Driver Charged in Rail Crash; Ministers Face New Misconduct Allegations
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Authorities have pressed charges against a train driver following a collision near Jablonov nad Turnou, with the individual potentially facing a decade in prison. This development comes amidst heightened scrutiny on political figures, as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence Robert Kaliňák faces allegations of planning a half-million-euro celebration without a formal contract.
Further political controversy surrounds Minister of Culture Martina Šimkovičová, who is accused of circumventing internal evaluation processes to approve funding, reportedly for Zoroslav Kollár's political movement. In a separate, concerning incident, individuals who initially reported suspicious meat are now themselves under police investigation at the request of the Ministry of Agriculture.
Meanwhile, politician Alojz Hlina has officially joined the opposition party Freedom and Solidarity (SaS), signaling efforts to unite moderate conservative and liberal political forces. The long-running Hedviga Malinová case has also seen new details emerge, including Robert Kaliňák's account of a past dispute and insights from Malinová's psychiatrist.