Archive of articles - July 1996, page 2

Bratislava hopes pedestrianized SNP square will compare to London, Prague

The chatter of children and the calls of street vendors are among the sounds of summer on Bratislava's Námestie SNP. And this year, the roar of jackhammers has been added to the cacophony. At the top of Bratislava's central square, Partizánske Obuv shoe store is getting a makeover, while at the bottom rival Baťa is giving its future home a whole new look. In between, a new multi-functional building is being constructed and next door, the old Dunaj department store is being reconstructed. Nowhere is the capital city's physical transformation more evident than in its bustling heart, the square named in honor of the heroes of the Slovak National Uprising. The moniker pays homage to the partisans who battled the fascists in the hills of central Slovakia, but "uprising" could just as well describe the real estate renaissance occurring downtown.

FRIN only producer of road barriers

Bratislava Slovak Cuisine

Czech Parliament OKs minority government

Citizen crusades against Kováč

Go jump off a cliff - or climb one

On any given day in this bizarre summer, the weather may or may not be warm, but either way, it is midsummer. Which means there just isn't that much time left to go out and play. There is, however, plenty of action-packed things to do. How about paragliding over Slovakia's forests? Crashing down the Váh on a raft? Or sailing off of a 2,000-meter peak in a two-seater plane? With prices for custom-made adventures low in Slovakia, this might be the time to take the plunge. Most adventure sport agencies have a specialty and can help you figure out what you want to do. For example, Rosi Fun Sport, a sailboard and snowboard shop in Bratislava, organizes paragliding lessons at Donovaly, one of the ski resorts in the Low Tatras.

Tax office struggles to collect VAT

Recent reports from the Ministry of Finance indicate that the government's estimates for collecting this year's value-added tax (VAT) are off the mark. Combine that partly with unchecked tax evasion, and the prognosis is that the state budget may come up 11 billion Sk short. That would be a big turnaround from last year, when the government found itself sitting atop 5 billion Sk more in VAT revenue than planned. Riding on 1995's surprise success - mostly attributed to a new law mandating that all businesses use cash registers - the government budgeted itself for a 55.7 billion Sk in VAT take for 1996, an increase of 12.5 billion Sk.

Spicy soups lure at the back-ally Red Dragon

Červený Drak ("Red Dragon") is a small, Chinese restaurant seating 30 guests. There is also a private room seating 25. The menu features 99 different dishes which include fish and seafood and the usual meat dishes found at typical Chinese restaurants. Service here is friendly, and the atmosphere is quiet. Low lighting gives this establishment an ambience of intimacy. The décor is traditional Chinese restaurant style, with hanging lanterns. Tables are nicely separated with tall Chinese screens. The most expensive item on the menu is 186 Sk, the krabie klepetá na prírodný spôsob (crab claws au natural). The least expensive meal is a combination of rice, egg, peanuts and ham (33 Sk). However, most dishes range from 90 to 110 Sk, and our meals were 200 Sk including non-alcoholic beverages, an appetizer, main course and rice.

SlovTel wins GSM license

The French-Slovak concern SlovTel won the international tender for one of the two licenses to provide digital mobile radio-telephone services using the GSM (Groupe Speciale Mobile) network in Slovakia. The second license is almost certain to go to a joint stock company formed by the owners of EuroTel Bratislava. The result of the tender, announced last February, was disclosed by the Ministry of Transport, Post and Telecommunications (MDPT) on July 24. Thirty-five percent of SlovTel is held by a subsidiary of the French telecom company France Telecom Mobiles International. The biggest Slovak shareholder is Hanco of Bratislava. Other shareholders are Slovenský plynarensky priemysel (Slovak Gas Company), Slovenské elektrárne (Slovak Electricity Company) and the three regional electricity suppliers.

Budapest says Slovakia overreacted to declaration

Mečiar says secret service tried to kill him

EU DISSATISFIED WITH POLISH TRADE REFORM

Kováč signs territorial division bill into law

President pardons two of son's partners

City and Mosny tangle over reconstruction of Stará Tržnica

Of all the renovation projects on Námestie SNP, the one with the greatest potential to change the face of the square - Stará Tržnica, the decaying Old Market hall - is the one where nary a sign of change has been evident in half a decade. Optimism flourished in May 1992 when Bratislava Mayor Peter Kresánek agreed to lease Stará Tržnica to Rudolf Mosny, a Slovak-American entrepreneur whose East-West Capital Corporation had won a competition for the rights to transform the 4,800-square-meter hall into a modern shopping center. Four years later, Mosny has yet to secure the necessary finances, Kresánek has felt the heat of public scrutiny, and the building continues to crumble.

Mečiar: GM wouldn't buy ZTS for 1 Sk

Tesla managers vote for liquidation

Stará Tržnica's fate hangs in the balance

Of all the current renovation projects on Bratislava's Námestie SNP, the one with the greatest potential to change the face of the square - Stará Tržnica, the decaying Old Market hall - is the one where nary a sign of change has been evident in half a decade. Optimism flourished in May 1992 when Mayor Peter Kresánek agreed to lease Stará Tržnica to Rudolf Mosny, a Slovak-American entrepreneur whose East-West Capital Corporation had won a competition for the rights to transform the 4,800-square-meter hall into a modern shopping center. Four years later, Mosny has not been able to start reconstruction work, Kresánek has felt the heat of public scrutiny, and the building continues to crumble.

No, they already have equal rights

The calm July waters on the Slovak political sea were disturbed recently after a report from a conference in Budapest entitled "Hungary and Hungarians Living Abroad" declared that "the basic prerequisite for the preservation of the identity of Hungarians living outside Hungary...is the institution of autonomy." The notion of autonomy in southern Slovakia has also been advocated at several public meetings organized by Hungarian political parties in Slovakia. The word autonomy is of Greek origin and has two meanings according to my dictionary of foreign words: self-government within a greater whole and sovereign independence.