Archive of articles - August 2002, page 13

Dzurinda slapped for dirty election tactics

Reader feedback: The new Mečiar

Reader feedback: No vote for Fico

Mečiar asked to account for Sk12 billion

Schuster returns all three anti-red laws

FNM readying last pre-election sales

AGW shareholders storm meeting

Around Slovakia

Road accident takes six young livesAstrologist foresees end of the worldSkinheads brutally attack young girlsMessage in a bottleUngrateful snake bitesMan shot for stealing potatoesJailed for stealing corn

Quote of the Week

Refuge from the city

EVERY DAY, activist Kamil Procházka has to ascend 242 steps to get to his office in what he calls "Bratislava's Central Park" - the hilly Horský park, one of the few forested areas in the Slovak capital.Procházka, 67, is one of the lucky people who have managed to make a profession of their passion. He is the head of the Horský park (Forest Park) foundation and the mastermind behind all its cultural activities. He runs the park's gallery, arranges open-air concerts and activities for children. Each of these efforts serve the overall goal - increasing support for preserving the park among visitors and the general public."People's primary motive in visiting us is to relax. Once they are relaxed they are open to new ideas, such as the environmental and ethical questions we try to present," Procházka says.

Podbrezová has record year in 2001

Pavol Rusko: "I have enormous power"

PAVOL Rusko is no stranger to either media or politics, but the way he combines the two has long frightened advocates of democratic plurality.Rusko, 38, now heads the Ano non-parliamentary party, which he set up last year to advance "centre-right views, much like the Republicans in the US or the Conservatives in Britain". The party, he admits, has moved to the right from the "liberal-socialist" ideals it promoted in its first month, although "no one can accuse either Ano or I of not having social feeling."Ano also runs third in some political opinion polls with around 10 per cent support, and is seen as having a strong chance of forming part of Slovakia's next government after September 20-21 elections.

Police investigate massive Gabčíkovo hydro dam fraud

A CABINET official supervising the Gabčíkovo hydroelectric dam has said that firms involved in construction of the site in the 1990s may have defrauded the state of hundreds of millions of crowns through payment for fraudulent invoices.The official, Dominik Kocinger, added that the government appeared unconcerned by police discoveries, including an allegedly fraudulent invoice for Sk90 million ($2 million) for the Spectrum Marketing firm of Dunajská Streda.The Interior Ministry confirmed it was investigating over Sk400 million ($9 million) in fraudulent payments to firms on the Gabčíkovo project between 1995-1997, largely through the Váhostav and Doprastav construction firms. However, Interior Minister Ivan Šimko rejected claims that the cabinet did not take the matter seriously.

Review: Nice boat, shame about the fish

AN ALTERNATIVE to a Sunday lunch in sleepy, sweaty downtown Bratislava is driving out to the Danube harbour and enjoying the fresh breeze from the water. With the area becoming ever more popular with locals and Austrians on cross-border cruises, three houseboat restaurants and an outdoor pub cater to the increased traffic.Most of these restaurants offer fish specialities. Without any particular reason or logic, my companions and I opted for the Marina restaurant near the Slovnaft refinery.

Who is Smer?

WHILE many political commentators see Slovakia's second most popular party as largely a means to power for its charismatic leader, Robert Fico, a closer look at some of the party's candidates for September elections reveals business interests in the health and energy sectors, as well as ties to figures in the 1994-1998 Vladimír Mečiar administration.There is lawyer Robert Kaliňák at number seven, who since July 4, 2000 has been on the supervisory board of IT firm Corinex Global. The related firm Corinex supplied IT to state gas utility SPP during the tenure of SPP chief Ján Ducký, who was murdered in January 1999.Corinex, which with SPP formed a firm named DataGas, was accused by incoming Economy Minister Ľudovít Černák of overcharging SPP by 30 per cent for IT equipment, a charge the firm's leadership denied.

Smer finances: Energy firms and corporate raiders

THE SMER party is one of the most transparent in Slovakia about its financing, this year putting its annual report and lists of donors on the Internet at www.smer.sk.The party reports that it obtained Sk2.5 million in company donations and Sk827,000 in gifts from individuals, together accounting for about 20 per cent of its total Sk15.2 million in revenues. Among the largest donor firms were energy sector businesses and corporate lobbies.Smer's largest donor last year was the Eko-S Trans firm, which gave Sk1.2 million. Eko-S Trans gave roughly the same amount to Smer in 2000, the same year the powerful financial bloc Penta Group donated Sk1 million to the Smer foundation on the occasion of a Holocaust remembrance ceremony.

Cabinet to decide minwage increase

Slovakia prepares to receive EU regional funds

WITH THE completion of the regional development chapter of European accession requirements, Slovakia has opened the door to further European Union (EU) development funds which should smooth out massive regional economic disparities when the country joins the EU, possible as early as 2004.The completed chapter is 27th legislative area that the Slovak government has adjusted out of the 30 candidate countries have to complete for membership in the EU.Provided Slovakia receives an invitation to join the EU, the country will be eligible for 1.75 billion euros in development funding between 2004 and 2006, said EU competition commissioner Michel Barnier.

Bye, Dummy: Adventures with shops and nicknames

FLORENCE NYS of France is in charge of advertising for the International Women's Club in Bratislava. She has been in Slovakia since October last year. Her husband is the financial and administration manager for Peugeot Slovakia.