Archive of articles - January 2001, page 4

REVIEW: And on The Sixth Day Arnie certainly didn't rest

Adam Gibson has a problem. His daughter's dog has died unexpectedly and his wife wants him to run to the mall and clone the carcass before she gets back from school. Adam loves his daughter but disapproves of cloning. What to do?The dilemmas surrounding cloning only get worse for Adam, played by Arnold Schwarzenegger, who in The Sixth Day has rebounded from a series of flops to make a good movie.

Juraj Renčko: SLSP's sale was a success, VÚB will be same

At the end of the year 2000, the government chose a majority owner for Slovakia's largest financial institution, Slovenská sporiteľňa. The deal, in which Austria's Erste Bank bought an 87% stake for 18 billion crowns ($391 million), finished two weeks ahead of schedule.The privatisation of two more banks, Investičná a rozvojová banka and Všeobecná úverova banka this year is expected to be important for the micro-economy as the new owners of the finance houses would bring not just new management but new ideas.

Quotes of the Week

Learn to seek and ye shall find

A few days after being granted one of the most important rights to freedom - access to information - Slovaks went to their phones, faxes and emails and asked some searching questions."What's the IQ of the Prime Minister?" one anonymous caller asked.While maybe the topic of bar-room conversation, and an amusing one at that, one of the first questions to be asked of authorities since the Freedom of Information Law came into effect on January 1 might have been a bit deeper.

Times International: Breasts, beer jests

Peter Andraško shakes his head, smiles and looks up across the pub table."This woman on the front should really be completely naked. And the picture should be in colour too."Sitting in Umelka pub in downtown Bratislava, Peter and two other university friends are reading a free, eight-page bi-weekly newspaper - Times International - from time to time raising their heads and breaking into deep guffaws or taking up one of the subjects broached in the paper as a point of discussion.

Letters to the Editor

Kudos to The Slovak SpectatorA change of plans for next timeA visionary highlightHang on a secondMoney down the drain?

This Week

Schuster New Year speech touches nerve

Coalition politicians reacted with surprise to a New Year speech from President Schuster in which he criticised the government for failing to listen to Slovak citizens and attacked the coalition for internal bickering slowing the pace of key reforms.In his speech, which some political analysts described as 'standard' and lacking in sophistication, Schuster went as far as to say that the coalition had shown contempt for the will of the people following a November 11 referendum on early parliamentary elections that attracted only 20% voter turnout, thus invalidating the referendum.

Stank bolsters NATO entry plans

After a difficult two weeks of coalition negotiations Slovakia averted a potential ly damaging conflict with NATO over the appoitment of a defence minister and installed the Slovak Ambassador to the Czech Republic, Jozef Stank, to the post January 3.Originally educated as a technical sector manager, the 60 year-old diplomat was the last of three candidates of the reformed communist Party of Democratic Left (SDĽ), which under the coalition agreement has the exclusive right to nominate their candidate for the position.His appointment came after the resignation of Pavol Kanis in December 16 - who stepped down after he failed to fully divulge the financing of the construction of a luxury villa in Bratislava - and the earlier candidacy of a former army general and SDĽ caucus leader, Pavol Tuchyňa, to the position.

Around Slovakia

Portrait of the artist as a returned mime

Milan Sládek was in his early thirties, but his future seemed sound. As Czechoslovakia's first professional mime, he had practically introduced a new art form to his country. He had established his own theatre and was making a name for himself abroad. Then the rug was pulled out from under his life.Sitting in his office overlooking the Danube in the Aréna Theatre in Bratislava, he still remembers the shock. "A person finds a certain path, thinks he has it all figured out, and then comes August 21, 1968." Although it has been more than 30 years since Russian troops occupied Czechoslovakia, there is indignation in his voice when he discusses the events that led to his leaving Czechoslovakia in 1970.

News Briefs

Deputy PM Hamžík: Every year seems to be the hardest

The coming 12 months will be among the most important so far for Slovakia's European Union integration efforts. Twelve new chapters will be opened this year, and government representatives will have to work hard on controversial chapters to catch up with neighbours The Czech Republic, Poland and Hungary, all of which had a headstart of more than a year on Slovakia.The Slovak Spectator spoke with Deputy Prime Minister for Integration Pavol Hamžík on January 2 to get his view on the integration process and what the country has to do this year on the path to EU membership.

Ebony and Ivory Show notches three year milestone

The celebration was a simple one: on-air congratulations, the clinking of beer bottles and then the next song. An unadorned observance of a unique phenomenon: "The Ebony and Ivory Show," believed to be Slovakia's only English-language talk and music radio show.The third anniversary of the show brought the co-hosts, American Henry Brandon (the "ebony" of the title) and Brit Jonathan Gresty (the "ivory"), together to celebrate their successful and intriguing run on eastern Slovakia's radio waves.

Capital Markets: Government shares hold the key to 2001 market success

The Slovak capital market in 2000 was once more characterised by its lack of activity. As one of the smallest bourses in central Europe, having a capitalisation of only $3 billion, the Bratislava Stock Exchange (BSE) saw little change in the general apathy in trading in 2000, and is unlikely, analysts say, to see anything different in 2001."In 2001 we'll see a flat market. Flat in terms of liquidity and investor activity," said Ivan Chodák, equity analyst at CAIB Securities. "The key drivers for the market will be new issues and what is done with privatisation."

Quote of the Week

Community Corner

Economic Briefs

Review: A High Tatra's guidebook suitable for Cliff Claven