SD 15.72% elected MEPs: Monika Beňová People's Party - Our Slovakia (ĽSNS) 12.07% elected MEPs: Milan Uhrík Miroslav Radačovskýfaction: N/A (far-right party) Christian Democratic Movement (KDH) 9.69%elected MEPs: Ivan Štefanec Miriam Lexmann (will take up her chair after Brexit)faction: Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) 9.60%elected MEPs: Lucia Nicholsonová Ordinary People and Independent Personalities (OĽaNO) 5.25% elected MEP: Peter Pollákfaction: ECR all chosen from parties which gain more than 5 percent of the vote in the elections The number of MEPs from each party depends on how large that party’s share of the vote is Each party in Slovakia can field up to a maximum of 14 candidates and under a preferential voting system voters can indicate which candidate they would like to see elected AN EXHIBITION that presents replicas of Nová Baňa buildings made from legos can be seen in the local Pohronské (i.e A replica of the town-hall required 40,000 legos “The historical building of Nová Baňa town-hall was made by Michal Budinský from Pezinok weighing 20 kilograms,” Jana Potocká of the museum told the TASR newswire a model of the local parish Church of the Virgin Mary has been installed “Another dominant is the model of Porter’s fire steam machine– the first steam machine on the European continent,” Potocká explained adding that it pumped ground water in local gold and silver mines in the 18th century Another local curiosity is the “bottle of patience” – both the original and its copy made of Lego bricks are exhibited – which are bottles with tiny figures installed in them Bottles of patience are still made in Nova Baňa by Pavol Konečný The exhibition called “In a Child Dream” organised by the Pohronské museum and the Slovak Lego fan-club can be seen in the Nová Baňa museum until August 21 The court turned down Okoličány’s appeal against the verdict of the Specialised Criminal Court in Pezinok The Supreme Court gave a life sentence to Róbert Okoličány considered the boss of the eastern-Slovak mafia the Supreme Court also gave life sentences to Róbert Nigut and Jaroslav Potučko A total of 16 defendants faced charges relating to 20 crimes including the creation and support of a criminal and terrorist group Another 12 defendants received sentences ranging from 18 months to 24.5 years in jail The original indictment against the criminal group was filed on April 27 with approximately 130 court sessions held until the most recent one the Specialised Criminal Court in Pezinok sentenced Okoličány Nigut and Potučko to life sentences but they contested the verdicts and the Supreme Court changed some of them adding that Dunák was the only one fully acquitted the testimony of a key witness who also participated in the crimes helped convict the gang members from the east of the country UPDATE: Róbert Nigut could not be found to be sent to prison as of April 12 the Denník N daily wrote on that day PoliticsLuxembourg lawmakers divided over Israel-EU relationsAttempt to find unified position on extension of EU-Israel trade agreement failed during divisive committee meeting World of workJob market last year grew at slowest pace since financial crisisLuxembourg created fewer new jobs in 2024 than any year since the 2008-9 banking crisis Public administrationGovernment to create administration overseeing housing aidNew office aims to improve access to housing support and reduce delays AustraliaAustralians mark election day with 'democracy sausages' and in 'budgy smugglers'Australians fired up barbecues and wore tight-fit swim trunks called "budgy smugglers" to voting centers as they welcomed election day on Saturday (3 May) with some unique and quirky traditions. GrantsEU to propose €500m package to attract researchersPlan to double grant amount by 2025 and continue support in 2026 and 2027 Costs of six million eurosPremiumBus drivers unable to drive cost Luxembourg firm €6m annually Some given odd jobs or are idle, but could soon be employed by municipal councils World of workSpain to move ahead with plan to cut work week to 37.5 hoursThe bill is set to face a lengthy approval process in Parliament, where it’s uncertain to have enough backing from lawmakers Innovation and educationLuxembourg opens drone school to boost safetyEducation ministry has launched a civilian drone school, where pilots can hone their skills and share ideas Advertiser contentTreat yourself to a stress-free holidayDreaming of a worry-free trip What if the secret to a smooth getaway was simply good preparation and the right protection Advertiser contentReal estate: Why should you take advantage of the start of 2025 to begin your real estate project?The main things we remember about the housing sector over the past 12 months are the rise in interest rates and the fall in property prices Advertiser contentProperty: I've decided to invest!The various forms of government support for investment Advertiser contentThe Luxembourg Times BusinessRun is happening again on 18th September!On Thursday 18th September with the starting gun of the 11th Luxembourg Times BusinessRun fired at the Coque at 7 pm Share this with instagramShare this with facebookShare this with linkedinSections The Salvation Army outpost and community centre is Pezinok in one of the city's most impoverished Roma settlements. Captain Josef Knoflíček as well as the Mayor of Pezinok and directors of the city's social departments.  The Salvation Army ministry team from Pezinok will run daily clubs for children aged 3-5 Training programs will also be available for social workers and local community groups and government services.  The new centre will also function as the Pezinok Outpost of The Salvation Army Captains Josef Knoflíček (left) running water and comfortable furnishings – something new for the residents of the settlement who have lived as social outcasts in what is a burnt-out industrial zone on the outskirts of the town in makeshift dwellings with one tap for water between them The Salvation Army began ministering in Pezinok in 2015 to the families pushed out and forgotten by everyone else and Bible studies in one of the little dwellings in the settlement The new centre will help transform the lives of the residents “It soon became clear that we needed our own facilities so plans to build a community centre in the middle of the settlement “From the start it was difficult because the local community there is a solution for this community and for Roma who have had no future and no hope and we pray for programs that can help them integrate into society.” The settlement was created in the 1980s when several Roma families were moved from another large settlement to a hostel called Glejovka located in an industrial zone just outside Pezinok with almost half of the population aged between one and 15 Pressure from the people of Pezinok against the Roma was strong Old mobile houses were brought in to replace the hostel There was no running water for many years and families had to walk a few kilometres to a lake for supplies there was one tap made available for 23 families Many of the mobile homes collapsed over time so the Roma began to build makeshift dwellings who had no money to build their own dwellings despite the dangers of falling debris and collapsing structures Only one tap was available for more than 23 families When The Salvation Army arrived in the summer [northern] of 2015 half of the families lived in the burned-out hostel and others in one-room dwellings with a small makeshift kitchen The primary school was too far away for Roma children to get to and it was made clear to them that they would not be welcome anyway Most Roma children didn’t attend kindergarten as their parents had no money for shoes or lunches “Many children didn’t attend school because their parents didn’t want to get up in the mornings and get them organised,” said Captain Vitalie “Because of years of rejection and neglect many Roma families have lost social skills When Captain Vitalie and his team arrived and began work at the settlement they were able to find sponsors to help families with health problems to build an extra room The team began meeting with several believers in the group and ran children’s clubs in one of the little houses “We knew we needed our own facilities so two years ago we began the long process of building a community centre right in the middle of the settlement,” said Captain Vitalie “The opposition from a negative public; a large local church hatred and aggression built over decades; and even some Roma as well; was challenging,” shared Captain Vitalie “But we know that there are opportunities for this community to turn to Christ and transform their lives.” © The Salvation Army 2025  Zuzana Čaputová met with US Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell Slovak activist and lawyer Zuzana Čaputová who was awarded the Goldman Environmental Prize in San Francisco on April 18 was received in the White House two days later Čaputová received the prestigious international award for her long-term fight against the landfill in town of Pezinok with the Via Iuris organisation as well as for her ongoing legal work in the field of environmental protection She met with US Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell who is also responsible for environmental protection and with three of US President Barack Obama's advisors Čaputová spoke about the importance of non-governmental organisations which focus on advocacy not only in Slovakia but across central Europe “NGOs’ position in the US is different and far stronger than in Slovakia,” Čaputová said “Their importance rises in times of crisis whether it be an economic or a migration crisis They play a cardinal role in advocating for human rights protection in individual cases the Goldman Prize has been awarded since 1990 Its laureates are nominated by renowned international environmental organisations and experts for a significant contribution in the field of environmental protection They are selected by an international jury December 30 (TASR) – A senate of the Specialised Criminal Court (STS) in Pezinok (Bratislava region) on Monday sentenced Zoltan Andrusko to 15 years in jail under medium security conditions for the premeditated murder of investigative journalist Jan Kuciak The STS senate earlier in the day rejected the original plea bargain between Andrusko and a Specialised Criminal Court (USP) prosecutor The prosecutor originally proposed that the court should sentence Andrusko to ten years in prison for his involvement in the murders of Kuciak and his fiancée senate chair Pamela Zaleska said that she would view a 15-year sentence as appropriate in this case Andrusko acted as a go-between in the Kuciak murder The killing was allegedly ordered by Alena Zs. who was in turn allegedly acting according to a commission from well-known businessman Marian K His shady activities were frequently the target of Kuciak’s articles According to the prosecutor’s office while Andrusko mediated a financial reward for them Kuciak and Martina Kusnirova were shot dead in their house in Velka Maca (Trnava region) on February 21 April 6 (TASR) – A senate of the Specialised Criminal Court in Pezinok (Bratislava region) on Monday sentenced Miroslav Marcek to 23 years in prison for the double murder of investigative journalist Jan Kuciak and his fiancée Martina Kusnirova two years ago and an earlier murder of entrepreneur Peter Molnar in 2016 The court took into account the fact that Miroslav M co-operated with the police after his arrest and expressed regret for the murders chair of the senate Ruzena Sabova noted that Miroslav M didn’t ponder much to ransack his house when he wasn’t at home but instead opted for an easier way to enter the building in his presence even though he knew that he’d need to resort to lethal violence The chair of the senate had special words for the murder of Kuciak’s fiancée Kusnirova insensitivity and cold-bloodedness in the killing of Kusnirova,” said Sabova He could have envisaged that she could be there,” said Sabova Three other figures who keep denying their guilt are still charged with involvement in the murder of Kuciak: well-known businessman Marian K (who reportedly served as an intermediary) and Tomas Sz prosecutor of the Special Prosecutor’s Office Juraj Novocky appealed against the verdict.