Slovakia's second-largest city, Kosice, has announced that it would not hold New Year's fireworks as originally planned. The city follows Banska Bystrica, Bratislava, Zilina, Pezinok and many other centres which decided instead to send the saved money to relieve the people affected by a deadly gas blast in an apartment block in another eastern city of Presov in early December. The explosion claimed the lives of at least seven people, with one person still missing, while another 40 people were injured. The twelve-storey building was heavily damaged by the blast and it was eventually decided that it would be demolished.
Martina Šimkovičová, Photo: TASR
