Archive of articles - January 2001, page 2

This Week

Around Slovakia

Arms scandal brings controls into question

The Foreign Ministry was forced to issue an official statement denying knowledge of any involvement in illegal arms sales January 12 after a French newspaper named Slovak firm OSOS in an international scandal surrounding supplies of arms to Angola.The daily La Liberation claimed weapons supplied by the son of former French President Francois Mitterand, Jean-Christophe, had come originally from OSOS through the firm Brenco owned by Pierre Falcon, an arms dealer.

NATO and the EU: Making Slovakia a different place

Since the new government came to power more than two years ago nearly every law, every step in legislation the new powers have taken has been geared towards membership of two groups - NATO and the EU.A new media law is to go for debate in, and likely passage through, parliament very soon. It will give journalists and other media professionals the legal backbone to do the work of bringing information to the people.This is something which their counterparts in the West have been able to do free of the threat of legal charges for as long as there has been media.

Snow crisis compounding tourism woes

Although it been an unusually poor winter season for snow, hoteliers and managers of travel agencies in major Slovak winter resorts say they are satisfied with revenues so far. But the situation might change dramatically unless the snow comes soon.Having banked profits from the Christmas holiday, when people go to the mountains whether there is snow or not, hotel managers now are anxiously looking for wintry weather. Without it the expected January wave of tourists will not come, they say, and with it precious revenues will be lost.

Fred Nicholson: political heart on a sleeve

With a small Slovak flag pinned to his lapel, Fred Nicholson literally wears his politics on his sleeve, although the gesture is hardly necessary. The computer consultant, self-taught economist, minor publisher, and self-styled political dabbler eagerly expounds his views to anyone who will listen. From European Union and NATO membership to questions concerning minority rights, his talk is coloured with patriotic pride and an acute mistrust of foreign influence. On joining the EU: "Why should we have to join an organisation to prove that we are in Europe. The last time I looked we were in Europe, and we are as democratic as any other country [on the continent]."

Review: Famous barber's opera hampered by mediocre vocals

Italian operatic life during the first half of the 19th century was dominated by one man - Gioachino Rossini. Between 1809 and 1829 he composed nearly 40 operas, and although only 14 of them are Opera-Buffa, he is now firmly recognised as a master of the comic opera.His masterpiece opera in two acts Il Barbiere di Siviglia, based on the famous Beaumarchais's trilogy of Figaro comedies (the first episode), was performed at the Slovak National Theatre on January 15, some 185 years after its premiere on February 20, 1816.

Tape storage changes

In many of my previous articles I talked mainly about disk storage devices and the possibilities of using them in developing a Storage Area Network (SAN) for a firm. But along with new technology in the disk storage area, technologies used in other storage products have developed. One of these is tape storages.The development of new, more efficient technologies, that bring increasing reliability, access and the possibilities of connecting tape storages to heterogeneous platforms, has come about as a result of a boom in data volume in ERP, BI, and e-Business applications.

Fierce competition expected for FWAs

Despite a global turndown in interest in telecoms markets the sale of licences for FWA (Fixed Wireless Access) services is likely to see fierce competition and mirror the success of the same sales in the Czech Republic, analysts and those preparing the sale have said.However, firms interested in providing the service - which allows companies to supply offices by bypassing phone cables with a signal sent from a transmitter nearby - are still unsure of the timeframe for the licence sales.

Letters to the editor

Race killings wrong, but so are double standardsAiling health sector to be gutted?

Home investors to lose again

Domestic investors were again overlooked January 15 with the news that a new set of investment incentives proposed by economic ministers would include them but that one important eligibility condition would rule many of them out of receiving attractive tax breaks.Following discussions between Finance Minister Brigita Schmögnerová, Economy Minister Ľubomír Harach and Deputy Prime Minister for the Economy Ivan Mikloš, the government has been recommended to approve a new incentive package offering 10 year tax holidays to foreign and Slovak investors.

New law to change face of media

In late December 2000 Slovakia's second most popular daily, Pravda, informed its readers that the future of the paper was in serious danger. Due to what it said was a new, discriminatory contract prepared by the printing house Versus, the paper, which has a readership of 7% and 10% of the newspaper reading population, did not know if it would see the third millennium.Pravda immediately filed a complaint with the anti-monopoly office, but beyond waiting for two or three months for a decision, there was not much else the paper could do.

Religious explosion exposes change in societal values

When the Velvet Revolution in 1989 swept away a socialist system in Slovakia which had often violently suppressed religion for more than 40 years, the door to free religious expression had been opened. That sudden blossom of the Church has exposed a change in values in Slovak society and the perception of religion among its own citizens.The fall of communism saw an enormous number of people claiming Catholicism almost overnight. The Church's role grew beyond just providing spiritual guidance, to other activities that were denied the Church under the totalitarian regime.

Top Pick: 2001 European Figure Skating Championships in Bratislava

The first European Skating Championships of the third millennium organised by the International Skating Union (ISU) will this year take place in Bratislava. During the competition, the Slovak Skating Union will celebrate its 130th anniversary of organised figure skating in Slovakia, as well as the 50th birthday of Ondrej Nepela, the best Slovak skater ever.The late Nepela, who was recently selected best Slovak sportsman of the 20th century, became the first and only Slovak Olympic figure skating champion in 1972.

This Week

Business Briefs

Ministries propose plans for Slovak Telecom rivalSlovakofarma announces plans to cuts jobs this yearGlobtel steering committee remains optimisticIndustrial output growth exceeds 10% mark

Tax rate changes open debate on revenues

Comments by Finance Minister Brigita Schmögnerová over taxes have re-opened a debate on whether or not the government's tax cuts have gone far enough to make a difference to the corporate sector.In a piece specially written for the daily newspaper Sme January 11, Schmögnerová bemoaned the new tax regime for firms which came into effect January 1. Corporations now have to pay 29% tax rather than 40% tax as before, prompting speculation over the effect the cut will have on both the country's fiscal position and firms.

Quote of the week

Community Corner

The Last HourAmCham's Business After HoursJanuary Hash RunAustrian Embassy Lecture and ExhibitionsFrench Institute exhibitionGoethe Institute ExhibitionsBahá'í Community