The defence ministry "is neither right nor left, it is only about Slovakia's defence capability," its former state secretary says in an interview. That is why he "keeps his fingers crossed for the new leadership of the ministry" and advises them to "listen to the people in the ministry and approach things pragmatically". He also recommends listening to the defence industry, which has "fairly high expectations" given its previous cooperation with the department.

"I do not know a single example from history in which an aggressor would stop only because the victim lost the ability to defend himself," says the vice-chairman of Progressive Slovakia. Although he did not support a move to majority voting on EU foreign policy issues in his former party For the People, he now argues that consensus-based decision-making is becoming a problem for Slovakia. The change was "brought about by life" and the experience of Hungary's repetitive veto, TOMÁŠ VALÁŠEK explains in the podcast.

The more options Ukraine has for its defence, the further the war is from the Slovak borders, says Defence Minister MARTIN SKLENÁR in an interview. According to him, the value that comes to Slovakia in the form of reimbursements, replacement equipment, as well as the overall security of the country, far exceeds the value of the aid that has been transferred from us.

I find it honest to say who we are and what we want. MPs accuse us of promising them sixteen years ago that we would want nothing more than registered partnerships. I was not there sixteen years ago and nobody promised them anything, says lawyer ADÉLA HORÁKOVÁ of Jsme fér movement, which is fighting for the marriage for all proposal that got to the second reading in June.