Archive of articles - July 2001, page 4

Review: Carnality and revenge in Castro's Cuba

By 1970 the Cuban communist revolution was 11 years old. But far from taking a breather, a paranoid dictatorship was continuing its fight against the island's freethinkers, homosexuals and anyone, according to writer Reinaldo Arenas of Before Night Falls, "who wears his pants too tight". Censored, imprisoned, his life threatened, Arenas refuses to put down his pen. Why? a friend asks. "Revenge."Arenas's story - a true story - is breathtakingly poignant, yet what makes Before Night Falls one of the year's best films is Director Julian Schnabel's emphasis on the man as a whole. The film is a sweeping, passionate exploration of Arenas's entire life, not just his misfortune.

Get your motor runnin': Driving in Slovakia

Hot down summer in Slovak cities, back of your neck feeling dirty and gritty? High time to get out of Bratislava, or Topoľčany, or Košice, or whatever concrete and steel jungle you're roasting in?While the car-less among us are riding the hot, sticky rails, those endowed with a motor vehicle have over 17,794 kilometres of roads leading them through Slovakia's thrilling countryside. Only 370 kilometres of those roads are highway, but snaking two-lane routes and bumpy provincial passages are part of the holiday charm.

Homosexuals denied Labour Code umbrella

Homosexuals are considering leaving Slovakia, a country which they say allows for the legal "firing, bullying and blackmailing" of citizens based on their sexual orientation. This statement came from the Inakosť ('Otherness') Initiative, an umbrella organisation of Slovak gay and lesbian organisations, after the Slovak parliament passed the country's new Labour Code on July 2.Slovak members of parliament refused to include in the code a clause which would have banned discrimination in the workplace on the basis of sexual orientation. Of the 128 present MPs, 43 voted in favour of the ban, 63 were against, 9 abstained, and 22 did not vote.The decision received international criticism from at least one European Parliament (EP) member, who called the law "short-sighted".

Banská Štiavnica: Uncovering a rich vein of mining history

One of the loveliest cities in Slovakia, Banská Štiavnica is also one of its most strikingly different. Situated on the slopes of the Glanzenberg and Paradayz hills, which were once rich with deposits of gold and silver, the town was erected on the steep hills as early as the 11th century, with construction forced to conform to the uneven landscape.The discovery of the precious metals encouraged rapid expansion. The mining centre was awarded with the official status of a town during the period when the first Borough Charters in the Hungarian Kingdom were granted by King Béla IV (1237-1238). The world's first technical university devoted to chemistry, physics and mineralogy was established here in 1762, and by 1783, Banská Štiavnica was the third largest city in the Hungarian Empire behind only Bratislava and Debrecen.

Telecom price rises seen as Internet barrier

Slovakia's telecom monopoly Slovenské Telekomunikácie (ST) raised tariffs for Internet use July 1 as part of a wider package of price rises for its services, drawing the ire of the information technology (IT) community and small businesses.The rate for two minute connections - the time many businesses use for checking emails - rose 80% to 4.50 crowns ($.90). Meanwhile, the cost of using the Internet for Slovaks for one hour at off-peak times (between 7pm and 9am) rose from 18.75 crowns to 23.62 crowns, a 26% jump, while the hour rate at peak time increased by under 1% from 60 crowns to 60.52 crowns.ST also introduced a special fee of 1.50 crowns for dialling up to the net. The rate is paid whether the user gets connected to the server or not.

Basketball star benched on draft day

Slovak power forward Mark Rančík spent NBA draft day June 27 glued to the TV with his girlfriend at his host family's house in St. Louis Park, Minnesota. The six-foot, eight-inch (203 cm) Bratislava native had been told by scouts that he would be picked in the early-to-mid second round of talent drafting to the world's premiere basketball league.But one by one the TV announcer read a list of names that were not his, and what he had hoped would be one of the happiest days of his life turned into a monumental disappointment."I don't know what happened. I really thought it was going to happen," said a dejected Rančík. "They told me that I had great potential, great talent."

Murder of Roma horrifies nation

MAGNEZITOVCE - "The immediate cause of death was post-trauma shock caused by serious internal injuries: advanced brain swelling, bleeding into the brain, multiple skull fractures, bleeding into the chest and abdominal cavities, a ruptured liver and lungs."Thus read the autopsy report on 50 year-old Slovak Roma Karol Sendrei from this eastern Slovak village of 450.Sendrei died at 7:15 in the morning of July 6 in the Revúca District police station about 12 kilometres from his home; he had been handcuffed by police the night before to an iron bar above his head. He died in front of two of his sons, who had also been handcuffed to the construction. His murder has shocked Magnezitovce residents, and has drawn horror from as far away as European Union headquarters"It is clear that his injuries were caused by a second party," the autopsy report concludes. However, in the wake of Sendrei's murder and the outcry it has caused, the key question remains not why Sendrei died, but who killed him - and with what motive.

This Week

FNM to tackle debtors more aggressively

The state National Property Fund (FNM) privatisation agency said July 4 that it will start taking a tougher approach in seizing assets from its debtors.The Fund, which must pay 24 billion Slovak crowns ($480 million) by the end of this year to cover maturing bonds, was owed 26.7 billion crowns at the end of 2000, largely from debtors who bought state property during the 1990s and then failed to meet payment and investment obligations.After recent negotiations with the Slovak Chamber of Executors (SKE), an independent body which advises on asset seizures, the two institutions announced that by the end of August they would sign a deal aimed at speeding up and improving the process of seizing assets from debtors.

Yoga in schools attacked by the Church, KDH

A tragedy of two fathers: Sendrei killing sows confusion

It takes over six hours to reach eastern Slovakia's Revúca by bus from Bratislava, and another 30 minutes to get to Magnezitovce, a village of 450 where in early July a middle-aged Roma father was beaten to death.The village resembles Timbuctoo in more ways than one. Most of the villagers are simple, hospitable and well-meaning people in whom the name Bratislava evokes respect, as for a sophisticated, mysterious and somewhat alien place. Visiting journalists are bear-led from house to house, caressed by stout women in black skirts, offered coffee and biscuits at each doorstep.

Around Slovakia

American style rodeo weekend in central SlovakiaGerman tourists lost in High TatrasWild pigs raid farm fieldsMan walks away from refugee vanHungarian woman jumps from moving train

Waste Law: Recycle or drown

BREZNO - Slovakia's new waste law, which was passed in parliament on May 15, is steadily being incorporated into the administrative fabric of municipalities across the country. The new law is expected to increase recycling of products which are now adding to landfill.To motivate and reward municipalities which separate waste, cities who decide to recycle will receive extra funds. The money is to come from a Recycling Fund (to be set up by January 1, 2002) which will collect money from companies that produce or import any products on a list of 11 types of environmentally-damaging waste. Funds will be doled out to companies and municipalities which recycle those materials for new products. Municipalities are also now allowed to fine individuals who refuse to obey municipal rules concerning waste, a power they never had before.

Hopes end for construction sector recovery

Globtel client numbers rise dramatically

Top Pick: Topvar Pohoda 2001International Music Festival

The second half of July has become an important time for Slovak music lovers, time to pack their sleeping bags and hit the road to the western Slovak town of Trenčín. This year Slovakia's largest music festival Topvar Pohoda (meaning 'well-being' or 'comfort') runs July 20 to July 22 in the northern part of the city in a large open-air zone with camping grounds.The New York trio Fun Lovin' Criminals will headline Pohoda 2001, which brings together the best of Slovak music and a roster of celebrated international guests. Festival-goers may enjoy a break from the music by taking in a movie, jumping from a plane, flying in a balloon, or sipping Topvar beer at a reduced rate.Now in its fifth year, Pohoda has grown so popular that organisers have had to add two extra stages, for a total of six with different music genres: rock, hip hop, techno, tech-house and experimental.

Letters to the editor

Tourism salesmanship can't overcome rude serviceIn support of less political correctness

SARIO finds way out of financial trouble

Parliament passes EU-friendly Labour Code