Archive of articles - October 1999, page 2

Letter to the Editor: ...And a funeral

Slovak films get exposure at global festivals

In recognition of the tenth anniversary of the Velvet Revolution, the Czech and Slovak embassies in the United States are staging an exhibition to show off the cultural wealth of the former federal partners. One of the biggest events for the Slovak side is a festival of Slovak film which has been shown in Washington and is now making its way to New York.The festival, known as 'Slovak Film Days,' was opened at Washington's National Art Gallery on October 16 by Slovak Ambassador to the US Martin Bútora. It now moves to New York from November 6-7 as part of the joint Czech-Slovak cultural exhibit called 'Ten Years After the Revolution.' The festival is staged at Cantor Cinema at New York University, Tel.: 001 212 423 0555.

Moody's Investors Service raises Slovak rating

Nation divided on virtues of NATO membership

Mečiar says HZDS holding secret talks with ruling parties

Vladimír Mečiar withdrew from public life after losing parliamentary elections in 1998 to the united opposition, and has given few media interviews since waving goodbye to voters on public television on September 29, 1998. Naturally, what few public statements he does make are sifted for meaning by both his supporters and his critics.A recent interview with Mečiar that was published in the October 23 issue of the daily paper Národná Obroda is a case in point. Mečiar spoke mostly of the likelihood of early parliamentary elections and of his certain return to politics. He also dropped something of a bombshell - for almost a year, he said, his HZDS party had been holding secret negotiations with individual parties of the ruling coalition.

Community Grapevine

Hash House Runners brave KolibaInternational Women's Club holds annual Christmas BazaarMonth Of Photography 1999

Letter to the Editor

SDĽ says cabinet shuffle not necessary

Jan. to Sept. trade gap at improved 32.9 billion Sk

Constitution changes mooted

A parliamentary team of lawyers, formed to propose revisions to the Slovak Constitution, has finished a report it will present to the October session of parliament.The revision team is composed of three government party MP's and two opposition MP's; Ladislav Orosz (SDĽ), Peter Kresák (SOP), Lajoš Meszároš (SMK), Peter Brňák (HZDS) and Eva Slavkovská (SNS).The three government MP's told a press conference on October 28 that the draft amendment to the Constitution includes 67 points. Even though the process of revision is extensive and will eventually address six chapters of the constitution, the current amendment deals with only the most urgently needed changes.

Coalition Council finally discusses Vatican Treaty

US Ambassador still no closer to posting

On June 29, US President Bill Clinton announced that Karl Spielvogel, a first-time ambassador and a leading American business executive, would replace Johnson as US ambassador. Although he was scheduled to arrive in Slovakia on August 26, political wrangling in Washington has prevented Spielvogel's departure and has cast doubt on whether he will arrive at all.Both US and Slovak government officials say that the absence of an ambassador should not affect diplomatic relations between the two countries, nor should it create any problems for US businessmen in Slovakia. It could, however, restrict the economic development of Slovakia, an area that Spielvogel was expected to influence.

Zdenko Trebula elected as new Košice mayor

Deputy PM Mikloš advocates 29% corporate tax

Letter to the Editor: TSS readers identify themselves: Four weddings...

Letter to the Editor: Skinhead beatings too common

Artists bitter about funding

Amid the general rejoicing which followed the election victory of the current government parties last September, the voices of Slovak cultural figures - actors, painters, film makers, musicians and writers - rang jubilant above the rest. After years of fighting the attempts of the previous Mečiar government to stifle cultural expression, Slovak artists saw the election of the Dzurinda government as the birth of a new era of cultural freedom.But more than a year later, and 10 years after the 1989 Velvet Revolution, Slovak artists say that their newfound freedom is of little use if the state does not fund artistic projects adequately.

Shipbuilder lost 277 million Sk from blocked Danube

Slovakia abandons UN quest

Slovakia withdrew its candidacy for a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council on October 14, giving victory to Ukraine in the fourth round of secret balloting at the UN General Assembly in New York. Slovak Foreign Minister Eduard Kukan said his country had suffered an "honourable loss" to its larger neighbour, and that Slovakia's candidacy had immensely improved its international reputation."It [the Slovak candidacy] was very well invested capital, because Slovakia's next candidacy will be considered very seriously," Kukan said at a press conference on October 18. Slovakia had lost its fight for the Security Council seat, he explained, mainly due to poor support among Latin American and western European countries.