New rules for crossing borders become effective. Confidential intelligence report leaked online. More countries will recognise Slovak vaccination certificates. Meteorologists warn against low temperatures. Find more news in the May 31, 2021 digest.
President Zuzana Čaputová wants to see the deal
The discussion concerning the Sputnik V vaccine and the request of the Russian side to return the first batch of 200,000 doses delivered in early March is far from over.
Following the criticism of Finance Minister Igor Matovič (OĽaNO) of the institutions testing the vaccine, several politicians and scientists have sided with both the Slovak medicines authority, the State Institute for Drug Control (ŠÚKL) and the Biomedical Research Centre of the Slovak Academy of Sciences (BMC SAV), expressing their support over the weekend.
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President Zuzana Čaputová
This includes chief hygienist Ján Mikas and the experts behind the Veda Pomáha (Science Helps) initiative, who sent an open letter demanding that PM Eduard Heger (OĽaNO) apologise on behalf of the entire government for the inappropriate and unacceptable statements of Matovič directed at Slovak scientists and scientific institutions. Juraj Kopáček, scientific director of the SAV’s Institute of Virology, has even demanded a public apology from Matovič for his statements.
President Zuzana Čaputová will ask for an agreement on the purchase of Sputnik V.
President Zuzana Čaputová met with the representatives of the State Institute for Drug Control on April 12. (Source: SITA)
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President Zuzana Čaputová has expressed her support for the Slovak scientists and scientific institutions that have tested the Sputnik V vaccine.
She was also critical of the recent statements of Finance Minister Igor Matovič (OĽaNO) against the State Institute for Drug Control (ŠÚKL) and the Biomedical Research Centre of the Slovak Academy of Sciences (BMC SAV) responsible for testing the vaccine, calling them inadequate and wrong. Such attacks only harm the trust of people in them, she added.
Trip to Budapest harmed Slovakia’s diplomatic service
Current and former diplomats comment on visit of Finance Minister Igor Matovič to Budapest concerning Sputnik V.
Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó (r) and Slovak Finance Minister Igor Matovič (l) talk during their meeting at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade in Budapest, Hungary, Friday, April 9. (Source: AP/TASR)
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Both former and current ambassadors of Slovakia criticised the recent trip of Finance Minister Igor Matovič (OĽaNO) to Moscow and Budapest, where he travelled to discuss the Russian vaccine Sputnik V, and the effects it had on the Slovak diplomatic service since a representative of the Slovak embassy was absent.
Sputnik V tests on guinea pigs and mice successful
Animals put to sleep after tests were over.
Testing animals in Šarišské Michaľany which received a Sputnik V jab. (Source: TASR)
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The seven-day tests of Russian vaccine Sputnik V on rodents in the Imuna Pharm company in Šarišské Michaľany in eastern Slovakia are over.
“Waiting room” for vaccination has been opened
But some people are still reporting problems.
Illustrative stock photo (Source: Korzár - Júlia Čermáková)
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Our paywall policy:
The Slovak Spectator has decided to make all the articles on the special measures, statistics and basic information about the coronavirus available to everyone. If you appreciate our work and would like to support good journalism, please buy our subscription. We believe this is an issue where accurate and fact-based information is important for people to cope.
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This is the Wednesday, March 17, 2021 edition of Today in Slovakia. Learn about politics, business, and other notable events of the day in Slovakia in less than five minutes. If you like what we are doing and want to support good journalism, buy our online subscription. Thank you.
Situation improves, but Easter will be limited
The epidemiological situation in Slovakia seems to have improved slightly.
Although the number of new daily cases and patients in hospitals remains high, and the country is still classified in the black tier of its warning tier system, the map of districts will look better from next Monday. There will be 20 districts in the black tier (currently, there are 40), 55 in the dark red tier and four in the red tier.