Welcome to Today in Slovakia. The week ends with Slovakia’s pro-Russian premier trying to “educate” students – only for Poprad to reply in spray paint. Meanwhile, the president posed with carp.

President Peter Pellegrini swapped the Presidential Palace for the Boheľov ponds in south-western Slovakia on Friday – joining Agriculture Minister Richard Takáč for the country’s traditional pre-Christmas fish harvest. The pair pulled on waders, hauled in carp and called for greater support for local fish farmers.

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The message: Slovakia, they say, should stop relying on frozen imports and start eating its own fish. Pellegrini warned that Slovaks consume barely a kilo of freshwater fish per person each year – and only then because of Christmas (carp is the nation’s traditional seasonal dish). “Without Christmas, our fish consumption would be miserable,” he said, urging schools to serve Slovak fish to children to build healthy habits early.

The optics: The waders-and-carp routine plays well for a president keen to look grounded – and for a minister in need of cleaner headlines. The government is funnelling more than €21 million into modernising fish farms and processing plants – with Takáč, who’s faced flak for ignoring alleged misuse of EU funds at the Agricultural Payments Agency and for sacking a forestry chief who started digging into shady timber deals, boasting that Slovakia might finally spend all its EU fisheries money.

The kicker: Pellegrini insists eating local isn’t just patriotic – it’s healthy. “If we teach the young generation to eat Slovak freshwater fish, they’ll keep it for life.” Perhaps the president, who loves to pose with carp each Christmas, should make it a year-round habit – Slovakia’s fish consumption might finally rise with him. That said, he might want to choose a slightly more edible fish than carp, which many Slovaks prefer to avoid – even at Christmas.

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Fico’s classroom tour hits a snag

“Fico is a traitor,” reads graffiti on the pavement outside a grammar school in Poprad on November 7, 2025. (source: Marcel Stropkay/TASR)

While President Pellegrini’s lesson in carp appreciation went swimmingly, Prime Minister Robert Fico’s blackboard charm offensive didn’t quite go to plan on Friday.  

Graffiti diplomacy: Hours before he was due to lecture grammar school students on “geopolitics” in the High Tatras town of Poprad, the pavement outside the gymnasium was daubed with the words “Fico is a traitor” and “How does Putin’s d––– taste?” Police arrived early, the graffiti was scrubbed off, and the school hastily rolled a carpet over the rest. 

The pushback: Some students turned up dressed in black to show their disagreement with Fico’s expected presence. Others said the lecture had been effectively imposed on the school.

Class dismissed: By mid-morning, Fico’s appearance had been quietly “rescheduled”. The government says he asked to move the event himself. Local sources say it was called off amid tensions at the school, where some parents had threatened to pull their children from Friday classes in protest. 

The defence: According to the Education Ministry, the Poprad school obtained approval from most parents – even though it wasn’t required to. The ministry accused the media of “looking for problems where there are none” and said it wouldn’t act as a referee in such cases, pointing to existing rules, including political, ideological and religious neutrality in schools.

Old habits: Fico’s been giving “educational” talks to students long before his first stint as premier – often uninvited. Critics call it indoctrination; his allies call it outreach. Most recently, he toured schools in Trebišov and Michalovce and addressed university students in Prešov – and was slated to speak at Oxford this spring, an appearance that was abruptly shelved and never revived. Officially, Fico claims the Oxford reschedule was down to plans for a new nuclear plant. As for Poprad? He’s blaming Brussels – the European Commission is weighing infringement proceedings against Slovakia over a recent constitutional change. 

Quote of the day: Asked about the graffiti, Fico claimed ignorance. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he told reporters after touring the site of a hospital renovation worth €40 million. 

WHAT THE SLOVAK SPECTATOR HAD ON FRIDAY: 

Crossing the line: Slovakia toughens its traffic laws 

Illustrative image (source: Pixabay)

The government has approved a sweeping overhaul of traffic rules – the biggest in years – with tougher fines, new pedestrian protections and speed limits for e-scooters. Parliament could take it up this month, with most changes kicking in from May.

The big change: Drivers will now have to yield not just to pedestrians already on a crossings, but also to anyone “clearly intending to cross”. The Interior Ministry says the tweak should make roads safer and bring Slovak law in line with the Vienna Convention. Critics warn it’s too vague and could spark confusion – prosecutors note that pedestrians glued to their phones or wearing headphones are hardly predictable.

The numbers: Fifteen pedestrians were killed at crossings last year – down from 24 in 2023 – but still far above the ministry’s long-term target of zero deaths.

The fine print: The bill expands the “objective responsibility” system, allowing police to post fines for more offences, including tailgating, seatbelt violations and using a phone at the wheel. It also lowers the speed threshold for licence suspension – now 30 km/h over the limit in towns and 40 km/h outside. E-scooters will be capped at 25 km/h, cities will get new powers to operate their own speed cameras, and lorry drivers could face on-the-spot penalties if they don’t pay fines for being overweight.

The verdict: Cyclists and road-safety groups are broadly welcoming the reform, saying Slovakia is finally catching up with the rest of Europe – but warn that enforcement and communication will determine whether the new rules make any difference.

FRIDAY FACEBOOK FEED: Politics by post

COALITION

Smer: Smer shared a clip of Defence Minister Robert Kaliňák’s interview with a pro-Russian disinformation channel, Infovojna, where he let loose on Brussels and NATO. The EU, he said, “adopts nonsense”, Slovakia “isn’t blackmailing but defending its interests,” and NATO has “betrayed itself” by fighting Russia “by proxy through Ukraine”. He even called Belgian Defence Minister Theo Francken “a lunatic”. Kaliňák also accused prosecutors of dragging their feet over complaints about Slovakia’s handover of military kit to Kyiv in 2022, saying law-enforcement bodies are “independent but not fair”.

Hlas: Economy Minister Denisa Saková joined the US-led P-TEC meeting in Athens, calling energy policy “a matter of security and competitiveness”. She pushed Slovakia’s priorities – supply security, infrastructure investment and affordable prices – and met US and EU energy chiefs to discuss LNG, plus Westinghouse on nuclear cooperation.

SNS: The party claims the opposition is organising a November 17 protest with help from banks, IT firms, schools and NGOs – and warns it could lead to the “Maidanisation of Slovakia” and the country’s “handover to foreign powers”. The post fits neatly into the ruling party’s narrative of external meddling and liberal elites plotting unrest.

OPPOSITION

Slovensko: The Slovensko movement announced that its party newspaper is “on its way” to households and urged supporters to help “distribute the truth” nationwide – inviting volunteers to sign up via email or phone.

Progressive Slovakia: PS posted a collage of what it calls “historic quotes” from government politicians – inviting citizens to report any further “loss of contact with reality” from ministers directly to the party’s inbox.

SaS: SaS says STVR Council vice-chair and Culture Ministry official Lukáš Machala is trying to “destroy public broadcasting” and “won’t stop until STVR is in ruins”. The party shared an invite to an extraordinary meeting of the STVR Council on Monday that will debate the state broadcaster’s situation and its 2026 budget.

KDH: The Christian Democratic Movement slammed the Justice Ministry’s plan to rush through the biggest reform of Slovakia’s Civil Code in 60 years, saying it would “radically weaken protection of families and children”. The party claims the draft cuts minors’ inheritance rights by 80 percent and halves protection for adult heirs.

In other news

• Prime Minister Robert Fico announced in Poprad that the European Commission is preparing infringement proceedings against Slovakia over its new constitutional amendment giving Slovak law precedence over EU law in “ethical and value-based matters”. “We look forward to this conflict,” he said. The amendment, in force since November 1, defines gender strictly as male or female, guarantees equal pay and regulates adoption and education. Speaking in Brussels, EC spokesperson Markus Lammert said he was “not aware of any infringement procedure against Slovakia” related to the amendment. The College of Commissioners is expected to decide on a new package of infringement cases – including one concerning Slovakia – at its meeting next week. (TASR, Denník N)

• Fico says he’s skipping next week’s climate summit in Brazil because he “doesn’t have time to wander around the world”. The trip, he said, may be “a dream for some”, but he’s focusing on fiscal consolidation and “defending Slovak interests”. After having used the European Commission’s putative infringement case against Slovakia as his reason for cancelling a school lecture in Poprad (see above), Fico deployed the same excuse for nixing the Brazil trip. He hasn’t yet decided whether to attend the EU–Africa summit in Angola later this month.

• MP Július Jakab (Slovensko) says he’ll challenge a sanction for missing several Finance Committee meetings, insisting he had apologised verbally. Jakab accuses the committee of “manipulating and falsifying attendance lists” and has called for chair Ján Blcháč (Hlas) to step down.

• From Saturday, 8 November, Slovak Railways will end maintenance works at Bratislava’s main station, restoring full service for trains from Nové Zámky, Trnava and Galanta, as well as long-distance Urpín services to and from Banská Bystrica. Trains will once again stop at Bratislava Vinohrady station.

A train collided with a car between Zvolen and Dobrá Niva in central Slovakia on Friday morning. No one was injured. Police said the 43-year-old driver likely failed to pay sufficient attention. The railway crossing has no lights or barriers. (source: Facebook)

• Convicted businessman Marian Kočner’s hopes of using an EU Court of Justice ruling to challenge his sentence have suffered a blow. Bratislava regional court judge Peter Šamko said the Baji Trans decision – which dealt with an administrative fine over a truck tachograph – can’t be applied in criminal cases. Kočner and fellow convict Pavol Rusko, jailed for forging promissory notes, had cited the ruling to argue for a lighter sentence. Šamko, echoing an August Supreme Court ruling, said the EU judgment concerned administrative, not criminal, proceedings and isn’t relevant to lex mitior – the use of milder laws for offenders.

• Defence Minister Robert Kaliňák met Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev to discuss expanding cooperation in the defence industry. Kaliňák said Baku is interested in a mortar system developed by Slovakia’s state-owned ZTS Špeciál. He previously visited Azerbaijan last year, followed by Prime Minister Robert Fico and other ministers. Armenia has protested against Slovakia’s arms dealings with Baku, warning the weapons could be used against it. (TASR)

• Environmental groups Zelená väčšina and Aevis say Slovakia’s plan to zone the Poloniny National Park fails to protect its most valuable forests. Activists warn that even UNESCO-listed areas could be left without strict protection, with only 16 percent of the park to be fully safeguarded while logging continues across most of the rest. The ministry hit back, accusing NGOs of politicising the issue. Zoning plans are also underway for Malá Fatra, Low Tatras and High Tatras parks.

THE BRIGHT SIDE

LIGHT FROM THE DARKNESS: This year’s Lúč z tmy (Ray of Light from Darkness) awards – recognising exceptional contributions to Roma inclusion and social change – went to Jarovnice mayor Florián Giňa, lawyer Michal Zálešák and actor-director Marián Balog. The laureates were honoured for their long-term work improving Roma representation, defending rights and developing Roma theatre. The public’s Kalapa Tele – Hats Off award went to Tomáš and Stanislava Matta for their education work with children on Košice’s Luník IX estate and in other disadvantaged communities. The prize is organised by the civic association eduRoma.

APPLE OF THE YEAR: Slovakia’s Apple of the Year 2025 title went to Fengapi, sold under the brand name Tessa – a crunchy variety with notes of mango and passion fruit. The contest, organised by the Fruit Growers’ Union, the Agriculture Ministry and Nitra’s Slovak University of Agriculture, praised Fengapi for its firm texture, sweet-spicy flavour and long shelf life. Grower Marián Bednár from Veselé, near Piešťany, said the Italian-bred variety is “extremely crunchy and unlike anything Slovaks are used to”. (Pravda)

Slovakia’s Apple of the Year 2025 title went to the Fengapi variety, sold under the brand name Tessa (centre). (source: TASR – Henrich Mišovič)

CHEEKY AD OF THE DAY: Irish budget flyer Ryanair is up to its usual mischief — this time promoting Bratislava. “Not sure where Bratislava is?” the airline teased on Instagram. “Perfect, go find out from €16.99.” Classic Ryanair: a little bit of sass, a lot of click-throughs.

GIVING SEASON: Slovak NGOs, foundations and civic associations received over €104 million this year from the country’s 2-percent income tax donations – up by about €3 million year-on-year. A total of 916,697 individuals and companies assigned part of their tax to non-profits. (TASR)

PENDOLINO BACK ON TRACK: After more than a year, Pendolino trains will once again run between Prague and Košice from 10 November. The ČD–ZSSK service was suspended in August 2024 during upgrades to the trains’ ETCS safety system. Journey times remain unchanged, with morning departures from Prague and afternoon returns from eastern Slovakia. (TASR)

WEEKEND TALK SHOW LINEUP:

• Sobotné dialógy (Rádio Slovensko): PM Robert Fico (Smer)

• Politika 24 (Joj24): Justice Minister Boris Susko (Smer)

• V politike (TA3): SNS leader Andrej Danko, SaS leader Branislav Gröhling

• O 5 minút 12 (Jednotka): Hlas chair Matúš Šutaj Eštok, KDH chair Milan Majerský

• Na telo (Markíza): Sports and Tourism Minister Rudolf Huliak, PS MP Martin Dubéci

COMING UP IN SLOVAKIA:

Saturday, 8 November

• Conservative Summit 2025, Bratislava: Central European Christian conservative leaders meet to discuss politics, culture and business.

• Christmas Post launch: Festive opening in Rajecká Lesná.

• Charity fashion bazaar “Vystajluj sa (v) dobrom”: Clothing from Slovak celebrities on sale for a good cause, Bratislava – Nivy Centre.

Monday, 10 November

• Science and Technology Week: Theme “Life with Artificial Intelligence”.

• Festival of Freedom: An open-day at the Nation’s Memory Institute (10–12 November).

• Opening of a week-long stay for Ukrainian children in the High Tatras, with Prešov Region Governor Milan Majerský and Ukraine’s Ambassador Myroslav Kastran.

• Opening of the School of Ukrainian Studies, Žilina.

Tuesday, 11 November

• Junior Achievement Slovakia Conference, Košice – “Connecting Education with Business”: Focus on “The Future Has a Name: Gen Z”.

• Scientific Conference “Marketing and Media Identity”, Voderady.

Wednesday, 12 November

Friday, 14 November

Saturday, 15 November

WEEKEND WEATHER IN SLOVAKIA: Cloudy and damp across most of Slovakia. Saturday will be mostly overcast with light rain and highs of 6–15°C. Sunday brings more clouds, occasional showers – with snow in the mountains – and highs of around 7–14°C. Monday stays grey and cool. (SHMÚ)

NAME DAYS: Bohumír (8 November), Teodor (9 November), Tibor (10 November).

Thanks for reading – and for making us part of your routine. Have a great weekend; we’ll be back on Monday.

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