News digest: Inflation will make Christmas poorer for some in Slovakia – The Slovak Spectator

Good evening. Here is the Friday, November 25 edition of Today in Slovakia – the main news of the day in less than five minutes.

For weekend events and news on travel and culture in Slovakia, see the latest edition of our Spectacular Slovakia newsletter.

Bratislava ready for snow

Bratislava gets ready for winter weather. (Source: Courtesy of Bratislava)

The city of Bratislava declares that it is ready for the first possible snow, reminding the public that the city prepares for winter all year round.

“During the year, we apply non-slip surfaces and more adhesive surfaces for critical road sections. We install sensors that will provide up-to-date weather data conditions as well as the condition of roads to coordinators. We are preparing a winter operational plan as well as provide important details such as inert sprinkling material for hilly sections, quality winter tires for the public transport company DPB,” said the city.

Today’s feature story

Slovak households plan to economise on Christmas shopping

Steadily increasing prices may leave some Slovaks with the question of whether to save on carp, the traditional Christmas meal in Slovakia, Christmas presents or something else this winter holiday season.

Economists estimate that food prices will grow by 30 percent this year and as a consequence Slovaks plan to be thriftier this Christmas.

Slovak households plan to economise on Christmas shopping Read more 

More stories on Spectator.sk:

• HISTORY: Curator Jana Švantnerová tracks down the story of convicted antique dealer Eduard Šťastný and his forfeited antiques.
• CORRUPTION: What is the former mayor of Bratislava’s borough of Nové Mesto, Rudolf Kusý, accused of?
• INDUSTRY: Have a look into the business of the Nitra-based Slovak arm of the German company Mühlbauer.

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Anniversary of the week

Sakrakopec – the place of the accident (Source: TASR)

On Thursday, November 24, Slovakia commemorated the 56th anniversary of one of the biggest air disasters in former Czechoslovakia. The plane of the Bulgarian company TABSO crashed at Sakrakopec near Bratislava on November 24, 1966, killing 82 people.

Other news

• In the first nine months of this year, car manufacturers in Slovakia produced 724,297 new passenger cars. According to data published by the European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA), compared to the same period last year, this is a slight decrease of 0.7 percent. (SITA)
• Had a general election taken place in November, it would have been won by the non-parliamentary Hlas party of Peter Pellegrini on 19.5 percent of the votes, a poll carried out by the AKO pollster for the TV Joj revealed on Thursday, November 24. Hlas would have been followed by the opposition Smer party of Robert Fico on 16 percent and the non-parliamentary Progresívne Slovensko party on 11.5 percent. Other parties that would have made it to parliament were: SaS (10.8 percent), OĽaNO (7.5 percent), Sme Rodina (6.9 percent), the far-right Republic party (6.3 percent) and KDH (6.1 percent). Two parties that currently hold seats in parliament wouldn’t have reached the necessary five-percent threshold this time, namely Za Ľudí and the far-right ĽSNS on 1.9 percent each.
• The cargo ship that became stuck in shallow water in the Danube River in Bratislava on November 11 was set free thanks to rising water levels on Monday, November 23.
• Wind farms with a total capacity around 168,000 MW could be built in Slovakia, reads the Study of Wind Energy Development in Slovakia presented by the Slovak Association of Photovoltaic and Renewable Energy Industry (SAPI). The natural potential was localised in some 20 percent of the country.
• As much as €357 million will be allocated from the Slovakia’s Recovery Plan for decarbonisation of the Slovak industry. On Friday, PM Eduard Heger announced that this is a large-scale state aid scheme intended for the biggest polluters. The call will be open until January 20, 2023.
• The National Bank of Slovakia, the country’s central bank, warns of a fake website exploiting its name. The website promises a reward, but this is misleading advertising.
• These days, stores and logistics companies are looking for part-timers for the Christmas season. However, there is a shortage of possible staffers. There is a demand for part-time jobs by Slovaks, but companies prefer workers for entire shifts. Moreover, despite rising inflation and rising costs, the compensation has not changed much compared to last year, according to a survey by the recruitment agency Grafton.
  

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Picture of the day

The bypass is part of the construction of the second stretch of the tram line in Bratislava’s Petržalka. (Source: Courtesy of Bratislava)

Bratislava is building a temporary bridging of Chorvátske Rameno, an arm of the Danube, beyond the Jungmannova tram stop in Petržalka, as part of the second stretch construction of the Petržalka tram line.

If you have suggestions on how this news overview can be improved, you can reach us at editorial@spectator.sk.