News digest: The quest for the new Bratislava main railway station
Map of Bratislava road repairs, locations around Košice that appeared in movies, and a tip for a recognised summer festival.
Good evening. Here is the Wednesday, July 3 edition of Today in Slovakia - the main news of the day in less than five minutes.
Where will Bratislava's new railway station be?
The Bratislava - Nové Mesto railway station. (Source: SME - Jozef Jakubčo)Bratislava has been toying with the idea of a new Main Railway Station for more than 20 years. However, with the exception of the few times the worn-out building was refurbished, the last time in 2022, nothing has been done in this regard.
Recently, Transport Minister Jozef Ráž (a Smer nominee) said that the current station will be neither expanded nor extensively repaired as doing so would cost too much, reports Sme daily.
Instead, a completely new station will be constructed. The precise location will be announced in September and should be finished by 2030.
The new station may be constructed in one of three places. Denník N reported that the reconstruction of the Bratislava - Nové Mesto railway station is on the table. According to Sme daily, a station in the nearby town of Stupava is an option. The third option is the long-considered dilapidated and closed Filiálka railway station in the Trnavské Mýto locality. Each option comes with different challenges.
Filiálka is smaller than the current main railway station and would need to be underground, not to mention that it would necessitate the construction of tunnels connecting to every direction. On the other hand, Stupava is 15 kilometres from Bratislava and would also require the extension of tunnels and connections.
A more realistic scenario is the expansion of the Nové Mesto station as there is available space nearby. However, it too would require connections.
The former railway station Filiálka is being considered as a place to construct a new main railway station. (Source: SME - Jozef Jakubčo)MORE STORIES FROM THE SLOVAK SPECTATOR WEBSITE
- POLITICS: Seasoned Slovak diplomat's UN nomination and ministry post was cancelled. He was given no reason as to why.
- TRANSPORT: Reconstruction of Bratislava roads in full swing, have a look at where restrictions apply.
- TRAVEL: About 80 locations in the Košice Region have been depicted in more than 50 Slovak and foreign films.
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FEATURE STORY FOR WEDNESDAY
Cowboys who never were
Interior Minister Matúš Šutaj Eštok. (Source: TASR)Interior Minister Matúš Šutaj Eštok was recently interrogated by a police investigator regarding the suspension of the Čurillovci, a group of police investigators centred around Ján Čurilla, who investigated top corruption cases. In the past, the minister called them "cowboys who distort justice", "a bunch of goons" or "cronies".
Now, he tried to play the statements down. Even though he himself signed the suspension of the Čurillovci as Interior Minister, during the interrogation he repeatedly tried to shy away from responsibility.
EVENT FOR THE NEXT WEEKS
Viva Musica! is back
The Viva Musica! festival has a 20-year tradition. (Source: TASR)This year, Viva Musica!, one of the most recognised summer festivals in Slovakia, celebrates a tradition spanning 20 years, bringing the best of classical music and renowned artists from all over the world to Bratislava. This edition will take place between July 4 to August 15 and offer 13 concerts at various venues.
The jubilee edition will open this Thursday with a concert by the electronic-acoustic band Fallgrap, joined by the Spectrum Orchestra led by a violinist. The concert will take place in the Stará Tržnica venue. For more information and tickets, click here.
IN OTHER NEWS
- According to a new survey carried out by the Ipsos agency for the Denník N daily, President Peter Pellegrini is trusted by 53 percent of people, while 42 percent are of the opposite opinion. He is followed by ex-president Zuzana Čaputová (47 percent as opposed to 45 percent) and Prime Minister and Smer chair Robert Fico (38 percent and 55 percent). The survey took place between June 26 and July 1 on a sample of 1,017 people. (Denník N).
- The government approved the reconstruction of the cylindrical tower dominating the Nové Mesto borough of Bratislava, known as Kukurica (Corn Cob). A part of the €60 million investment is to be covered by the recovery plan. Originally, the building named Hviezda (Star) served as a military accommodation facility. (Denník N)
The 'Kukurica' former military accommodation facility on Kukučínova Street in Bratislava. (Source: Gabriel Kuchta)- According to Defence Minister Robert Kaliňák (Smer), PM and Smer chief Robert Fico will soon return to his duties and appear before the public at the beginning of July. He might even attend the Saints Cyril and Methodius celebrations on July 5. However, Fico will face lasting effects from the May 15 assassination attempt on his life during which he was shot four times. (SITA)
- The government approved Transport Minister Jozef Ráž's (a Smer nominee) proposal to pay out €50,000 to the families of the victims of last week's collision between a train and a bus near Nové Zámky, Nitra Region. (TASR)
- President Peter Pellegrini handed over credentials to two new Slovak ambassadors, namely Marek Varga, Slovakia's Permanent Representative to NATO, and Barbara Mešťanová, set to head the diplomatic mission in Israel. Before, Varga served as an ambassador to Lebanon and other Middle East countries, while Mešťanová was at the embassy in Tel Aviv as an economic diplomat. (TASR)
WEATHER FOR THURSDAY: The cloud cover will change throughout the day, daily temperatures to rise around 20 °C in Žilina and Spiš regions, while between 22 °C to 27 °C elsewhere. Light breeze. (SHMÚ)
JULY 4 NAME'S DAY IN SLOVAKIA: Prokop
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