Archive of articles - September 1996, page 3

Celebrating the harvest in Slovak wine country

Stretching from Bratislava's Vinohrady district to Smolenice, 50 km away, the slender belt of vineyards lacing the eastern slopes of the Lesser Carpathians constitutes Slovakia's premier wine-producing region. Halfway along the "wine trail" - the main road which skirts along the foot of the hills - lies Modra, the "Pearl of the Carpathians" and the center of Slovak viticulture. The vines were brought here in Roman times, and their produce has long been exported. In 982 King Svätopluk, ruler of the Greater Moravian empire, sent a cask of Carpathian wine to the Czech prince Booivoj, whose chroniclers wrote that it was "a gift unheard of and unseen in this land; when the princess, prince and their guests sampled it, they all marvelled at its taste."

NBS manages economy well

Pittner protests having to appear before Parliament committee

Police say car bomb likely killed Remiáš

Bratislava Pizza places

Rigorous process to gain a loan from banks

Your company has a capital crunch. The logical solution is to borrow money from the bank, though modern economics virtually revolves around what the interest rates are. But gaining a loan in Slovakia is not that easy Small and medium size Slovak businesses have a difficult time finding capital. If the company is small enough, an entrepreneur can use his personal savings or those of family and friends for financing, but these sources are very limited. For most businesses, the only option is a bank. To obtain credit from a bank, a small and medium size enterprise (SME) must survive a rigorous selection process. Before applying for the loan the company should prepare a detailed business plan.

SND actors call for Hudec to resign

While there's no business like show business, members of Slovakia's artistic community meant business when they called on Culture Minister Ivan Hudec to resign in a heavily-attended protest rally at Bratislava's Charlie Centrum cinema on September 5. The actors, film directors, writers and painters were responding to Hudec's June 28 letter to Peter Mikulík, the director of the drama ensemble at the Slovak National Theater (SND), asking him to surrender his position to long-time SND actor Ľubomír Paulovič. The move was the latest in the Culture Ministry's "restructuring" of Slovak theaters, museums and other cultural institutions that depend on the state for funding. According to a cultural law that took effect last January 1, Hudec's ministry alone is responsible for making both administrative and artistic decisions in the country's cultural institutions.

Bratislava's volunteer opportunities are increasing

For many, there is no better way to feel a part of a community than to volunteer in it. But if you don't speak much Slovak, it can be hard to help out, or even to know where to offer. According to a Focus Agency survey on the nonprofit sector, 68,000 people in Slovakia say they volunteer regularly. However, most also say they find their volunteer opportunities through personal contacts -- not an easy thing for expats - and few organizations in Slovakia actively search for free help or organize activities to draw people in. Over 90 percent of all Slovak NGOs have no paid staff, however, so most would be happy to have help. It's just a matter of finding the place for you. A good place to start looking is at the Slovak Academic Information Agency (SAIA), which is also the home of the Service Center for the Third Sector. Along with academic information, the library has the 1995 directory of nonprofit organizations in Slovakia.

Off to be Yeltsin's spokesman

Russia's dapper ambassador to Slovakia, Sergei Yastrzhemski, is leaving his post at the end of September to become President Boris Yeltsin's spokesman, the Russian Embassy in Bratislava announced. At the end of his three-year stint in Bratislava, which both Slovak and Russian officials called "extremely successful," Yastrzhemski became the second diplomat departing independent Slovakia to be awarded the Order of the White Double Cross, an honor given to foreign citizens in recognition of their extraordinary contributions to Slovakia's development. The first was the former French ambassador posted in Bratislava, Michel Perrin.

Havel: Czechs "must reproach their Slovak colleagues"

Bilateral talks at CEFTA summit

This year's Central Europe Free Trade Agreement (CEFTA) summit at the central Slovak resort of Jasná in the picturesque Low Tatra mountains on September 13-14 was picked with a goal in mind: Get the group business out of the way and let the Premiers get down to productive bilateral talks. Slovakia, the chair country this year, can call the shots. According to one official involved in arranging the conference, Prime Minister Vladimír Mečiar wanted more face-to-face meetings with his counterparts than was allowed last year in the Czech town of Brno. "It's the Prime Minister's intent to enhance cooperation among CEFTA countries," said Peter Lukáč, director of the EU integration department at the Ministry of Economy. "Mečiar wants to strengthen practical relations."

Central European stock markets may follow Asian model

The Spotlight

Steel giant requests from NBS to own more IRB shares

VSŽ, the east Slovak giant iron and steel works, wants to be the majority owner of the Bank for Investment and Development (IRB) whether or not privatization of the four main financial institutions follows a real time-line or not. It currently has a 14.7 percent share. Privatization of the big banks, VÚB, Slovenská Sporiťelná, and IRB plus the insurance company Slovenska Postiovňa has not followed the course set by Prime Minister Vladamír Mečiar in January. Mečiar said that the privatization of the four would be completed by the end of February of this year. Time passed and privatization did not happen. In June the party of the democratic left (SDĽ) submitted an amendment to the Law on Strategic Companies to exclude the four financial institutions from the process of privatization until March 1997. This was agreed to by (Slovak insurnace company).

Old Town sets commercial space prices

Funeral held for slain skinhead

"Slovakia's peculiarity lies in just one personality"

In an exclusive interview, The Slovak Spectator sat down with the President of the Slovak Republic, Michal Kováč, last month after his return from attending the Summer Olympics in Atlanta and his vacation in the USA. The following are excerpts from that interview.TSS: Why do you think Prime Minister Vladimír Mečiar does not like you?Kováč:Because our opinions on the democratic nature of governance, the nature of governance as a whole, are too different. Our opinions also differ on the question of ethics in politics, and on issues of diplomacy and political practice in general.

The most for your money at Tirolská Izba

This restaurant has to have the best grilled dishes we have ever tasted. While that is not all the Tirolská Izba (Tyrolean Room) has to offer, grilled meats are definitely a highlight. Not far from the center, and well located for a nice Saturday lunch after shopping in the Trhovisko central, the restaurant seats 32 indoors and an additional 32 on a sidewalk terrace and fills quite fast - so get there early or make reservations. The owners have put a lot of thought and care to offer diners something out of the ordinary.There are a few appetizers offered, including a cheese plate with herb butter (49 Sk) and six snails cooked in herb butter and garlic (89 Sk), Paul's favorite. Three soups are served (19-50 Sk) - Madeline particularly enjoyed the Tirolská cibuľačka (Tyrolean onion soup - 19 Sk), a rich broth loaded with onions and croutons.

Community Grapevine