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Students protest against the recently passed Patriotism Act

Sme -Tomáš Benedikovič
Feature Photo Students protest against the recently passed Patriotism Act in front of the Presidential Palace in Bratislava. Their sign is a play on the Slovak word for patriotism (vlastenectvo); instead it calls for an end to drunkenness (chlastanie), of which Slovak National Party leader Ján Slota, who drafted the law, has sometimes been accused. 15 Mar 2010 More Feature Photos
Mail can bring June votes from abroad Slovak ex-pats must register before April 23 THE NUMEROUS communities of Slovaks living outside the borders of their motherland could influence the outcome of the parliamentary elections in June. Most of them, however, have given up their chance to vote because they thought the voting procedure was too complicated and time-consuming. In response, organisations of Slovaks living in foreign countries have started a campaign to raise awareness about the possibilities for these citizens to make a contribution to political life ‘back home’ by voting in the 2010 parliamentary elections. 17 Mar 2010 Michaela Stanková The Slovak Spectator More from Politics & Society
Interblue reloaded New owner appears, insisting contract is still valid THE SOAP OPERA that is Interblue Group, and the saga of its purchase of Slovakia’s excess carbon dioxide emissions quotas, continues to run. In the story so far the obscure US-based firm which bought Slovakia’s quotas at a bargain-basement price in 2008 – and at the same time locked Slovakia into a disadvantageous option on future sales – late last year apparently morphed into a Swiss company. During discussions to determine whether the Swiss company really was the legal successor to its US-based predecessor its authorised representative resigned after suffering what she claims was a concussion during an encounter with a Slovak TV crew in January. Interblue’s subsequent silence led Slovakia’s Environment Ministry to announce that it considered the deal with Interblue Group dead. Now, less than a week after that announcement, a new owner has emerged from the murk to insist that the deal is alive and might even progress. 15 Mar 2010 Beata Balogová The Slovak Spectator More from Business
Highway PPP projects go on, despite complications Economic crisis presents new hurdles for project financing SLOVAKIA is placing a lot of hope in its public-private partnership (PPP) projects to build highways. Not only are these intended finally to link the east and west of the country with an unbroken multi-lane highway and hence bring new business opportunities eastwards, but they should also provide orders for construction companies, thus helping to keep them afloat and their workers employed. However, the economic crisis has slowed down and complicated the whole process. 15 Mar 2010 Jana Liptáková The Slovak Spectator More from Other
Of camel drivers and satanists EDITORIAL “ARE WE some camel drivers or what?” asked Ján Slota, the head of the Slovak National Party (SNS), after Prime Minister Robert Fico asked the Slovak president to sever the political head of another SNS minister – after the country’s supreme auditing authority confirmed that the scandalous bulletin-board tender at this SNS-controlled ministry and its subsequent contract with firms said to be close to Slota was legally flawed. Why “camel drivers”? After a certain time, people exposed to Slota’s verbal utterances no longer seek any meaning behind the flock-of-words that spring from his vocal cords. 15 Mar 2010 Beata Balogová The Slovak Spectator More from Opinion
SITA
Kawasakiho růže Slovak word of the week THE LAST time a Slovak film won an Oscar was in 1965. Where Slovaks usually have a little more luck are the Czech Lion awards, since many Czech filmmakers cast Slovak actors. 15 Mar 2010 Lukáš Fila The Slovak Spectator More from Opinion
Spring skiing is in the air SKI WINDOW EVEN though we are half-way through March, winter is still reigning in the mountains and it does not seem to want to wave an early goodbye. Skiing is ideal. The thickness of the snow base has now reached its deepest, the ski resorts have reduced prices, and there are now only half the skiers on the slopes compared with the high season. 15 Mar 2010 By Roman Millan, www.lanovky.sk The Slovak Spectator More from Culture & Society
Blue Family, Courtesy of KZP
Countrywide Events Music, Theatre, Exhibition... Western SLOVAKIA 15 Mar 2010 Zuzana Vilikovská The Slovak Spectator More from Culture & Society
TASR
Facing the challenges of change HR managers and firms deal with tight budgets and new issues Locked Companies forced onto a strict financial diet by the global downturn have trimmed down their human resources budgets – putting immense pressure on the HR industry, where now only the strongest and most adaptable firms are prepared to move forward. Both clients and HR consultancies and personnel search firms have had to reach back to the fundamentals of the field but they have also needed to fully deploy their skills in innovation and creativity to respond to the new challenges of the labour market. 22 Feb 2010 Beata Balogová Career Guide More from Career and HR
Efficiency and Cost Optimisation - The process of optimisation Advertorial In this column we continue with the Process of Optimisation, as a follow-up to the last column on Principles of Optimisation 15 Mar 2010 More from Finances and Advisory
The Slovak National Theatre – PROGRAMME Advertisement A complete list of performances by the Slovak National Theatre from March 15 - April 11, 2010 at both the new building – its Hall of Opera and Ballet, its Hall of Drama, and its Studio as well as at the SND’s historical building is available. 16 Mar 2010 More from Culture & Society
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Quote of the Week
"These people must be some kind of satanists."

Taking a break from criticising the prime minister's attempts to sack the SNS-nominated construction minister, Slovak National Party (SNS) boss Ján Slota lambasts opponents of his party's recently passed Patriotism Act.