Archive of articles - April 1997, page 3

Big Jay McNeely swaggers into the Monaco Club April 24-25

Lovers of classic hell-raising Rhythm & Blues will not want to miss one of R&B's primeval heroes, Big Jay McNeely, when he blows his tunes out in Hotel Danube's Monaco Club on April 24-25. The virtuoso who's reputed to get more out of a single note than anyone alive will be joined on stage by Martin Valihora - the drummer for Peter Lipa's group, Jiřka Vaňa, the guitarist for Mate 2 Mate, and guests from the Czech Republic's Electric Blues Band.Big Jay is part of a generation of legendary rock and rollers who, like Jerry Lee Lewis, Screamin' Jay Hawkins, James Brown, and others now well into their golden years, established their reputations by outrageous stage antics and relentless, sweat-drenched energy. Big Jay at the height of his headlong career played flat on his back or while bumping and grinding among frantic audiences in packed sizzling nightclubs.

Bratislava's top 20 cafés

Although it can hardly be described as replete with variety, Bratislava's café society has come a long way since a half decade ago. Back then, one was grateful for an open door and a warm cup of coffee, to say nothing of swift service with a smile. Today, the city center has a burgeoning selection of small hot spots, none of which match the great venues of Vienna or Budapest, but several of which will do for any occasion.We based our list of favorites on location, ambience, service, and quality of drink and food.

AssiDomän gets KK Profin

Bratislava's best dance halls

Considering how uninhibited Slovaks are about dancing, it may be a bit surprising that the capital has so few pure dance halls. But then again, as most entries on our list attest to, dancing can break out just about anywhere there is music and some open floor space.

Markíza Gen. Dir. Pavol Rusko: "In the privatization of STV2, Markíza will not get hurt"

When, on March 7, The Slovak Spectator hosted "Spectrum Live," its fourth in the "Debates for Democracy" series, the live audience was scheduled to see the directors of Slovakia's three leading television stations discuss the future of their industry.The evening's structure changed just two days before the event when two of the men who had agreed to participate, STV General Director Igor Kubiš and VTV Managing Director Vladislav Kríž, withdrew from the program.What resulted was a lively, at times fiery, discussion in which TV Markíza General Director Pavol Rusko alone fielded questions from the audience and a panel of journalists, including Marián Leško from the daily Sme, Pavel Hapák from the monthly Stratégie, and Eva Babitzová from the weekly Trend. Anna Vargová from Radio Twist moderated the discussion.

New road act will increase speed limit, outlaw most mobile phones

A new act compiled by the Ministry of Transportation and the Ministry of Interior that took effect on April 1 has upped the speed limit on Slovak roadways and banned the use of most mobile phones while driving. The act increases the maximum speed limit from 50 to 60 kilometers/hour in cities and from 110 to 130 kilometers/hour on highways. The speed limit change sparked contentious discussion among those working on the plan, with Interior Minister Gustav Krajci reportedly strongly against the change.The mayor of one town lying on a highway also is opposed to the speed hikes. "I don't think that it will be good," said Jan Olajec, mayor of Hlinik nad Hronom. "Drivers have never kept the speed limit, and now instead of lowering it, it has been raised. It will be very dangerous." But at least one parliamentarian from the leading coalition party doesn't think speed is the issue. "The reason why accidents happen is not because of the speed limit," said Milan Secansky, a member of the parliament for the Movement for a Democratic Slovakia (HZDS). "It's because drivers do not pay attention to driving."

Cabinet to revitalize cash-poor companies

After seven years of economic transformation, a team of leading government economic officials and bank leaders are set to perform bold surgery on the Slovak economic organism through a corporate revitalization plan that, if successful, will bring new life to dying domestic companies and resuscitate an economy that is gasping for fresh air.Now that the cabinet has given its nod to the proposal, the measure has gone to parliament, where a vote is expected in May after the bill's passage in the committees. Even though the plan was introduced by Finance Minister Sergej Kozlík, it is evidently a product of Peter Staněk, who made this vision public as Prime Minister Vladimír Mečiar's economic advisor two weeks before his appointment to the finance ministry's state secretariat on January 28.

Slovnaft makes '96 dividend payout, but SES won't

The Slovak equity markets were mostly quiet during the last two weeks. The SAX index reached its 1997 high of 207.44 due to small increases in Slovnaft, Slovakofarma and VÚB. However, only the most liquid shares such as VSŽ, VÚB Kupón, Slovnaft, Slovakofarma and Váhostav traded in considerable volumes. VSŽ peaked at a price of Sk737 per share and a few-day correction to prices around Sk700 followed and currently VSŽ again trades at Sk720-730.Several remarkable reports concerning VSŽ popped up recently (see stories on this pg. and pg. 6). VSŽ also openly revealed its quite simple strategy - universal diversification. Alexander Rezeš, VSŽ's vice president and the minister of transportation, stated that the east Slovak steel king would expand to almost all sectors, including agriculture and media. They will not, however, establish their own political party since the HZDS's program is compatible with VSŽ's strategy, Rezeš added. VSŽ may also acquire a stake in the Czech company, Škoda Plzen.

SNS says hardliner Le Pen to visit Slovakia

The far-right Slovak National Party (SNS) on April 1 said it has invited Jean-Marie Le Pen, the leader of its French counterpart the National Front, to visit Bratislava this spring. SNS Chairman Ján Slota said the SNS was trying to arrange talks between Le Pen and government and parliamentary officials. "A date [for the visit] has not yet been set but the visit itself certainly was...We will try to arrange meetings at the (top) level," Slota said. "We would like to discuss the creation of an association, or community, of nationally-oriented [political] parties of Europe,"Slota, whose party is a member of Slovakia's ruling coalition, told Radio Twist. He added that Le Pen was expected to visit sometime near the end of April or early in May.Slota attended the congress of Le Pen's National Front party in Strasbourg over the March 28-29 weekend which was convened to elect party leaders and plot strategy for gaining a foothold in parliament in France's March 1998 general elections.

EC anxious over Slovakia's economy

Tatra Banka succeeds by maintaining private practice

Tatra Banka enjoyed a "milestone year" in 1996, according to the bank's general director, Milan Vrškový. The bank's healthy loan portfolio and 50% increase in assets since 1995 are the results of employee retraining and foreign recruitment programs, as well as a decision to avoid the troubled Slovak public sector.While some Slovak banks are in shaky financial shape, Tatra Banka has been able to stay healthy. Vrškový claims that the bank is the fourth biggest in Slovakia, behind VÚB, IRB and Slovenská Sporiteľňa a.s., despite having been established in 1990. "We started as a real private bank," recalled the director, "on a green field, as it were." The 'green field' to which Vrškový referred to was the untrodden frontier of modern banking technology at the start of their enterprise.

Going for a stroll? Follow the rules!

Walking is an integral part of life in central Europe. Everybody walks. The young, the old, the healthy, and the infirm. It's enjoyable and it's good for the body and soul. But there are rules. Strict rules. Rules that apply on the tidy streets of Ljubljana, the ragged avenues of Bucharest, the precious cobblestones of Prague, and the friendly streets of Bratislava.The rules of the central European sidewalk, like the subtle rules of language, take a lifetime to master. For the native, the rules are assimilated during childhood and honed throughout adulthood. The decision to step left or right to avoid a pile-up is made without conscious effort. For the non-native, however, walking blindfolded through Grand Central Station in New York City at 5 pm on a Friday is easier than trying to pass a lone pedestrian on a Bratislava sidewalk.

Czech-Slovak diplomacy suddenly turns frosty

The Slovak government has indicated that the race to enter European defense structures may not be entirely fair play - either with close neighbors or especially between them. The government's press office released an obscure statement on April 2, indicating that it may try to hamper the Czech Republic's planned accession into the joint American-European military alliance NATO.The government's statement read: "The government of the Slovak Republic observes that until the present day, the Czech Republic has not settled relations with the Slovak Republic. It is not negotiating with them, nor is it willing to. One of the conditions for accession into NATO requires settlement of a country's relations with its neighbors. Therefore we deem it necessary to notify the NATO member states that in its relationship with the Slovak Republic, the Czech Republic is not fulfilling this condition."

SES establishes joint-venture in Cuba

Slovak National Gallery brings art to life

With the mere mention of the word "gallery", one tends to imagine wading through scores of senior citizens, passing boring art and overhearing dreary conversation consisting of "profound" observations. Besides, actors performing in a theater or musicians playing a concert are infinitely more animate and easier to relate to than a pale piece of art or an armless and lifeless statue. This conviction is, simply put, not true.The Slovak National Gallery (SNG) is trying to change this way of thinking by hosting a variety of exhibitions, many of which appeal to a younger generation. With the introduction of more contemporary artists, music programs and even a hip new cafe, they hope to attract a new breed of gallery-goers. In the four-story maze of rooms and halls, there are a number of featured exhibits, as well as three permanent exhibits to enjoy; each of which generally progress in reverse time-order as you walk through the gallery.

Pharmaceutical firm profits from venture with German drug producer

In the 50 or so years that pharmaceutical production has existed in Slovakia, several domestic companies' brands have become household names. One of these firms, Biotika a.s. Slovenská Ľupča, in 1992 joined with the German pharmaceutical leader Hoechst in a successful partnership in an industry that analysts see as profitable on the whole and a good investment bet.Hoechst-Biotika spol. sro is a licensed producer of a variety of mostly specialized pharmaceuticals and some over-the-counter drugs, including injection solutions of vitamins, calcium and magnesium, blood vessel medicine, antibiotics, antimycotics (drugs that combat the growth of parasite fungi in the body) and cardiovascular products. Fifty percent of Hoechst-Biotika's production is placed on the Slovak market, 45 percent in the Czech Republic and the remaining 5 percent in neighboring countries.

A spot for any day but the Sabbath

Growing up with Kosher food in Seattle was not my idea of fun. Even the few times I did touch animal meat, I found the food to be bland and tasteless. Chez David allows me return to my childhood but this time with a new fondness for Kosher cooking which I never thought was possible.Delicately breaded falafel which lays on a carefully prepared bed of white pumpkin, seasoned with fennel and dill is difficult to refuse. Or the garlic soup which is smooth as butter, or the salmon steak which is by far the best in Bratislava. What is really nice about this place is the consistent service. The waiters speak English and are quite attentive, the tablecloths are changed after every diner leaves, you won't find an ashtray on the table unless you ask, and the food is outstanding.

LEVOČA: Medieval square is a real gem to see

The carpeted green valleys of the Spiš region of eastern Slovakia blend with the undulating hills in a timeless geological dance. History is everywhere. Here, the massive Spiš castle towers over the valley. There, a 13th century church in Žehra presides over a neighborhood of twisting village streets. In the heart of this landmark-rich country is Levoča, the region's crown jewel.Founded in the first half of the 13th century, Levoča still retains much of its wealthy, cosmopolitan past. Entering the town under the Košicka Gate, stone houses and shops, centuries old and newly restored in shades of soft pastels, line a wide street leading to the main square. There, stately old town facades surround what was once the village green. Beaten oak doors with rusted latches and stone lintels meet the street.

Chemical industry records 3% rise