Slovak Spectator

When Czechoslovakia was a ‘comet superpower’
Quarter of all comets discovered between 1946 and 1959 were found from High Tatras observatories.

News digest: The EU job Slovakia can’t fill
50 years since Bratislava’s deadliest air disaster, a Slovak highway appears in a new Apple film, heat warnings return, and Terchová hosts Jánošíkove dni.

Dobšiná Ice Cave lost around 600 cubic metres of ice in a year, experts say
Researchers say heatwaves, sudden rainfall and fewer freezing days are making it harder for Dobšiná Ice Cave to maintain its ancient ice deposits.

Turkish supplier Mata Automotive to shut factory near Veľký Krtíš
Around 120 workers are expected to lose their jobs when the plant closes at the end of November.

Tajik man travels alone by train to Košice court, learns he is still considered a threat
The alleged terrorism case remains unresolved.

Where do Bratislava and Košice overheat the most in summer?
Satellite maps of Bratislava and Košice reveal how the urban heat island effect varies between neighbourhoods.

‘I fixed my family’s lineage for everybody.’ Slovak American on correcting a mistake no one knew about
Chris Seferyn’s great-grandparents didn’t talk about the “old country”.

Austrian, Czech and Dutch hikers caught swimming in protected Tatras lakes despite ban
A series of videos has shown foreign visitors taking a dip in the High Tatras’ mountain lakes.

Askoll to close Slovakia factory after 30 years
Italian manufacturer Askoll Group will end production at its Potvorice plant in 2026, moving output to facilities in Romania and China.

News digest: Pellegrini in Beijing — and the wreath that stayed home
Minister saved by his wife, another spell of heat on the way, Slovak language summer school begins, and why you should head to a Bratislava garden on Tuesday.

Slovakia records EU’s biggest fall in air fares as airlines shift from Vienna
Low-cost carriers expanded in Bratislava after cutting capacity in Austria, driving down Slovak ticket prices. The advantage may not last.

Another spell of extreme heat may be on the way after record-breaking June
Warm air from the southwest is expected to bring several days of scorching weather.

Man slips into Košice airport, boards plane and falls asleep before flight
The unusual security breach delayed an Austrian Airlines flight.

At these six castles in the Banská Bystrica Region, summer guided tours await
The local tourist organisation also plans night tours.

Spanish students fined on Bratislava bus despite saying they had valid tickets
The visitors from Barcelona were issued €79 penalty fares after an inspector rejected screenshots of SMS tickets.

Slovak scientists’ art and study published in prestigious journal
Polyphenols currently in scientific spotlight.

News digest: High Tatras in the running for 'most desirable destination' honour
Fico angrily denies Slovakia's involvement in coalition of the willing, Austrian earthquake felt in Slovakia, and another scorching heatwave is on the way.

Fico says Slovakia didn’t join the coalition of the willing. Its ambassador showing up complicates things
A media report triggered a political storm, with Fico denying membership and Paris saying the issue was a misunderstanding.

Quiet people belong in leadership too - even in showbiz
At Slovakia’s largest private broadcaster Markíza, Monika Zemančíková is reshaping learning and wellbeing programmes.

My Slovak citizenship journey began as an escape plan from America
I did not expect the process to reconnect me with a country already woven into my life.