Slovakia Today, English Language Current Affairs Programme from Slovak Radio

Summer Reading with RSI is a new series featuring Slovak literature in translation. This summer, we're bringing you stories from The Book of Bratislava, an anthology of contemporary Slovak fiction published by Comma Press, a not-for-profit publisher based in the UK. Every other Friday, you'll hear an excerpt from a different story in the collection. We will also talk to representatives of Slovak j...

Slovakia is considering a potential ban on social media use for children under the age of 15, citing concerns about mental health and online safety. The proposal has sparked debate about whether stricter regulation can truly protect young people in the digital age or whether education and smarter platform rules would be more effective than prohibition. In this programme, we explore the risks child...

In this episode, we reflect on the opening ceremony of Trenčín's European Capital of Culture year and explore its impact on the city with a team of independent researchers. We also speak with Stanislav Krajči, CEO of Trenčín 2026, about how the programme has unfolded so far and what exciting performances, exhibitions, and events are still to come in the second half of the year. Finally, we visit o...

Ben Pascoe talks with security expert Brano Tichy about how to prepare your own 72 survival kit in Slovakia today as well as gets some helpful hints on how to best enjoy summer festivals.

A tribute to Slovakia’s golden voice — in life, in legend, and now on the big screen. As excitement builds around the new film about Karol Duchoň, we bring you the story of one of Slovakia’s most beloved singers — a powerful voice and gentle soul who touched generations. Through rare archival recordings, new film interviews, and heartfelt memories from those who knew him best, this special traces...

Where we look back at the most important headlines from the past week and reports from RSI English section.

In today's programme, you'll hear from the newly elected Vice-President of the Federation of European Film Academies, Katarína Krnáčová, speaking about the current state of the Slovak film industry. Later, writer Peter Getting and translator Igor Otčenáš will discuss the power of language — and how it can be misused. At the end of the show, we'll also bring you cultural tips from Trnava, Nitra, Tr...

In this week’s programme, we speak with American author, journalist, and disability rights advocate Elizabeth Sammons about accessibility, inclusion, and her recent visit to Slovakia as part of the Fulbright Specialist Program. In the second half, we turn to our economics segment with Peter Majer, spokesperson for the National Bank of Slovakia, who looks back at the institution’s history, its role...

What do probation work and theoretical chemistry have in common? More than you might think. In this edition of RSI, we meet two remarkable Slovak women whose careers may seem worlds apart, yet both are driven by the same goal – helping people. Probation officer and author Alena Gulánová explains why justice should never lose its human face, while young chemist Viktória Pohorelská shows how curiosi...

In honour of Canada and the founding of the Canadian-Slovak Chamber of Commerce, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Canada to Slovakia, Karen Mollica, visits the RSI studio. On this special occasion Ben Pascoe and Jacques Hoflack, from the French section of RSI, talk Canada and Slovakia in English and French.

RERUN: On the occasion of International Women in Diplomacy Day (June 24), a public discussion was held at the European Parliament Liaison Office in Bratislava. In this follow-up, we bring you highlights from the event and conversations with both the organizers and guests about the importance of women's representation in diplomacy and other high-level leadership positions. Among the speakers are fo...

We take a look back at the week's headlines and some of our best stories from the past week.

Artists in residence. Scientists coming and going. Plenty of children. Two dogs. Caravans lined along the edge of the woods surrounding the meadows. That was Kvantum festival in 2026. Tips for other cultural events suitable for English speakers living in or visiting Slovakia included too.

More than three decades after the fall of communism, the stories of those who suffered under the regime continue to shape Slovakia’s understanding of freedom and democracy. In this programme, we mark the Day of Remembrance of the Victims of the Communist Regime, which falls on June 24, by exploring how political repression affected ordinary lives and why these memories still matter today. This pro...

In this episode of our Green Slovakia series, we explore how the Technical University in Zvolen (TUZVO) is helping to educate the next generation of Slovak conservationists. We speak with Vice-Dean for International Relations Tomáš Lepeška about the university’s history, its environmental science programmes, and the opportunities available to students. We then head into the Tatra Mountains for a f...

Ben Pascoe visits Banská Štiavnica and meets the director of the Kosmopol Theatre Mila Dromovich and talks Tajchs with the director of the Štiavnický tajch civic organization, Michal Červeň.

On 21 June 1991, the last transport carrying Soviet troops crossed Czechoslovakia's eastern border, bringing to an end the 23-year military presence that followed the Warsaw Pact invasion of August 1968. Today, we look back on the events that shaped an entire generation with historian Peter Jašek from the National Memory Institute (ÚPN). Together, we trace the story from the invasion and subsequen...

We take a look back at the week's headlines and some of our best stories from the past week.

One of Slovakia’s most effective ambassadors of cultural diplomacy is the Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra. In the summer of 2026, the Slovak Philharmonic has been invited to tour Japan for the fifteenth time since 1980. While 30th edition of Pohoda begins on 8 July — extended this year by an additional opening day featuring a concert by The Cure — numerous other festivals will also be taking place a...

According to statistics from the Ministry of the Interior of the Slovak Republic, 68 criminal offenses with a racial or extremist motive were recorded in 2025. However, these figures do not reflect the large number of cases that go unreported. Hate crimes are a problem affecting society as a whole because they target victims based on their perceived “difference” — such as nationality, ethnic origi...

In this feature, we explore two innovative research projects being developed in Slovakia. One aims to make rehabilitation more personalized through smart sensors and artificial intelligence, while the other investigates the extraordinary potential of cold plasma in medicine and environmental protection. Together, they offer a glimpse into how Slovak science is helping shape the future of healthcar...

Ben Pascoe visits Slovakia’s biggest Slowfood festival, Degustorium, to find out more about slowfood in Slovakia today.

RERUN: May 2nd, 2025 marked the 30th anniversary of Dežo Ursíny's passing. This radio show looks at the life and work of this Slovak musical legend, filmmaker, and thinker. With the help of his son Jakub Ursiny, film producer Marián Urban and music journalist Marián Jaslovský we explore what made him so special. From his early music to his deep, personal films, Dežo Ursiny’s art still speaks to pe...

We take a look back at the week's headlines and some of our best stories from the past week.

The Bratislava literary festival, commonly known as BRaK, brought together readers and the wider community of authors, poets, translators, critics, and professionals working in the book industry, including publishers, distributors, illustrators, and even book reviewers from all across Slovakia. Although it is called the Bratislava literary festival, it also hosted several public readings and discu...