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

Environment Minister Tomáš Taraba is nearing his departure from the ministry for parliament — Deputy Speaker of the National Council Andrej Danko claims that President Pellegrini promised him a decision on Taraba’s dismissal “next week”, while Taraba himself is convinced that the coalition will have fewer than 77 MPs. On Thursday, the opposition failed to open parliamentary sessions on the dismissal of Economy Minister Denisa Saková and Interior Minister Matúš Šutaj Eštok on both the third and fourth attempts; there was no quorum. And while Prime Minister Fico warned of the risk of an all-European war ahead of Friday’s trip to Ukraine, and the trip was omitted from the official transcript of his speech in Prešov, Germany’s Bosch meanwhile confirmed the closure of its plant in Bernolákovo, and the US Congress approved sanctions against Russia that commentators say could also affect Slovakia. Three more things were added in the morning: NATO chief Mark Rutte warned that what Putin might do against the Alliance must not be underestimated, Denník N’s corruption newsfilter discovered a farmer on the supervisory board of a state-owned company whose presence there Saková cannot explain, and a prosecutor indicted Monika Jankovská, nicknamed “Kočner’s little monkey”.

Taraba is heading from the Environment Ministry to parliament; according to Danko, Pellegrini is to decide “next week”

Environment Minister Tomáš Taraba spoke in an exclusive interview with Pluska about his return to parliament and called Andrej Danko “one jealous, unsuccessful politician” Pluska ↗. Postoj devoted a critical profile to the issue, titled “The Man Who Played at Being Environment Minister” Postoj ↗, while STVR matter-of-factly reported that Taraba himself said he acts as a manager at the head of the ministry, but will do “politics” in parliament STVR ↗ — effectively no longer denying his departure from the ministry.

In the evening, the dispute escalated further. SaS deputy chair Mária Kolíková sarcastically said of Taraba that “the only thing he can do is heat and provide light” — Deputy Speaker Andrej Danko responded that “Mr President assured me that he would do it next week” — meaning that Pellegrini will issue his decision on Taraba’s dismissal soon after returning from the UN General Assembly ta3 ↗. According to Denník N, Taraba himself believes that the current coalition will have fewer than 77 MPs because “giving in to blackmail has hit the ceiling” Denník N ↗, and in the same interview he added, according to Hospodárske noviny, that he would also support the possible dismissal of Tourism Minister Rudolf Huliak — another SNS nominee, at whose party’s request the prime minister proposed Taraba’s dismissal Hospodárske noviny ↗. Sociologist Michal Vašečka told SME that Taraba “best fits the image of Fico’s successor in Smer”, adding that it was “shocking” that coalition party Hlas-SD had not yet replaced its chairman SME ↗.

The attempts to dismiss Saková and Šutaj Eštok failed for lack of a quorum, even on the fourth attempt

On Thursday, the opposition again attempted to open extraordinary sessions on the dismissal of Economy Minister Denisa Saková and Interior Minister Matúš Šutaj Eštok (both Hlas-SD) — after two failed attempts on Wednesday, this was the third and fourth attempt, and once again there was no quorum in either case. According to Aktuality, the plenary was not quorate in Šutaj Eštok’s case because too few lawmakers were present Aktuality ↗. SITA and Pravda confirmed that parliament was not quorate for the session on Saková either — at the last attempt, only 43 MPs were in the chamber instead of the required 76 SITA ↗ Pravda ↗. According to SME, the coalition prevented the proceedings, and the motions to dismiss both ministers are to be placed on the regular session due to begin on 17 November SME ↗. While this session is awaited, Denník N’s corruption newsfilter drew attention to another detail concerning Saková — a farmer with no apparent connection to her agenda also sits on the supervisory board of a state-owned company, and according to the newspaper the minister cannot explain how he got there. Denník N ↗

Fico is flying to Ukraine and warning of war; the trip was omitted from the speech transcript

On Friday, Prime Minister Fico will visit Ukraine, where he is expected to meet the new Ukrainian prime minister and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk — according to Denník N, this will be his fourth trip to Ukraine since returning to power, but he has not yet travelled to Kyiv even once and has been to Uzhhorod three times Denník N ↗. Before departing, he said that “the situation has never been so serious” and warned of the risk of war in Europe SME ↗. According to Standard, he added in a Facebook video: “I am afraid of war and I want to talk about it with full seriousness” Standard ↗. Nový Čas, however, pointed out that Fico announced the trip in Prešov only at the end of his address, and that it was missing from the transcript published by the Government Office — political scientist Tomáš Koziak explains this by saying that the prime minister does not want to irritate voters for whom Ukraine is a sensitive issue Nový Čas ↗. Hospodárske noviny added that, alongside France, Slovakia has reservations about extending EU sanctions against individuals in connection with Russian aggression, and that Polish Prime Minister Tusk, whom Fico will meet in Ukraine, said he would address the issue Hospodárske noviny ↗.

The morning warning by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte also fits the same nervous mood: one must not be naïve or underestimate what Putin may do against the Alliance TASR ↗. Ukrainian President Zelenskyj also announced that new aid packages would be prepared for Ukraine and that further talks with the US would take place soon Hospodárske noviny ↗.

The surveillance squad trial stalled; MPs advanced a proposal to shorten the electoral term through a referendum

The trial in the case of the illegal surveillance of journalists and politicians, including murdered journalist Ján Kuciak, began at Bratislava I Municipal Court — Marián Kočner is among the defendants. Pravda recalled that those surveilled also included Sulík and Kollár Pravda ↗, but TA3 reported that shortly after the start, the court adjourned the trial indefinitely ta3 ↗. A new indictment was added along the same lines — a prosecutor indicted Monika Jankovská, who is nicknamed “Kočner’s little monkey” because of her closeness to Kočner. Aktuality ↗

On the same day, parliament advanced to second reading a proposal that would allow the electoral term to be ended early through a valid referendum — Pravda asked whether this would put the end of the government 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 is leaving Bernolákovo, and US sanctions could also affect Slovakia

Germany’s Bosch definitively confirmed the closure of its Bernolákovo plant; alternator remanufacturing is moving to Serbia, and 148 people will lose their jobs Aktuality ↗. SaS MP Marián Viskupič launched a fierce attack on Fico’s government over the departure Bratislavák ↗, while Denník N recalled that this was no ordinary loss — the leading company has operated in Slovakia for more than a century Denník N ↗.

On another front, the US Congress approved 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 an extensive commentary, Aktuality.sk’s Martin Behul explained why Defence Minister Robert Kaliňák remains politically useful to Prime Minister Fico despite the Strnad affair Aktuality ↗. A protest entitled “For the Preservation of Democracy in Slovakia” took place at SNP Square in Bratislava STVR ↗ — it was organised by SaS MP Alojz Hlina and activist Nikita Slovák, who thereby launched a series of protests set to continue on 17 October and culminate on 17 November (“We will not survive another Fico,” Slovák said) Aktuality ↗. President Pellegrini meanwhile appointed 21 new judges SITA ↗ and once again invited Pope Leo XIV to Slovakia by letter for next year’s 100th anniversary of the proclamation of Our Lady of the Seven Sorrows as Slovakia’s patroness ta3 ↗. MP Ján Ferenčák meanwhile questioned secret recordings that were supposed to incriminate him — according to Aktuality, they are based only on the assumptions of someone from the security services, and the MP himself links the accusation to a political commission. Aktuality ↗

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