Good evening. Here is the Wednesday, December 3 edition of Today in Slovakia – the main news of the day in a few minutes.

Slovaks back democracy, but doubt the state

Around 50,000 people filled Bratislava’s Námestie Slobody square, joining tens of thousands elsewhere to mark 17 November and to protest against PM Fico’s government. (source: Marko Erd)

Despite Slovakia’s increasingly tense and polarised climate, 77 percent of residents still consider it important for the country to remain democratic, reports the daily Sme. The findings also show that many Slovaks fear the state hides important information yet believe they can influence the country’s direction through elections.

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The data comes from the latest Democracy Perception Index (DPI), a global survey conducted in roughly 100 countries. In Slovakia, it was carried out by the Focus polling agency for the Pontis Foundation.

The survey reveals deep public mistrust: more than half of Slovaks believe the government withholds important information, nearly a third fear unrest after the next national election, almost 70 percent doubt the impartiality of court decisions, a third are unsure whether courts can stop the government from violating the law, and 28 percent consider it unlikely.

Slovakia’s overall DPI score reached 2.98, indicating a poor public assessment of how democracy functions in the country compared with the rest of Europe.

Unsurprisingly, Nordic countries such as Norway, Denmark, and Sweden scored above 3.3 on the five-point scale, while states including Serbia and even France fell below 2.5.

The most positively perceived aspect of democracy in Slovakia is elections, with a score of 3.93, well above the European average of 3.23. Political pluralism follows with 3.27, which Sme noting that this may reflect the country’s diverse party landscape spanning liberal to conservative and pro-EU to Eurosceptic groups, among others. The European average in this category is 3.0.

However, Slovakia performs below the European average in civic literacy, the peaceful transfer of power*, and the rule of law—areas that respondents view as significant weaknesses.

WHAT THE SLOVAK SPECTATOR HAD ON WEDNESDAY

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Where to find the country’s best health care

Illustrative image. (source: SME)

If you’re seeking quality health care in Slovakia, Ružomberok and Košice are the places to look. These two towns are home to the country’s best hospitals in their respective categories, according to the latest rankings published by the Institute for Economic and Social Reforms (INEKO), Sme reports.

Ružomberok claimed the top spot among university and teaching hospitals for the second year in a row—and for the sixth time in the ranking’s 11-year history. The hospital scored above average in multiple quality indicators, including readmission rates, surgical mortality, and patient waiting times. The F. D. Roosevelt Hospital in Banská Bystrica placed second, maintaining its long-standing consistency by missing the top three only once. The University Hospital in Martin ranked third.

In the category of general hospitals, the winner is Košice-Šaca, a facility that has never ranked lower than second. Since it has recently become a faculty hospital, it will be evaluated in the university-hospital category next year. Second place went to the Bory Hospital in Bratislava, a newcomer on the list, followed by Topoľčany Hospital in third.

The full list can be found here.

IN OTHER NEWS

• General Prosecutor Maroš Žilinka has again criticised the government’s plan to scrap or overhaul the Whistleblower Protection Office and merge it into a victims’ services agency. He argued that no evidence shows victims’ rights are being weakened — and that the proposal contains no measures that would genuinely strengthen their protection. The draft, he warned, merely shifts compensation paperwork from the Justice Ministry without providing anything close to comprehensive support for victims.

• The government has acknowledged a draft EU regulation on the gradual phaseout of Russian natural gas imports — a document meant to serve as the basis for Slovakia’s position should its objections not be adequately addressed. This could include a proposal from the Economy Ministry to file a lawsuit on Slovakia’s behalf. Opposition Progressive Slovakia MP Tomáš Valášek said such a step would disgrace Slovakia, while SaS MP Juraj Krúpa argued it shows PM Robert Fico is advancing Russian interests in Europe.

• On Thursday, President Peter Pellegrini will travel to the Vatican for a private audience with Pope Leo XIV — and, according to his office, he will bring his mother along, covering her travel expenses himself. Pellegrini last visited the Holy See in 2023, when he was received by Pope Francis.

• Female MPs from several opposition parties have sent a letter to PM Robert Fico urging him to clearly condemn the crimes of sexual predator Jeffrey Epstein and address the friendly ties between Epstein and Fico’s adviser Miroslav Lajčák. “Your silence appears to ignore the suffering of victims of sexual violence and undermines the moral and ethical standards that should guide the protection of women and children in Slovakia,” they wrote, announcing a petition to rally further public support.

• Economy Minister Denisa Saková (Hlas) said that Tuesday’s cyberattack on the ministry’s IT systems was brief and that swift intervention prevented any data leakage. “We are still assessing the extent of the damage and the scope of the attack. Fortunately, we intercepted it in time and the damage is minimal,” she said.

• An unidentified person jumped from Bratislava’s Most SNP bridge into the Danube early Wednesday morning. Firefighters were dispatched and successfully rescued the individual.

For the first time, the faithful historical copy of Marie Antoinette’s legendary necklace, originally made of more than 600 diamomnds, has been presented in Slovakia. The replica is part of the Marie Antoinette – from Vienna to Versailles to the guillotine exhibition at Bratislava Castle. (source: TASR)

THE BRIGHT SIDE

Back to full glory: Due to vandalism, the fountain Svetový Poštár (lit. The World Postman) located on Poštová Street near the Presidential Palace in Bratislava has been inoperable for several years. Now that it has been renovated inside out, that will change. A short test is planned for 11 December. Afterwards, the fountain will be winterised. Next spring, it will be put into full operation once again.

Festive staple returns: On Friday, Bratislava’s Christmas tram is once again going to take to streets. A historic car, full with festive decorations and atmosphere, will follow a circular route through the city centre along the following stops: Jesenského – Námestie SNP – Kapucínska – Nábrežie – Jesenského. The tram rides, lasting for 30 minutes at a time, will be free of charge. With the exception of December 24, the tram will be in service until January 6.

The Bratislava Christmas tram last year. (source: TASR)

THURSDAY, 4 DECEMBER – WHAT TO EXPECT

• Parliament sits again

• Opposition party SaS holds a march to the scene of the August car accident of spy chief Pavol Gašpar in Nitra

• Slovakia’s Chamber of Commerce on consolidation in Europe and in Slovakia

• Energy regulator ÚRSO on energy prices in 2026

WEATHER FOR THURSDAY: No surprise here as Thursday will follow suit with overcast skies, drizzle in some areas and snow in higher altitudes. Level 1 fog warning for the entire territory. Daily temperatures will rise up to 11°C. add a sentence, including weather warnings (SHMÚ)

NAME DAY: Barbora, Barbara

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