Archive of articles - April 2002

March trade figures show slight improvement

NBS: Risks remain

PPS Detva fires 900 people

Constitutional Court to judge Labour Code

Jukos takes over stake in Transpetrol

Košice graveyard vandals all juveniles

State to pay child support for deadbeat dads

NBS raises interest rates after government fails to act

INA investment rising

Eurotel’s Barta gone

Majský caught on Horizont tape

Cabinet ducks spending cuts despite deficit danger

RATHER than cut spending in an election year to avoid overshooting its budget deficit target, the government has decided to focus on raising state income.At a special session of cabinet on April 25 ministers elected not to put quarterly caps on state spending or make any significant expenditure cuts.Instead, said Agriculture Minister Pavol Koncoš during a break in talks, the government would push for extra state budget income through raising revenues, and would avoid passing laws that might increase spending.

Review: Much panic about nothing

PANIC Room (2002) is a would-be thriller about people spending their first night in a new house. It purports to show what happens when fears, paranoia and nightmares become true. But despite its attractive visual images the film is scuppered by a lack of inspiration, clichés and a predictable ending.Divorced from a rich businessman, Meg Altman (Jodie Foster) buys an expensive house in New York's Upper West Side. The house used to be inhabited by a deceased millionaire whose fear of being murdered led him to build a 'panic room', a high-tech shelter with a thick steel door, alarms and surveillance monitors.

Czechs say no change to Beneš Decrees

Andersen joins E & Y in central Europe

Pro-EU Slovaks hail defeat of nationalism in Hungary

STRAINED relations between Bratislava and Budapest appear set to improve following the victory of the Socialist Party and the Liberal Alliance of Free Democrats in Hungary's parliamentary elections.Stalled top-level political co-operation is expected to be revived and aggressive nationalist rhetoric over controversial legislation abandoned after the second and final round of voting April 21 that produced record voter turn-out."A European rather than nationalist direction has prevailed in Hungary's elections," Slovak Prime Minister (PM) Mikuláš Dzurinda said of the vote.

Neusiedler announces over $200 million investment

AUSTRIAN paper manufacturer Neusiedler has announced a massive investment in Slovak pulp and paper mill SCP Ružomberok over the next two years, part of the firm's strategy of increasing production in its eastern European factories.Since Neusiedler's acquisition of a 50 per cent stake in SCP two years ago, investments have grown from Sk290 million ($6.2 million) in 2000 to Sk1.43 billion ($30.4 million) in 2001. This past month Neusiedler said it would invest an additional 238 million euro ($214 million) over the next two years to almost quadruple production.

Editor's response: A misleading piece on visas

Pensioner shakes off attackers