Slovakia Today, English Language Current Affairs Programme from Slovak Radio

RERUN: 100 YEARS OF CZECHOSLOVAKIA

Culture Minister dismissed Slovak National Theatre Director General Matej Drlicka over his statement in English in Budapest. Several members of his team ended their terms too. Matej Drlicka spoke to RSI about making redundant several members of the Opera ensemble whom he mentioned in Budapest. RSI is also speaking to ex-director of the Drama ensemble Miriam Kicinova as well as to ex-director of the Opera ensemble about their reasons to resign. Starting a new series LGBTIQ+ in Slovak culture, we explore with Lucia Gregorova Stach, the chief curator of the modern and contemporary art collection at Slovak National Gallery, the reasons why Slovak curators avoid speaking about the queer identity of Andy Warhol despite the fact that the Tate Modern grand exhibition in London in 2020 as well as MUMOK exhibition in 2020 were open about this issue.

On the show we will give you a comprehensive guide how to take part in the upcomming regional and municipal elections. Foreigners with a permanent residency in Slovakia are also eligible to cast their ballot.

Ben speaks with guest Boris Azaltovic about the municipal elections that will take place Sataurday October 29. They discuss how the country is broken down into self-governing regions and municipalities and who is responsible for what. They also discuss that foreigners in Slovakia can vote in this election.

National parks in Slovakia are facing big changes. The new directors of national park administrations want to complete zoning, promote soft forms of tourism and employment in their territories. What reforms have the new management of Pieniny, Slovenský kras and Veľká Fatra National Parks focused on? Listen also to a rerun of an interview with Jergus Tesák about nature tourism. Marianna Palková talked to him during the Festival Mountains and city in Bratislava.

Creative Centre for people working in Creative industry about to open in Trnava. Dentistry students organized a 10 day event educating people in Slovak streets. Stop corruption foundation warns that many municipalities do not have a chief auditor.

Chief conductor of the Slovak Philharmonic invites to the new season at the very day of the new season. On 18th October 2021, Edita Gruberova, Slovak born soprano known in the world as the Queen of Coloratura, passed away. We recall her career in remembrance of this top representative of Slovak culture abroad. And 12th October is the Day of Samizdat in Slovakia. If this is a new word for you, feel free to learn more with us.

One of the bills the Slovak lawmakers will deal with in their upcoming session concerns a set of rights for cohabiting couples, which could also help same-sex couples.

Slovakia is one of six EU contries without any legislation for the LGBTI community. What is the current debate on the rights of LGBTI people in Slovakia like? These questions come in with ever bigger urgency following the terrorist attack motivated by hate against queer people, which took place in Bratislava only few days ago. On the show today, we will also bring you some information on the upcoming regional and municipal elections.

Ben Pascoe interviews information security expert Tomas Krissak on the information war we are fighting today in Slovakia and all around the world. Why it is important to fight and what we can do to win this fight.

On Wednesday evening two young men under the age of 30 died and one woman was injured after a shooting in Bratislava. The suspect fled the scene.The police deployed a helicopter, dogs and even a boat during the ensuing manhunt and on Thursday morning, they reported they had found the shooter dead. Media outlets reported that about five hours before the shooting, the attacker had posted a 65-page document. It is a racist manifesto against Jews and LGBTI people, in which the author calls for violence against these communities. The attack took place at the Tepláreň bar in Bratislava, which supports the LGBTI community. People honoured the victims of this tragic murder at this place.The Metropolitan Institute of Bratislava is launching a project called Streets for Children to improve street safety around schools and increase the percentage of schoolchildren who walk to school. The project responds to the current situation where more and more children are being driven to school by their parents, even though they live nearby. Almost every household in Bratislava has its nearest primary school within a 15-minute walk of its home.