The government wants to restart production at the Slovalco  aluminum smelter in Žiar nad Hronom, PM Robert Fico said. He aims to persuade the European Commission to grant a 4-5-year exemption from emission allowances. Given Fico’s poor standing in the EU, approval will be politically and procedurally difficult, making short‑term solutions such as subsidizing electricity prices or offering tax breaks more likely—though these also require EU approval. Slovalco, owned by Norsk H

Car production  in Slovakia rose by 76,000 units last year to 1.07m, the automotive association ZAP reported. Output remained 40,000 below the 2019 record, when Slovakia operated only three car plants. The country remains a global leader with 196 cars produced per 1,000 inhabitants. Production is expected to stagnate even after the opening of Volvo’s new plant near Košice, reaching around 1.08m in 2027. ZAP warns that output could decline sharply in the coming years due to a

Slovakia spent €1.6bn of its €12.6bn EU fund allocation for the 2021-27 period by the end of last year, the Finance Ministry reported. This is the 9th-lowest share in the EU , placing the country at risk of losing hundreds of millions this year. ( pravda.sk ) EU fund spent in neighboring countries as of January 12 and total allocation:   spent allocation Czechia 26.2% €21.1bn Poland 15.7% €75.5bn Hungary 15.8% €21.0bn Slovakia 13.6% €12.6bn Austria 11.1% €1.1bn ( cohesiondata

The Supreme Court ruled that state-owned SPP must settle the "Ducký bills" dating back to the 1990s with Cyprus-based Stroden. The debt, originally valued at €14m, has ballooned to €37m due to accrued interest. The ruling overturns a 2022 Bratislava Regional Court verdict. The bills were issued by former SPP director Ján Ducký, who was assassinated in 1999, to Sezooz and later used as loan collateral. SPP, which contests the validity of the bills, plans to file a special app

A campaign opposing self-service checkouts  is gaining traction across social media and disinformation circles. While customers are demanding personal service—popularizing the slogan "I'm not a temp, I'm a customer"—retailer data indicate that the adoption of self-service terminals is steadily rising. These checkouts now account for more than half of all payment transactions at major retail chains. ( tvnoviny.sk )

Slovaks employed in Czechia command the highest average earnings among foreign workers , according to data from ispv.cz . The median salary for a Slovak worker stands at €2,058, surpassing the €1,753 median for a domestic Czech employee. The top 10% of Slovak earners receive an average salary of €4,775 compared to €3,499 for the same category of Czechs, suggesting Slovak professionals are particularly successful in high-value-added sectors. ( trend.sk )

Rothschild & Co  has been selected as the state's financial advisor for the construction of a new 1,200 MW nuclear power plant in Jaslovské Bohunice. The firm won the tender from state-owned Javys with a €13.9m bid, coming in under the expected €15m. Rothschild & Co brings extensive international experience, having advised on the UK's Sizewell C and Czechia's Dukovany projects. The government intends to award a €13-15bn contract to US-based Westinghouse, which is also expecte

Commercial real estate investment  in Slovakia surged 73% to €929m last year, marking the second-best year on record according to CBRE data. The number of deals fell by one to 25, with retail real estate attracting the largest share of investment (46%) as three Bratislava shopping centers changed hands, followed by logistics (37%) and offices (16%). Slovak and Czech investors accounted for 61% of the total, alongside capital from seven other nations. ( openiazoch.sk )

The first drill at the Trojarová antimony‑gold project near Pezinok confirmed that the site hosts antimony grades in line with historical estimates, Canada’s Military Metals  announced. The results underscore Trojarová’s potential to become a strategically important antimony project for the EU. The Canadian company acquired the Soviet‑era Trojarová site—a rare antimony project under development in Europe—a year ago. It faces protests from local residents as well as opposition

Debts of individuals and companies  returned to 60% of GDP in 3Q25 after two years, the central bank NBS reported. The gradual rise in indebtedness aligns with economic fundamentals, as both household incomes and corporate revenues are growing. Rising property prices also contributed. Non‑performing loans remain near historic lows, totaling €1bn for retail loans and €690m for corporate loans in November. ( nbs.sk )