Archive of articles - August 1999, page 8

Art Spotlight

'The Wonder of the Curve '. Mirabach Palace, Františkánske námestie 11, Tel.: 54 43 15 56. Open daily except 10:00-18:00. Ends September 5.At the beginning of the century, when Bratislava was a provincial city in the northern part of Austria-Hungary empire, its wealthiest households prided themselves on furnishing in the latest "art nouveau" or secessionist style.The fine furnishings and art they used in their homes can be seen in a new exhibition at the Slovak National Gallery, The Wonder of the Curve. In the exhbit, the curators try to both link Slovakia to the larger art nouveau tradition in central Europe and also show more generally what this all-at-once flowery and linear style was all about.

Frustrations rise in jobless regions

Nearly half a million people, officially 17.68% of the workforce, are now unemployed in Slovakia, four percent more than one year ago. Nowhere is the difficulty of this situation clearer than in the southeastern district of Slovakia known as Rimavská Sobota, which posts the nation's highest unemployment rate of 35.41%.The residents themselves call the Rimavská Sobota area "the valley of hunger." In the district, there are four free jobs for the 14,000 jobless, local authorities said. More than 200 university graduates count themselves among the unemployed.

Masár admonishes cabinet in farewell speech

In his last public appearance as National Bank of Slovakia (NBS) Governor, Vladimír Masár told a July 26 press conference that the central bank is prepared to intervene against further strengthening of the Slovak currency if the exchange rate does not match the development of fundamental macroeconomic indicators."If the difference in the development of the currency and the economy becomes significant, I see space for correction of the Slovak crown exchange rate," Masár said.

The Kováč Jr. kidnapping: Justice may never be done

In late July, the weekly magazine Plus 7 Dní carried an interview with a former senior secret service agent named Jaroslav Svěchota, who has admitted to participating in the 1995 kidnapping of the former Slovak president's son, Michal Kováč Jr. In the interview, Svěchota said that the abduction had not been ordered by the secret service, but by former Prime Minister Vladimír Mečiar.

Skinheads beat up diplomat, tourists

A brutal attack by skinheads on three Chinese residents of Bratislava put one of the victims - the First Secretary of the Chinese Embassy - in hospital for a week, and left the police promising to improve the safety of Bratislava's streets.At 21:00 on July 24, according to information provided by Bratislava police headquarters, eight youths "with extremely short hair" attacked three Chinese men on the 219 bus in the Slovak capital. When one of the victims, the Chinese embassy's Shizhong Sun, produced a diplomatic passport and attempted to calm his attackers, he was knocked to the floor of the bus and kicked in the face and body until he lost consciousness.The driver of the bus immediately called for an ambulance and the police, but the attackers fled as soon as the driver stopped the bus on Trnavská Street.

Castle secret to be revealed

Mid-year trade gap at 27.3 billion Sk

IRB shareholders' meeting approves annual report for 1998

US to spend $1 million to modernise Slovak air base

Cabinet suggests Finns should not grant asylum to Romanies

Letter to the Editor: Shocked by violence

Trafigura BV Ltd wins lease contract for Kovohuty Krompachy

New McDonald's in Košice serves 3,000 guests in 10 hours

Letter to the Editor: Public rudeness depressing

Irish Pub shooting victim buried

About 400 mourners filled a memorial hall in Bratislava's Slávičie Údolie district to say good-bye to Tomáš Arnold, a 26-year-old "absolute innocent" murdered in a shooting incident at the Dubliner Irish Pub on July 7.Arnold had been celebrating his graduation from university in the Irish Pub on Sedlárska Street, a popular old-town hang out for Slovaks and ex-pats, when an argument at a nearby table erupted into gunfire. Two brothers involved in the argument were shot, one fatally. The gunman then fired a random bullet into the crowded bar that struck Arnold in the left temple, killing him.

Energy producer SE gets Russian debt contract

At its July 7 session, the Slovak Cabinet approved a draft contract between the Finance Ministry and power producer Slovenské Elektrárne (SE) on the settlement of a portion of the Russian Federation's debt towards Slovakia. The debt will be paid off by imports from Russia of electricity, nuclear fuel and black coal, and the processing of spent nuclear fuel from Slovakia.The contract stipulates that the SE will secure the repayment of a $30 million portion of the Russian debt in the form of power supplies within three years. The nuclear fuel supplies will total $160 million, while the supplies of black coal will knock $120 million off the debt. Export of spent nuclear fuel should setlle $140 million of the debt.

EBRD positive about investing in Slovakia

Slovakia's austerity budget and continued lack of economic transparency have made this year a skittish time for many foreign investors. But fumble as the government may, they appear to have at least one very powerful friend who remains upbeat about lending Slovakia money: the mammoth European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.Slovakia is one of 60 countries, along with the European Investment Bank and European Commission, which hold shares in the EBRD, a bank dedicated to assisting former communist countries in their transition to democratic, market-based societies. As a shareholder, Slovakia is guaranteed some measure of support from the assistance bank. But Alain Pilloux, the EBRD's Business Group Leader for Central Europe, said investing in Slovakia is not only an obligation - it makes good business sense.

Summer flash floods leave trail of destruction

Heavy rains over the July 10-11 weekend sent floodwaters raging through the western Slovak towns of Stupava, Pezinok and Modra. Above, the owner of a grocery store in Stupava rescues a bag of potatoes from his flooded basement. See Around Slovakia for more details.

Piešťany spa directors to focus on attracting more westerners

First mentioned as having healing powers as early as 1551, Piešťany spas have long attracted visitors to their hot thermal springs and sulphurous mud. When Ľudovít Winter built Thermia Palace on the banks of the Váh and Rameno Váhu rivers in 1912, he envisioned the resort as a getaway for those seeking a relaxing weekend or medical treatment for ailments ranging from nervous system disorder to tendon and ligament trouble.Were Winter alive today, he would find his vision a reality. Since the building of Thermia Palace, five other spas have opened on what is now referred to as 'Spa Island' in Piešťany and all of them have traditionally been a popular vacation getaway for foreigners and Slovaks alike. A glimpse at the pages of Thermia Palace's guest book shows visits by celebrities ranging from Czech hockey star Jaromír Jágr and German super model and highway ribbon-cutter Claudia Schiffer to Slovak opera star Peter Dvorský and the infamous Vladimír Mečiar.