Slovakia debates school safety and budget amid radicalization concerns

Slovak Education Minister Tomáš Drucker and former minister Ján Horecký have engaged in a debate regarding school safety and the 2027 state budget. Following recent violent incidents in Staškov and Spišská Stará Ves, Drucker emphasized the need for stricter rules, including potential five-year bans for school directors who fail to address bullying and new measures to identify at-risk children. He also noted that security forces have mapped youth radicalization on social media and suggested discussing restrictions on knife sales.

Horecký criticized the government's approach, arguing that school cameras will not prevent attacks and expressing concern over the dissolution of the National Criminal Agency (NAKA), which previously mapped serious criminal threats and extremist bubbles. The two politicians also clashed over the proposed 2027 budget, with Drucker defending allocations for hospitals and emergency services while Horecký questioned the government's spending priorities and the shortage of specialists in the education sector.