Good evening. Here is the Wednesday, August 6 edition of Today in Slovakia – the main news of the day in a few minutes.
PM pressures Šaško to defend controversial ambulance deal
From left: Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer) and Health Minister Kamil Šaško (Hlas). (source: TASR)
Health Minister Kamil Šaško (Hlas) is facing growing pressure from across the political spectrum over a controversial €2 billion ambulance procurement tender.
On Tuesday evening, Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer) made a pointed intervention. While claiming he was not influenced by opposition parties or what he described as “anti-government, anti-state media,” Fico made clear he would not allow any doubts over the tender to damage his government.
“If the Health Minister believes the tender is being conducted transparently and in line with the law, he must stand behind it personally,” Fico said, noting that Šaško is a nominee of the Hlas party. Fico has called on the minister to publicly address the concerns. Šaško is expected to do so at a press conference on August 11. Opposition parties and experts have raised serious concerns over the transparency of the process — particularly regarding the composition and qualifications of the selection committee, possible conflicts of interest, and suggestions that the winners may have already been chosen.
“If these doubts are not objectively addressed, or if the outcome of the tender leads to an obvious absurdity that weakens the state, I will insist it be cancelled and repeated,” Fico warned.
According to the daily Sme, only two other ministers have received such a “diplomatic but firm” rebuke from Fico in the past decade — education minister Peter Plavčan in 2017 and health minister Zuzana Dolinková in 2024. In both cases, it proved to be their final warning.
More calls for cancellation: Opposition parties — Progressive Slovakia, SaS, KDH, the Slovensko movement, and the non-parliamentary Demokrati — have once again jointly called on Šaško to cancel the tender, launch a new and transparent process, and publish full details. They are also collecting signatures to initiate his removal and have urged Fico to dismiss him if the allegations are confirmed. The parties say they are ready to submit complaints to the General Prosecutor’s Office and the Public Procurement Office once the results are known. The Let’s Stop Corruption Foundation has also criticised the lack of transparency and urged Šaško to release information related to the tender.
On Wednesday, coalition party SNS again appealed to President Peter Pellegrini to halt the process, this time claiming up to €800 million could be saved and that the funds could be better used elsewhere. A similar call was made over the weekend, but Pellegrini replied that the matter falls outside his constitutional authority.
A rare voice of support: Earlier that day, Hlas party leader and Interior Minister Matúš Šutaj Eštok expressed full confidence in Šaško, saying he trusts the minister will respond to the concerns and clear up any doubts.
Made in Poland: Later on Wednesday, Sme reported that Agel — one of Slovakia’s largest private healthcare firms — had likely purchased new ambulances in Poland. Two independent sources confirmed the information. Agel, one of several dozen companies that have taken part in the tender, did not confirm or deny the report. The ambulances may be the same ones said to be stored in the village of Vlkanová in central Slovakia — a detail first reported by news site Aktuality last week. According to Sme, the vehicles appear visually similar. Agel’s head of PR, Nancy Závodská, declined to say how many ambulances were ordered, what the cost was, or how the company knew how many to buy. The Polish supplier reportedly did not respond to inquiries or phone calls.
What Agel says: In a statement sent to media later, Agel denied any wrongdoing and said it had purchased the ambulances from its own funds before the tender’s terms were known and without knowing the outcome. The company also rejected any links to the selection committee and claimed that media coverage and comments by opposition politicians were damaging its reputation. Agel warned it may take legal action if such attacks continue.
The firm stated it had begun considering participation in the tender as far back as 2022 and submitted its bid through Agel Merea, a joint-stock company. It justified the early purchase by the need to secure specialised vehicles in advance. The decision to buy was reportedly made in September 2024 — before the final framework of the tender was known. The ambulances were bought from Czech company Medsol and manufactured in Poland by Autoform. Agel insists these are not the same vehicles stored in Vlkanová.
MORE STORIES FROM THE SLOVAK SPECTATOR WEBSITE
TAXES: Online retailers that sell returnable goods have found themselves on the losing end of Slovakia’s transaction tax, which came into effect in April. They must pay the transaction tax even on items that are returned. Moreover, thanks to the tax’s design, there are inconsistent outcomes.
MORE TAXES: Higher taxes—especially the transaction tax—have pushed prices up across sectors, with catering being one of the hardest hit. In some districts, the average cost of a lunch has reached nearly €10 this year, prompting many people to change their eating habits.
TRAVEL: In Komárno, a city in southern Slovakia, a number of compelling attractions await discovery. The city has set its sights on promoting experiential tourism, particularly for active travellers.
ASTRONOMY: For night sky aficionados, it is that time of year again. One of the best shooting star displays, the Perseids, is once again visible in the night sky. Here’s what to know.
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FEATURE STORY
Return to native waters
Bořek Drozd from the University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, right, is releasing the sterlets. (source: BROZ)
The sterlet is the last surviving species of Danube sturgeon in the region—once home to five species, including the famed beluga. Its survival is largely due to the fact that, unlike the other four, it does not require migration to the sea. In mid-May, thousands of young sterlets were released into the old Danube riverbed near the dam in Čunovo. The move is expected to help boost the population of this endangered fish.
EVENT FOR SATURDAY
Lights, music and a fountain
Námestie Slobody square with its iconic Družba fountain. (source: SME – Marko Erd)
On Saturday evening, the Družba fountain at Námestie Slobody in Bratislava will come alive for the first time with lights and music. Starting at 20:30, and repeating every 30 minutes into the night, Slovak composer and pianist Marián Varga’s piece Hudba k Vodometu (Music for a Fountain) will be played. The fountain will be illuminated in various colours. Admission is free. Find out more here.
IN OTHER NEWS
Investment Minister Samuel Migaľ (independent) has been discharged from the Eastern-Slovak Institute of Heart and Arterial Diseases (VÚSCH) in Košice and is now recovering at home. He underwent heart surgery in late July. In his absence, the ministry is being led by State Secretary Radomír Salitroš. The minister expects to return to work in the autumn. According to VÚSCH director Štefan Lukačín, Migaľ’s recovery is going well, and post-surgery results are positive. (TASR)
Material scientist Pavol Šajgalík, former chair of the Slovak Academy of Sciences (SAV), has been elected a member of the European Academy of Sciences (EURASC). Šajgalík currently works at the Institute of Inorganic Chemistry. The academy is an independent association of distinguished scientists, aiming to strengthen scientific cooperation across Europe and advise European institutions on research, innovation, and social development. “I am honoured to join some of Europe’s most prominent scientists and am ready to contribute with the experience I’ve gained throughout my career,” Šajgalík said, as quoted by the SAV website.
German automotive giant ZF, a key supplier to the industry, has announced plans to close its factory in Detva after seven years of operation. The move will result in the gradual loss of around 250 jobs. The plant, which manufactures components for vehicle steering and suspension systems, will be wound down in stages, with full closure expected in the first half of 2026. (SME)
Bratislava’s public transport company DPB has unveiled the modernised tram depot in the Krasňany locality. The modernisation of the depot, which was built in the 1970s, cost more than €60 million, with most of the funding coming from EU funds. It is the most significant transport infrastructure project in Bratislava. (source: TASR)
Slovan Bratislava suffered a 0–1 defeat to Kairat Almaty of Kazakhstan in the first leg of the third qualifying round of the UEFA Champions League. The decisive goal came in the final moments of the match, when Kairat were awarded and scored from a penalty. Slovan Coach Vladimír Weiss was sent off in the final minutes after losing his temper and insulting a referee. Having already received a yellow card earlier in the match, he was shown a second and dismissed. (UEFA, Sportnet)
Following a severe storm on Sunday, the cable car between Železná Studnička and Kamzík in Bratislava has been temporarily closed due to unspecified damage. The Nové Mesto borough is working to restore operations as soon as it is safe to do so. (TASR)
An end-of-July inspection by the Regional Public Health Office has found that swimming pools in Bratislava are in satisfactory hygienic and epidemiological condition. (SITA)
The 2025 Hlinka Gretzky Cup will be jointly hosted by Trenčín, Slovakia, and Brno, Czechia from August 11 to 16. Slovakia is in Group B with the USA, Germany, and Sweden, and will play its group-stage matches in Trenčín. A preliminary match against Canada will be held on August 9. (Sportnet)
WEATHER FOR THURSDAY: Fog may appear overnight or in the morning. The day will be mostly sunny, with temperatures ranging from 19°C to 28°C. A Level 1 ground frost warning has been issued for several districts in western, northern, and central Slovakia. See the map here. (SHMÚ)
AUGUST 7 NAME DAY IN SLOVAKIA: Štefánia will be the name of the day tomorrow, so if you know one, wish her Všetko najlepšie!
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