Archive of articles - July 2001, page 6

State making small headway on graft

A complex survey on attitudes towards corruption around the world, published by the Transparency International watchdog group on June 27, suggested that Slovakia had made only slight improvement in dealing with corruption over the past year.The findings were released in the form of a Corruption Perception Index for 2001, in which countries around the world were ranked on a scale of 0 to 10, according to how corrupt business people, analysts and the general public thought their state sectors were. The data were assembled from surveys done by what Transparency International claimed were seven "renowned, international and independent" polling agencies.Slovakia's corruption perception rating - with 10 being the lowest level of perceived corruption, and 0 being the worst - improved from 3.5 last year to 3.7, putting the country 51 out of 91 world nations in the survey. Slovakia was last year ranked 52nd.

Lapuník moves into hot-seat at state gas company

This Week

Canadian aid waiting for Slovak applicants

Two Canadian aid project workers visited Slovakia last month to boost Slovak participation in a scheme to help citizens of central and eastern European countries attend professional development activities in Canada.The project, known as the Partnership for Tomorrow Program, is being funded by the Canadian International Development Agency, and administered by the Association of Canadian Community Colleges (ACCC).ACCC Project Officer Branka Gudelj explained that Slovaks wishing to attend seminars, study tours and other activities in Canada that would contribute to Slovakia's "professional and institutional capacity" could apply for an up to $10,000 Canadian grant to cover travel, work and living expenses related to the visit.

GDP will grow next year, says central bank

Letters to the editor

Schuster law suit shows his true coloursSlovak alcohol consumption exaggeratedSlovak salesmanship hurting number of touristsChange is not always for the betterMore on what's in a Slovak name

New graduates face uncertain prospects

For the last month, Slovakia's Class of 2001 has done what graduates everywhere do: they've sat through long ceremonies, received flowers and chocolate from friends and family, and celebrated vigorously their freedom from schooling. Now comes the hard part: finding a job.The Slovak Education Ministry expects around 20,000 students to graduate from Slovak universities this year. Those graduates face a daunting task: shedding the cap and gown and going to work in a country in which unemployment hovers at 18%; creating a career in the midst of economic uncertainty. Nevertheless, the majority of the graduates who spoke to The Slovak Spectator last week were facing the future with confidence."I feel ready to compete [on the labour market]," said management studies major Jaro Klč, who has already found a job at a consulting firm. "I've also done Internet work. Slovakia's economic situation has never limited my plans."

Budapest stirs Greater Hungary fears

The Hungarian parliament on June 19 passed a law offering advantages to people of Hungarian ethnicity living in countries in central and eastern Europe. The law drew criticism from Bratislava, where politicians called it a step backward in relations, and complained that Budapest had not explained how a Hungarian law could be enforced in another country.The new edict, known as the Law on Hungarians Living Abroad, promises to extend some of the same cultural, educational, health care, labour and travel rights to ethnic Hungarians living abroad as are enjoyed by nationals residing in Hungary (see sidebar, this page). The benefits would be handed out to holders of a special identity card (to be distributed by cultural organisations) who live in countries bordering Hungary.The law was supported by all but one party in the Hungarian legislature, as well as by about 70% of citizens.

Silence broken on contamination

A heavily-populated area of Bratislava is sitting on top of an environmental disaster, according to a study commissioned by the builder of a bridge in the district.The study, which was carried out this May by the Geohyco firm, found that a large area of land in the Ružinov district of the capital around Mlynské Nivy and Košická streets is contaminated with oil, gas and carcinogenic materials - some of which are escaping into the atmosphere. Geohyco based the findings on eight test drillings at various sites; the contamination is located between two and seven metres below current ground level.The results of the study were released in late June by Vladimír Kovalčík, chairman of the board of the Metro corporation, the main investor behind a 3.6 billion Slovak crown ($70 million) project to build a new bridge, known as Košická most, connecting Bratislava and the 130,000-population suburb of Petržalka across the Danube River.

Community Corner

Fencing in the Old Town HallOrganised RunsSunday concerts in the presidential gardenAustrian Culture Forum exhibitionGoethe Institute photo exhibitionFrench Institute exhibitionGhost Theatre at Bojnice CastleCzech 'textile artist' exhibition

A history of cheer

1870s - The first pep club is established at Princeton University.1880s - The first organised yell is recorded at a Princeton football game.1890s - First school 'fight song' is written at University of Minnesota.

This Week

Jozef Migaš will not run for SDĽ chair

Cheerleading gains Slovak momentum

Set in motion over 100 years ago, the influence of Johnny Campbell is rolling into Slovakia. According to a cheerleading study conducted by the University of Wisconson - River Falls, Campbell became the first man to ever leave the stands of a sporting event to lead a cheer in front of a crowd on November 2, 1898.Of course, cheering (which studies say was begun in the US) was born even earlier. In the late 1880's, a crowd at a Princeton University American football game shouted in unison: "Ray, Ray, Ray! TIGER, TIGER, SIS, SIS, SIS! BOOM, BOOM, BOOM! Aaaaah! PRINCETON, PRINCETON, PRINCETON!" - the first recorded organised cheer.

Tryout day tips for cheerleaders

1. DO NOT forget to smile. Make sure you are VERY cheesy. A trick that I use: the bigger your smile is, the less attention they pay to your cheer! Really, it's true!2. DO NOT allow your voice to wobble and shake. One thing for sure, if they can't hear you, they don't want you. Shake those walls, girls!

SPP tender seen before end of July, says CSFB

Quotes of the Week

Telephone area codes changed as of July 1

Refugee camps under strain

On June 12, eight days before World Refugee Day, Slovak border police launched a river search for 20 Indian refugees who had attempted to cross the Morava river into the Czech Republic.Two days later the search was called off. Three people had been found alive, the rest were presumed drowned.Brought from India via Moscow to Slovakia, each of the 20 had paid $8,000 to a group of body-smugglers promising to ferry them to the West. But outside Bratislava, the group was abandoned by the smugglers, and chose to risk the waters.