Archive of articles - March 1999

Slovak National Party nominates Slota for presidential post

Steel maker VSŽ says U.S. Steel interested in stake

Ministry looks for buyers for its three Russian TU-154M airplanes

1998 GDP results spread gloom

Official figures released on March 19 showed that the annual growth of the Slovak economy slowed to barely 0.5% in the fourth quarter of 1998. The news, which arrived as parliament prepared to debate the 1999 state budget draft, sent market analysts and government strategists back to their drawing boards to script an even more sombre picture of this year's GDP performance."It was quite surprising for everybody on the markets," said Ivan Chodák, an analyst with CA IB Securities. The fourth quarter result lowered the 1998 full-year GDP from the expected 5% to 4.4%, Chodák said, confounding the predictions of "the OECD, the IMF, the World Bank, domestic analysts - nearly everybody."Few could have been more surprised - or dismayed - than the government, whose official target for GDP growth in 1999, as stated in the budget draft, is 3 to 4%.

EBRD wants Slovakia to buy back Slovnaft stake

Judges furious over 1999 salary freeze

The Slovak judiciary has expressed dismay at a measure approved in parliament in the small hours of March 23 which freezes the wages of the nation's judges, prosecutors, police and secret service agents.Arguing that the wages of judges are set by law and not by politicians, Supreme Court Chief Justice Štefan Harabin and Association of Slovak Judges (ZSS) President Pavol Roharik said the measure threatened the independence of judges and violated the law.Harabin, in a March 24 interview with the daily Práca, said that he felt the decision hurt the independence of the Supreme Court.

Careless journalism or intent to mislead? Jozef Majský gets burned

People who talk to the print media take a risk - what they say may be misquoted, suppressed or teased into a completely different meaning than the speaker intended. If reporters and editors act responsibly, this risk is generally small. But when journalists ignore professional standards, their respondents are the ones who pay the highest price.Sipox owner Jozef Majský gave an interview to The Slovak Spectator on March 9. On March 18, he was surprised and angry to find parts of this interview - parts that he did not remember having uttered - printed on page 5 of the daily Slovenská Republika. He said he had been beseiged by telephone calls since the publication of the Republika article, and angrily accused the Spectator of having put words into his mouth. He clearly felt he had been made out to be a political puppet master who was single-handedly responsible for the government's election victory last fall.The problem, however, lay not so much in the Spectator's original transcript as in the cavalier way in which Slovenská Republika had reprinted the interview.

Bratislava-bound MiG jets intercepted Slovak authorities know nothing about fighters

A Russian cargo plane, allegedly en route to Slovakia, has been detained for several days in Baku, Azerbaijan and could be confiscated by the Azerbaijani government along with its cargo, the Russian RTR broadcasting company reported on March 23.According to reports by the French news agency, AFP, local Azerbaijani authorities detained a Russian 124-100 Ruslan freight plane with six MiG-21 fighter jets on board. The plane took off from the Kazakh city of Taldy-Kurgan and made a stop in Baku to refuel on March 18.

Slovak 1998 gross foreign debt totalled $11.8 billion

SDK deputies debate return to three party bloc

Amid calls by their party chairman to re-establish a right-wing government coalition, eight members of the Christian Democratic Movement (KDH) have dropped their membership in the government's leading party, the Slovak Democratic Coalition (SDK), in an apparent bid to strengthen the political right-wing before the next parliamentary elections.The recent moves, KDH members said, would not immediately lead to the re-establishment of the 'Blue Coalition,' which was active in 1996 and 1997 and comprised three parties - the KDH, the Democratic Party (DS) and the Democratic Union (DU). However, they predicted that the Blue Coalition would likely be resurrected in time for the 2002 parliamentary elections.

February jobless rate rises to 16.5%

Culture Shock: Honking, dangerous drivers fill Bratislava roadways

As a first generation Canadian of Slovak heritage, I have lived in Slovakia for the past two years. During this time, I have noticed that the driving etiquette in this country is a bit different than the laid-back approach of my hometown in London, Ontario. Simply put, some Slovak drivers - or at least those who infest the streets of Bratislava - are intolerant and aggressive to a dangerous extreme. Since I started driving here, I've been honked at, cut off and passed dangerously more times than I can remember.Driving in Bratislava is a nerve-wracking experience that cannot easily be summarised. Here's an example of what to expect: A few months ago, I was driving down Vajnorská Street when a driver with a Bratislava license plate flashed past me and then cut me off sharply before pulling up at an intersection. The driver then proceeded to honk at me, I suppose for observing the speed limit and not taking foolish liberties with other people's safety.

Slovakia to borrow 6.7 billion crowns for highway construction

The budget - what was said

"We are doing our utmost to return as much stolen property as possible to our common coffers, and we will fight customs and tax evasion."-Prime Minister Mikuláš Dzurinda

Slovakia sees Jan.-Feb. trade deficit of 7.03 billion crowns

ST OnLine Start protest put on hold

A protest launched by private Internet providers against state telecom provider Slovenské Telekomunikácie (ST) has been called off - for the time being. Both the providers and the ministry itself warn that the protest will resume if ST does not strictly adhere to the terms of a settlement reached over a week ago.ST, the Association of Internet Providers (API), Telecom Ministry representatives and the anti-monopoly office met on March 17 in an attempt to hash out a satisfactory settlement for all sides involved in the dispute over ST's Internet service "OnLine Start," which had been launched on February 1.

In Nitra, illustrious history blends with modern bustle

On Castle Hill in Nitra, the higher you walk, the further you travel back in time. Passing upwards through the archway from Župné námestie, a heroic bronze statue of Pribina welcomes you to a sloping granite square flanked with seminary and church buildings. Higher up still, the Upper Gothic Cathedral, built in 1333, hides stunning frescoes and an ornate choir loft.The Slovak nation first sunk its roots here in the late 7th century, when small Slavic tribes began to join together. Today, Nitra has grown into Slovakia's fourth-largest city, bustling day and night with students, factory workers and businessmen. This city of 90,000 is home to Agricultural and Pedagogical Universities, the Agrocomplex convention center, the Nitra Winery and the Corgoň Brewery, which often scents the night air with simmering hops. Nitra's other big factory employers are tucked away in the suburbs, while the city's cultural life flourishes in the center.

Around Slovakia

"Erotica 99" celebrates sexParliamentary cholesterol checkMiss Slovakia helps STV beat TV MarkízaWall creepers return from castle ruinsExcellent spring ski conditions reported

Bohunice nuclear plant could remain in operation until 2015