Archive of articles - May 1998, page 2

What s Happening in Bratislava

CATRO-Consult - Member of the International Search Group

The increasing globalisation of organizations is one of the biggest changes that directly impacts human resource consultancy. This was a main topic at the International Search Group conference held this past April in Paris.The International Search Group is a consortium of search and selection consultancies each with its own well-established reputation for its outstanding accomplishments in national and international projects. Only one company represents the group in each country. Members of the ISG are located in the following countries: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, India, Italy, Norway, Poland, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, and Switzerland. The group is much more than an international association for referring work. Each member is required to manage the assignments that refer to other members.

Political loyalties divide two top radio stations

Monika Beňová, Director of Bratislava's Rádio Koliba, threw a party on April 1 to celebrate her station's one year anniversary, inviting over 300 guests. Many showed up, but Radio Twist Director Andy Hryc was not among them. "Ever since we started broadcasting, he has been so unfriendly," said Beňová. "Maybe it's because I'm a woman."Since Koliba's entry on the market, Beňová and Hryc have been locking horns over the question of political manipulation. Hryc and others in the media business have alleged that Koliba was founded as part of a Slovak government campaign against Twist. Beňová has insisted that Koliba has no political affiliations, and has dismissed Hryc's charges as sour grapes over Twist's loss of market position to her station.

Nafta records 1Q98 200.3m Sk net profit

Go Slovak! Traditional fare makes a dynamite night out

It's one thing to try Slovakia's national dish, bryndzové halušky - tiny potato dumplings covered with sheep cheese and bacon fat - in a pseudo-Slovak restaurant for tourists, and quite a different experience to dine surrounded by traditional wooden decor, blaring gypsy music and a never-ending flow of wine. Here are five restaurants that try to bring Slovak culinary tradition into the present day: some succeed, while others fail.

Slovakia's repudiation of loan leads to arbitration

Slovakia's repudiation of a 15.5 billion Sk ($400 million) communist-era debt to a large Czech bank forced the Czech Finance Ministry on April 14 to announce a guarantee for 90% of the defaulted loan. The move allowed the Czech government to continue with its planned privatization of the bank, and removed pressure on the bank's management to recover the debt. The disputed sum is currently under scrutiny at an international arbitration court in Washington, D.C.Representatives of Československá Obchodní Banka (ČSOB) claim that if Slovakia loses its case in Washington, it will end up paying billions of crowns in accrued interest. The Slovak Finance Ministry refuses to comment on the matter altogether, reasoning that the dispute is before the court and that the Slovak cabinet is currently assessing its chances of victory.

Crown holds stable as ministry accepts high security yields

The Slovak crown continued its remarkably strong and stable performance over the past two weeks, appreciating gradually to 1% on the weaker side of the plus/minus 7% fluctuation band. In the week ending May 8, the crown tested that level several times, breaking through for the first time in 1998 on May 7 when it closed at 0.8% below the currency basket parity.The gradual strenghtening was fuelled mainly by local corporate demand, resulting from the drawing of new foreign currency loans and partially from the increase in foreign interest and participation in auctions of state bonds and T-bills, which offer high yields.

Slovakia flunks press freedom tests

Slovakia's democratic self-esteem suffered another blow on International Press Freedom Day, when two international organizations which monitor press freedoms rated Slovakia as "partially free." The evaluation places Slovakia in the company of Albania, Russia and Zambia, and provoked some sour-faced reactions from both the Slovak government and independent media representatives.On May 1, a French organization called Rapporteurs Sans Frontiéres (Reporters Without Borders) criticized Premier Vladimír Mečiar's cabinet for canceling regular press conferences, as well as the fact that independent media often face difficulties in getting access to official information.

Letter to the Editor: Rock the vote campaign wants to avoid confrontation

Government must begin to take attacks on journalists seriously

The Slovak government has spent the month of May refuting the claims of two international press groups that the country's media are only "partly free." Slovakia's clean-cut image, the government claimed, was being tousled by irresponsible and misinformed foreign hypocrites.But the government's defiant tune has been marred by repeated false notes. Attacks on Slovak journalists have continued unabated since the May 1 verdicts (see related stories, page 3), and have belied the government's claims that press criticisms are missing their mark.Freedom House and Reporters Without Borders, the authors of the damning reports, had one principal point to make about the Slovak media. In a country ruled by an authoritarian leader, they said, restrictions, threats and hostility aimed at journalists create an atmosphere that was all the more restrictive, threatening and hostile for reporters to work in.

Journalist beaten in Košice

Arpád Soltész, a 28-year old reporter with a local daily newspaper Korzár, was beaten while using the men's room at the Caligula restaurant in Košice on May 9."I was just in the toilet when some man approached me from behind and hit me in the face," said Soltész to the Slovak daily paper Pravda, adding that after he fell to the floor, the assailant kicked him several times in the head and then escaped.Soltézs said he believed that the unknown brawler was undoubtely a professional, and that the attack must be somehow connected with his work. "I don't owe money to anyone and I didn't steal anyone's girlfriend," Soltész explained.

Small multi-purpose complex mired in financial bog

Bratislava City Hall and the East-West Capital Corporation (EWCC) have finally signed a deal that decides the fate of Stará tržnica, the old market hall situated in the heart of the city on Slovak National Uprising square. The agreement binds City Hall to pay 26.4 million Sk ($800,000) to EWCC, and requires EWCC to finish the renovation in nine months.Back in 1992, City Hall leased Stará tržnica to EWCC for ten years on the condition that EWCC would reconstruct the building and turn it into an indoor market. But EWCC ran into financial problems and could not keep the deadline for the completion of the renovation project, which had originally been February 1995.

Whirlpool scores big points with suppliers, employees

Over the past five years, the only Whirlpool plant in the former eastern bloc, the Poprad based Whirlpool Slovakia, has swirled to the top of the Slovak appliance market by pooling domestic suppliers and bathing its employees in care. On May 14, the plant welcomed company big shots from around the world to celebrate its fifth birthday and show off its squeaky clean record.At a press conference, Whirlpool's top management declared that the key to their success in this part of Europe has been their ability to establish a sturdy base of local partners and suppliers. "We have gone from only 7% of our supplies being locally supplied in 1994 to 59% today, which I think is quite a remarkable achievement," said Jeff Fettig, President of Whirlpool Europe, adding that this achievement has not only improved the company's competitiveness, but "has also created jobs in this [Eastern Slovak] community."

Government narrows preference margin, HZDS reclaims lead from slumping SDK

Although Premier Vladimír Mečiar's ruling coalition enjoys only 34.3% of public support compared to 57.4% for the combined opposition, Mečiar's Movement for a Democratic Slovakia (HZDS) has regained its position as the most popular single party, a poll released on May 6 showed.Conducted by the private MVK agency among a representative sample of 1,302 respondents between April 20 and 27, the poll showed that Mečiar's coalition has slightly closed the popularity gap between itself and the opposition, trailing now by only 23.1%. In a similar MVK survey carried out between February 26 and March 3, the ruling coalition parties trailed the combined opposition by a margin of 30%.

All's quiet on the Slovak labor union front

Despite the long tradition of high membership in labor unions in Slovakia, workers are increasingly apathetic to what's happening with the rights and benefits they are entitled to from their employer.Slovakia inherited its labor union tradition from its communist rulers. Unions were the way the country's red-star leaders wanted to show the world their will to care for workers. However, any effort on the part of unions to challenge Soviet-oriented legislation during those years failed. People got used to formal membership in unions, and ceased questioning the true purpose of labour associations. After the 1989 revolution, work legislation changed, but people remained the same and their approach to labor unions stayed indifferent.

Fiscal deficit was 264 million Sk at the end of April

VSŽ to pay 15 Sk gross dividend

Community Grapevine

Letter to the Editor: Ignorance leads to misunderstandings