Read the latest news from regional and global sources, presenting different voices and perspectives.

Slovakia’s Polarisation Crisis Is a Warning for Europe
Slovakia is no longer just politically divided – it is socially fractured, ideologically radicalised and increasingly disillusioned with democratic norms. As new data places it among Europe’s most polarised societies, the warning signs for the...

How will Europe and the Czech Republic allocate 1.5% of GDP to defense infrastructure?
A landmark agreement was reached at the NATO summit in The Hague in June. Member states pledged to spend a total of 5% of their GDP on defense by 2035, with 3.5% going to traditional military spending and 1.5% to defense-related areas. These...

PM Orbán: Future belongs to central Europe as region was protected from migration
Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said the "future belongs to central Europe" as the region was protected from migration. Speaking at the 34th Balvanyos Summer Free University and Student Camp in Baile Tusnad (Tusnadfurdo), in Romania, on Saturday, PM...

Romania’s Softronic to deliver locomotives to RS Lease Slovakia
Romanian locomotive manufacturer Softronic Craiova has signed a contract with RS Lease Slovakia for the delivery of two Transmontana locomotives, which will be produced in the Craiova plant and delivered in the first half of 2026. The six-axle...

“Extremely rare” bronze armor from Czechia turns out to be a Trojan War era artifact
In the hills near Brno, Czech Republic, a bent piece of metal turned out to be a remarkable archaeological find. What first looked like debris — a curled sheet among other buried bronze fragments — is actually part of a 3,200-year-old warrior’s...

Rainy summer continues in Czechia, tropical weather still elusive
Central Europe, including Czechia, is experiencing unusually cold and rainy weather this summer, thanks to a high pressure area that has settled over northern Scandinavia. July temperatures in the country are even lower than currently reported...

Polling Shows Central Europeans Remain Skeptical of China
The countries of the Visegrad Four (V4) – Czechia, Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia – have had divergent trajectories in their relations with Beijing over the past decade. In Czechia, the honeymoon period of relations under the leadership of Czech...

Travel: Bratislava, the quiet charmer of Central Europe
On an early summer morning, Bratislava is still grey but not gloomy. Clusters of clouds are scattered across a pale sky. The sun is a hint behind them, throwing a halo around its immediate vicinity. A burst of overnight rain has washed everything...

Cooler Weather and Rain Expected Across Czech Republic This Week
A shift in weather is bringing clouds, rain, and cooler air to much of the country, with conditions set to continue through the weekend. The Czech Hydrometeorological Institute (ČHMÚ) has forecast a noticeable drop in temperatures and a higher...

Bronze Age armor tied to Troy found in Czechia
Archaeologists analyzing bronze fragments unearthed near Brno, the Czech Republic’s second-largest city, have uncovered a remarkable piece of history. According to Live Science, the fragments, dating back 3,200 years, are remnants of a warrior’s...

Author’s Reading Month opens in Lviv, marking 10th anniversary of Central Europe’s major cross-border literary festival
On 23 July, the largest cross-border literary festival in Central Europe – the Month of Author Readings (MAR) in Lviv – kicked off. The festival organisers announced this on their Facebook page. The tenth anniversary MAR was opened with a meeting...

Szeged Botanical Garden Hosts Central Europe’s Largest Blooming Lotus Event
This weekend, Szeged’s Botanical Garden becomes a vibrant hub of colour, fragrance, and culture as it hosts the annual Lotus Days festival. The event is centred around the blooming of Central Europe’s largest colony of Indian lotus (Nelumbo...

Szijjarto accuses Kiev of undermining Central Europe's energy security
UN, July 24. /TASS/. Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto has criticized Ukraine's actions, saying that blocking gas transit through its territory threatened the region's energy security. "The TurkStream pipeline is...

News digest: On Sunday, Petržalka’s long-awaited tram dream became reality
Good evening. Here is the Monday, July 28 edition of Today in Slovakia - the main news of the day in a few minutes. Petržalka celebrates launch of full tram line after years of waiting Article continues after video advertisement Article continues...

Austrian Roots, Oregon Soul: The Story of Grüner Veltliner in America
At Oregon’s GrünerFest, visitors swirl glasses of a white wine many have never heard of: Grüner Veltliner (grooh-ner VELT-leehn-er). For most, it’s their first encounter with this Austrian-born variety — flinty, peppery, and full of surprises....

Burlington couple wins week-long European cruise through Flight Centre
Rick and Yvonne Naciuk will be visiting The Netherlands, Germany, France and Switzerland as part of their river cruise Local couple Rick and Yvonne Naciuk left for Amsterdam, The Netherlands on Sunday, July 27 after winning a once-in-a-lifetime...

Czech rail company plans night train service between Belgium and Bratislava
Czech railway company Leo Express has submitted an application to run a 19 hour train service from Belgium to Slovakia from December 2026, reports Belga. The night train would depart from Ostend and stop in Bruges, Ghent, Brussels, Leuven and...

Orban Hails Hungary’s Ban on Pro-Palestinian Rappers Kneecap
Kneecap fans at the Glastonbury Festival in Britain, June 2025. Photo: EPA/ANDY RAIN Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban on Friday became the latest politician to wade into the controversy swirling around the pro-Palestinian stance of Northern...

Beijing’s blogger diplomacy: China turns to influencers to sway Czech views
The targeted media strategy of the Chinese government in Central Europe, including Czechia, dates back to 2013 when state-funded news outlet CRI launched its Czech-language service, first out of the V4 countries. This was soon followed by social...

Goulash: Kremlin Intel Ops Fuel Hungary–Ukraine Feud; Trump Invites Fico to Sign $15B Deal
Greetings from the (slightly cooler) Polish Tatra Mountains — a welcome shelter from Central Europe’s heatwave. This is our last Goulash newsletter before the summer break, so we’re wrapping up the season with a pot full of scoops. In this issue:...