What Slovakia is writing about: According to Danko, Pellegrini will decide on Taraba next week. Saková and Šutaj Eštok could not be recalled even on the fourth attempt

Minister of Environment Tomáš Taraba is edging closer to leaving his ministry for parliament — Deputy Speaker of the National Council Andrej Danko claims President Pellegrini promised him a decision on Taraba's recall "next week," while Taraba himself is convinced the coalition will have fewer than 77 MPs. On Thursday, the opposition failed for a third and fourth time to open parliamentary sessions on the recall of Economy Minister Denisa Saková and Interior Minister Matúš Šutaj Eštok, as the quorum was not met. And while PM Fico, ahead of his Friday trip to Ukraine, warns of the risk of a pan-European war — and the mention of the trip was missing from the official transcript of his speech in Prešov — Germany's Bosch has in the meantime confirmed the closure of its Bernolákovo plant, and the US Congress has passed sanctions on Russia that, according to commentators, could also affect Slovakia.

Taraba heading from the environment ministry to parliament, Pellegrini to decide "next week" according to Danko

In an exclusive interview for Pluska, Minister of Environment Tomáš Taraba spoke about returning to parliament and described Andrej Danko as "a jealous, unsuccessful politician" Pluska ↗. Postoj devoted a critical profile to him titled "The man who played at being environment minister" Postoj ↗, while STVR matter-of-factly noted that Taraba himself declared that at the head of the ministry he behaves like a manager, but in parliament he will do "politics" STVR ↗ — meaning he no longer actually denies his departure from the ministry.

In the evening, the dispute escalated further. SaS deputy chairwoman Mária Kolíková sarcastically said of Taraba that "he's only good for heating and lighting" — Deputy Speaker of parliament Andrej Danko responded by saying that "the president assured me he'll do it next week" — meaning that Pellegrini will issue his decision on Taraba's recall soon after returning from the UN General Assembly ta3 ↗. According to Denník N, Taraba himself believes the current coalition will have fewer than 77 MPs, because "giving in to blackmail has hit its ceiling" Denník N ↗, and in the same interview, according to Hospodárske noviny, he added that he would also support a possible recall of Tourism Minister Rudolf Huliak — another SNS nominee, at whose party's request the PM proposed the recall of Taraba himself Hospodárske noviny ↗. Sociologist Michal Vašečka told SME that Taraba "best fits the image of Fico's successor within Smer," adding that it is "shocking" that coalition partner Hlas-SD still hasn't replaced its chairman SME ↗.

Recall of Saková and Šutaj Eštok fails on quorum for the fourth time

On Thursday, the opposition again attempted to open extraordinary sessions on the recall of Economy Minister Denisa Saková and Interior Minister Matúš Šutaj Eštok (both Hlas-SD) — for a third and fourth time, after two failed attempts on Wednesday, and in both cases the quorum was again missing. In Šutaj Eštok's case, according to Aktuality, the plenary was not quorate due to the low number of lawmakers present Aktuality ↗. Both SITA and Pravda confirmed that parliament was also not quorate for the session on Saková — at the last attempt, only 43 MPs were in the chamber instead of the required 76 SITA ↗ Pravda ↗. According to SME, the coalition did not allow the debate to proceed, and the recall motions against both ministers are to be included on the regular session due to start on November 17 SME ↗.

Fico flies to Ukraine and warns of war, trip missing from speech transcript

PM Fico will visit Ukraine on Friday, where he is due to meet the new Ukrainian prime minister as well as Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk — according to Denník N, this is his fourth trip to Ukraine since returning to power, though he has never yet traveled to Kyiv and has been to Uzhhorod three times Denník N ↗. Before departing, he declared that "the situation has never been this serious," and warned of the risk of war in Europe SME ↗. According to Standard, he added in a Facebook video: "I'm afraid of war and I want to speak about it with full seriousness" Standard ↗. Nový Čas, however, pointed out that Fico announced the trip in Prešov only at the end of his speech, and the mention of it was missing from the transcript published by the Government Office — political scientist Tomáš Koziak explains this by saying the PM does not want to provoke voters for whom Ukraine is a sensitive topic Nový Čas ↗. Hospodárske noviny added that Slovakia, along with France, has reservations about extending EU sanctions against individuals in connection with Russian aggression, and Polish PM Tusk, whom Fico will meet in Ukraine, said he would address these Hospodárske noviny ↗.

Trial of surveillance squad stalls, MPs advance bill to shorten term of office via referendum

The Bratislava I District Court has opened the trial in the case of illegal surveillance of journalists and politicians, including the murdered Ján Kuciak — Marián Kočner is among the defendants. Pravda recalled that those under surveillance also included Sulík and Kollár Pravda ↗, but TA3 reported that the court adjourned the proceedings indefinitely shortly after they began ta3 ↗.

On the same day, parliament advanced to second reading a bill that would allow the term of office to be ended early via a valid referendum — Pravda asked whether this would put the government's fate directly in the hands of the people Pravda ↗, while Teraz.sk added that 78 of the 136 MPs present voted for Hlas-SD's constitutional proposal, and at least 90 will be needed for final approval Teraz.sk ↗.

State finances: Bosch leaves Bernolákovo, US sanctions could also hit Slovakia

Germany's Bosch has definitively confirmed the closure of its Bernolákovo plant, with alternator refurbishing moving to Serbia and 148 people losing their jobs Aktuality ↗. SaS MP Marián Viskupič sharply attacked Fico's government over the departure Bratislavák ↗, while Denník N noted that this is no ordinary loss — the top-tier company has operated in Slovakia for over a hundred years Denník N ↗.

On another front, the US Congress passed the first anti-Russian sanctions of the Trump administration — .týždeň asks whether they will help Ukraine, Trump, or Slovakia .týždeň ↗. According to Denník N, they could also hit Slovakia hard Denník N ↗.

Under the radar

In a lengthy commentary, Martin Behuľ of Aktuality.sk explained why Defence Minister Robert Kaliňák remains politically useful to PM Fico despite the Strnad affair Aktuality ↗. A protest titled "For the Preservation of Democracy in Slovakia" took place at SNP Square in Bratislava STVR ↗ — organized by SaS MP Alojz Hlina and activist Nikita Slovák, who thereby launched a series of protests set to continue on October 17 and culminate on November 17 ("We won't survive another Fico," Slovák said) Aktuality ↗. Meanwhile, President Pellegrini appointed 21 new judges SITA ↗ and, in a letter to the Vatican, again invited Pope Leo XIV to visit Slovakia next year for the 100th anniversary of the declaration of Our Lady of Sorrows as patroness of Slovakia ta3 ↗.

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