Robert Fico is moving to oust Prosecutor General Maroš Žilinka because Smer’s poll numbers are falling and the party wants to win back supporters who have defected to Republika, according to Smer politicians Richard Glück and Erik Kaliňák. Smer has increasingly adopted the narratives of the disinformation scene, but Republika is seen as more authentic and its leaders as more muscular. By attacking Žilinka, Smer signals a fight against the “system.” Analysts say Republika is l

Some 73% of Slovak employees have no problem with coworkers of another nationality, against 55% in Czechia, a survey by staffing agency Grafton showed. 27% of Slovaks see them as a plus for the company, 6% mind the cultural differences and 9% fear losing their job. 83% of Slovaks have encountered foreigners at work, but only 67% of Czechs. Diverse teams enjoy the backing of 51% of Slovak and 42% of Czech companies, and the language barrier remains the main obstacle, cited by

Telecoms operator Swan (the Ondriš brothers; 4ka brand) signed a deal to buy a 100% stake in smaller rival Slovanet. Managers sold the company, which lifted revenue 37% to €70m last year and earned a net profit of €2.4m. It has 87,000 customers and its own fiber, cable and wireless infrastructure. Swan booked revenue of €157.8m last year and ended with a €0.6m loss due to financial costs. The parties did not disclose the price. Orange had also eyed Slovanet earlier. (startitu

Orange and Swan (4ka) extended their national roaming deal through the end of 2028. 4ka customers keep access to the larger rival's 2G and 4G networks. Talks on sharing mobile infrastructure continue. (zive.sk)

Slovak 15-year-olds scored 448 points in reading in the PISA 2025 test, against an OECD average of 461, 475 points in science (482) and 469 points in math (463). While Slovakia sits above the OECD average in math for the first time, the share of pupils below the basic reading level rose from 32% in 2015 to 34% last year. Unlike neighboring countries, Slovak pupils did not worsen in a single category. A family's socioeconomic background explains 21% of the gap in pupil perform

Bloomreach is the best performer among Slovak start-ups, reaching a valuation of $2.2bn after a 2022 investment, according to the StartupBlink portal, which took into account investment raised, headcount and website traffic. Next come CloudTalk ($28m raised), GreenWay Operator ($150.9m), Powerful Medical ($62.6m) and Photoneo ($64.6m). The portal counts 258 start-ups in Slovakia and places the Slovak start-up ecosystem 59th in the world and 16th in the CEE region. (startitup.

Housing affordability has deteriorated sharply since the pandemic, with the monthly mortgage payment on an average 70 sqm apartment rising from 27% of the average wage in 2Q20 to 48% now, according to central bank NBS data. It was last at that level in 4Q10, after which record-low mortgage rates helped improve it. Mortgage rates fell from 5.6% in 2010 to as low as 0.9% in 4Q20, before climbing back to the current 3.6%. Apartment prices, moreover, are rising faster than averag

Just 2,368 apartments were completed in Slovakia in 2Q this year, down 36% annually and the lowest 2Q figure since 2000, ŠÚ reported. Construction began on only 2,400 apartments, down 41% annually. A total of 4,849 apartments were added over the entire first half, 29% fewer than last year. Construction starts slumped 80% in Bratislava despite it being the largest and wealthiest real estate market. Developers are withholding new projects due to low demand concerns, though new

US investment group Eldridge recently paid €43.8m for a 50% stake in Košice‑based software developer SudoLabs. The figure comes from the closing accounts of Semolina, the vehicle through which Jozef Petro, Pavol Madár and other shareholders hold their stakes in SudoLabs. The company provides IT and AI solutions to corporate clients. (sme.sk)

Hyundai Mobis opened a new €174m electric drivetrain plant in Nováky with 310 jobs, its first European plant of this kind. Once fully ramped up, it will produce 280,000 drivetrain systems annually for Kia Žilina, Hyundai's plant in Czechia, and Stellantis. The government supported the project with a €26.3m tax break and a €15m subsidy from the Just Transition Fund. (teraz.sk) The company plans to invest a further €66m in Nováky and create nearly 300 jobs producing brake syste