Slovak News — Which Websites Are Worth Reading

Today you can get news from all sorts of media, but far from all of them are accurate, objective and professional.
We have put together a selection of independent Slovak online media that we recommend following, so that you get reliable information and always know what is going on.

DENNÍK N

One of the largest news sites in Slovakia. It reports honestly on corruption and bureaucracy, problems in healthcare, education and the justice system, and non-transparent public procurement. It also covers human rights, the climate crisis and the war in Ukraine.
The outlet specialises in independent investigative journalism and balanced interviews.
Its standout feature is the section Minúta po Minúte, where the latest news and a round-up of events in Slovakia, Ukraine and the wider world appear almost every two or three minutes.
In the section Slovensko you will find a regularly updated analytical overview of the work of the government and of individual politicians; analysis of high-profile cases; and everything to do with healthcare reform and health, education, the work of other media, elections in Slovakia and judicial reform.
It also publishes articles about life at leading Slovak universities, about property developers in Bratislava, forecasts for the presidential elections, and about cybersecurity and fraud.
For current news about Ukraine, see the section Svet. There is also analysis and articles about presidents and world leaders, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and Iran’s nuclear programme.

In the section Ekonomika the site covers energy prices and the gas crisis, trends in the car industry and on the investment market, changes in banking and insurance, taxes and levies, the state budget and pensions. Other topics include the EU’s future plans, tourism, cryptocurrencies, trade wars, defence procurement, VAT on food, wages, artificial intelligence, start-ups and so on.
Sports fans have their own section, Šport a pohyb, with fresh analysis and news about football, basketball, ice hockey, tennis, alpine skiing and athletics, as well as open championships, European and foreign leagues, travel tips and much more from the world of sport.
The site has a mobile app. Anyone can use it free of charge, but only current subscribers, or readers who buy a subscription directly through the app, can read articles in full. To find out how to become a Denník N subscriber, read here.
You can follow DENNÍK N news on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube.

AKTUALITY.SK

A fast-growing independent Slovak news portal.
Here you will find news from Slovakia, Europe and the wider world on topical subjects: politics, the economy, culture, travel and public life. There is also a weather forecast, horoscopes, TV listings and cooking.
In the section Najnovšie správy you will find the very latest news about events in Slovakia, Ukraine and the world. World news, trends and forecasts also appear in the section Svet.
The REGIÓNY section carries news about life in each region of Slovakia and up-to-date information on regional events. Everything to do with the Bratislava Region, for example, is under the tab Bratislava.
A separate section, Vojna na Ukrajine, is devoted to the situation in Ukraine: the editorial team publishes balanced news about the front line and the occupied regions, EU plans for further support for Ukraine, and comments from world politicians.

The section Šport contains Slovakia’s sports diary as well as sub-sections for individual sports: football, ice hockey, basketball, handball, tennis, MMA, motorsport and cycling, winter sports and so on.
The cooking sections Dobrú Chuť and Recepty offer a constantly updated selection of ideas for tasty breakfasts, hearty lunches and light dinners, plus recipes for snacks, desserts and drinks.
Other sections of the site: the 2023 elections, commentary, health and culture.
The portal also has its own online shop. For example, you can buy a series of books by the Slovak writer Stanislava Harkotová called «Hranica» («The Border»). The first book tells the story of the historical neighbourhood of Ukraine and Slovakia, and the second is a collection of reports from wartime Ukraine, «Ešte sme měsmreli» («We have not died yet»), with real stories of Ukrainians who survived in Mariupol and other occupied Ukrainian regions.

You can also buy T-shirts, pens and mugs with the portal’s logo and other branded items.
By buying Aktuality.sk goods you support professional, independent journalism.
AKTUALITY.SK on social media: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube.

SME.SK

An independent news website. Besides politics, domestic events in Slovakia and economic, foreign, sports and cultural news, it covers areas such as science, health, education, the car industry and the media.
The site is quick to share fresh domestic news, including from the regions of Slovakia and from the capital, Bratislava. The sections Domov and Regióny cover events on the Slovak political stage, social trends, everyday events, causes and conflicts, facts about the government’s work and plans, the activities of large companies, successful people, macroeconomics and finance.

The freshest and most urgent news is gathered in the section SME Minúta. Every few minutes the feed here is updated with new events in Slovakia, Ukraine and the world.
Everything to do with Ukraine and the war is in the section Vojna na Ukrajine.
Daily monitoring of international events, European and world politics and key figures from around the world can be found in the section Svet.

In the section Komentáre SME’s leading commentators assess government decisions every day, repeat the questions that have gone unanswered and look for the missing answers themselves. Opinions from outside experts and analysts are published as well.
News about cinema, music, theatre and art, along with reviews and recommendations – in short, everything to do with culture – is collected in the section Kultúra.
The most important news from the world of science, computers, mobile phones and games appears in the section Tech.
The section Sport carries the latest news and reporting on sport at home and abroad, results tables, commentary and impartial coverage of sporting events.
Other sections of the site: Index, Video, Auto, Žena, Zdravie, Blog.
You can follow SME news on the portal’s Facebook page, on Twitter, Instagram and on YouTube.

ZOZNAM.SK

Another popular Slovak news site, with the added option of searching for a job.
Its main sections: top stories, news, home, world, regions, sport, the economy, lifestyle and interesting facts.
In the section TOP the site publishes the very latest news, while the section Zahraničné covers current events and incidents abroad.
The sections Domáce and Regiony are devoted to politics, society, the economy, education and healthcare in Slovakia and its regions.
Events in Ukraine are covered in the sections Vojna na Ukrajine and Pomoc Ukrajine.

In the section Ekonomika the site publishes up-to-date information on finance, industry, energy, technology and transport, plus calculators for salaries, mortgage payments and loans, inheritance tax and pensions, and current exchange rates.
Sports news appears in the section Šport. Here you will find the latest news from football, tennis, ice hockey, motorsport, combat sports and other disciplines.
As mentioned above, the site also has a section called Kariéra, where filters help you find a job vacancy.

The portal also provides, completely free of charge, an up-to-date and regularly checked online directory of companies, firms and online shops: cars and motorcycles, logistics, travel, tourism, home, garden, office, finance, law, business, offices, culture, media, fashion, textiles, children’s goods, computers and electronics, internet, restaurants, delivery, grocery shops, construction firms, building materials, sport and fitness, education, entertainment, hobbies, health, beauty, doctors, cosmetics and pharmacies.
The portal’s Facebook page – https://www.facebook.com/zoznamsro

For more about life in Slovakia, see our section Bratislava

How to read Slovak news if you do not speak the language yet

This is the main difficulty: almost all news about Slovakia is published in Slovak only. There is no full-scale news outlet covering Slovakia in English or Russian, and there is no point waiting for one. But you can start reading Slovak sources today.

Built-in browser translation. Chrome and Edge translate a whole page in one click. Slovak into English comes out perfectly readable — news writing is simple in structure.
Translation in a mobile app. In Chrome on a phone it works the same way; in other apps, copying the text into a translator does the job.
Start with the Slovak original, not with someone else’s retelling. Retellings in chats and channels often distort the details — especially in news about statuses, payments and rules. It is better to read the original source through a translator.

Public broadcasting: STVR

On 1 July 2024 the public broadcaster RTVS was transformed into STVR (Slovenská televízia a rozhlas). This is the state television and radio: news bulletins, current affairs and reports from the regions.

STVR news is at spravy.stvr.sk. The reform of public broadcasting was politically contentious, and that is worth knowing as you read: some journalists moved to private outlets after the change.

News from the big TV channels

TV Markíza — the most-watched private channel. News: tvnoviny.sk. The presentation is simple and there is plenty of video — handy if the language is still hard going.
TV JOJ — the second big private channel, with news at noviny.sk.

Business and economic publications

If you work, have set up a company or are planning to buy property, these sources are more useful than general news — changes to taxes, payments and rules for entrepreneurs appear there first.

Hospodárske noviny — hnonline.sk. The country’s main business newspaper.
TREND — trend.sk. Economy, business and market analysis.

News from Bratislava and the regions

National outlets rarely write about a closed street, changes to public transport or a new nursery in your neighbourhood. For that there are city sources:

Bratislavské noviny — bratislavskenoviny.sk. City news, transport, building works and events.
The city’s official website — bratislava.sk. The primary source for city hall decisions, parking and municipal services.

News about Slovakia in English

If English suits you better than Slovak, there is The Slovak Spectator — spectator.sme.sk. It writes about Slovakia for foreigners: politics, the economy, daily life, and practical material about paperwork and work.

How to tell a reliable source from disinformation

Slovakia is one of the European countries with a high level of disinformation, and foreign-language audiences are caught by it especially often: the texts arrive already translated and look convincing. A few simple rules:

Check whether the outlet has an editorial team. Serious publications name their editor-in-chief, editorial staff and legal entity. Fake pages usually do not.
Look for the primary source. If a news item concerns payments, statuses or documents, it has to be on a ministry or police website. If it is not there, it is almost certainly a rumour.
Be sceptical of emotion. Headlines that frighten you or demand that you act immediately are usually manipulative.
Cross-check against two sources. If only one website you have never heard of is reporting something, wait.

Be especially careful with messages about “new rules for Ukrainians” from chats and Telegram channels. Always check the current conditions of your status on official websites or in our own articles, where we give the source and the date.