Archive of articles - November 2002, page 7

Top Pick: Merry-go-round that rarely stops

LUCIA ŠORALOVÁ had never seen a Broadway musical before she saw Hair when it reached Slovakia in the late 1990s. And when she did, it was love at first sight. A few weeks later, while still dreaming of singing in one of the roles, she learned that auditions were being held for a production of Hair in Prague. Despite the fact that the auditions were supposed to be only for established theatrical performers, she managed to persuade the jury to give her a chance. She got the role of Jeannie and the rest is history.

Jobless rate drops to 17.8 per cent

US political aid in Slovakia: Refereeing or playing?

BY MANY people's lights, September elections produced the best result possible - a homogenous coalition of pro-Western, reformist parties, and the rejection of authoritarian and populist political alternatives.The more we learn about the tactics used to encourage this result, however, the less confident we are that the contest was fair, or that Slovaks were able to make their political choices without impediment.Many Slovaks and foreign (largely European) observers noticed how outspoken the United States became this year on the topic of former leader Vladimír Mečiar and the implications for the country if Slovaks put him back in power (ie no Nato membership). While the baldness of the US statements at times caused shudders, like fingernails on a chalkboard, the argument that Nato was just making membership conditions clear was eventually accepted.

Insurers defend liability rate hikes

CAR OWNERS in Slovakia will see mandatory liability premiums leap next year, as insurers work to cover higher wholesale rates and the debts of the country's former insurance monopoly, says the Slovak Insurers' Office (SKP).Citing an increase in local claims and the demands of European reinsurers, Slovak providers have raised minimum required auto liability rates by an average of 50 per cent for 2003 (see chart).However, the fact that all but one of Slovakia's eight insurance houses offering liability coverage have published identical premiums has prompted the country's Antimonopoly Office (PMÚ) to investigate possible charges of collusion on prices.

Experts explore Central European identity

"CENTRAL Europe is a region that has produced more history than it can digest," says Jiří Pehe, rephrasing one of Churchill's remarks about the Balkans. Pehe, who is president of New York University in Prague, was one of the many public figures present at a Bratislava conference entitled Central European Identity.On November 6 and 7 the Slovak capital played host to an open forum for intellectuals, scientists, politicians and journalists from Central Europe, who came to discuss the region's identity.Organised by the Central European Foundation (CEF) based in Slovakia, the event brought together people like the former Hungarian president Arpád Göncz, prince Karl Schwarzenberg, former chancellor to president Václav Havel, and Slovak Brigitta Schmögnerová, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE).

New law on auditors reflects EU norms

A LAW amending rules governing audit services, including the rights and obligations of auditors, becomes effective on January 1, 2003.According to the new law (no.466/2002 coll.), audit services are defined as the audit of all kinds of financial statements defined by the Slovak Accounting Law and of financial statements prepared according to the international accounting standards (IAS) or other accepted standards, for example US GAAP.In the new law, 'audit services' also refers to accounting services, analyses of accounting systems, economic and financial counselling, the valuation of assets, recommendations and consulting with respect to the evaluation of business plans, if these services are provided by licensed auditors.

Free trade zone to end

Health Minister's extensive reform under fire

IF A PLAN by Health Minister Rudolf Zajac to "extensively reduce" the number of hospitals in the country is carried out, some patients might have to travel hundreds of kilometres for treatment, doctors have warned.Zajac's reform plan outlines changes in all spheres of health services, including redesigning the drug policy, cutting down medical staff, letting licensed nurses work on individual contracts, and creating a competitive environment so that only the best hospitals survive. To be implemented, the plan must be approved by parliament.Some doctors have warned that Zajac's approach may lead to certain areas of the country being left with no health care services at all, or "white spots on the map of Slovak health care," as Juraj Štofko, head doctor at the neurology clinic of Bratislava's Fakultná Hospital, put it.

Around Slovakia

Scrabble a 'drug', say playersSlovak climbers launch Himalaya clubLong live LeninPolice almost hit by flying hammerThou shalt not stealPhone rage causes damageThief surprised by haul of cash

Reader feedback: Unexpected benefits, history revisited

Moody's raises Slovakia rating

Twist inks deal with ST

Where does the money come from?

ACCORDING to Lindsay Lloyd, former IRI director in Slovakia, and the NDI official web site, the biggest funders for IRI and NDI programmes are the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and the National Endowment for Democracy (NED).

OSI: Enlargement may corrupt EU

SLOVAKIA'S apparent inability to stamp out corruption in its public institutions may infect the cleaner workings of the EU once it becomes a member, a new study says.The report by the Open Society Institute (OSI) is the result of a year of research into corruption in eight of the 10 countries slated to join the EU in 2004. It says that the widespread corruption endemic in most former Eastern-bloc countries could affect the dissemination of EU funds and disrupt the way the union operates after the new members are admitted.Considering that "the majority of candidate states are clearly ranked by [corruption] perception surveys as significantly or much more corrupt than member states... the big EU enlargement question becomes not whether candidates are ready for the EU, but whether the EU is ready for them," the OSI report says.

From the Middle East to flamenco

A MIDDLE-EASTERN belly dance performed by Anny Mendak of Poland is part of this year's Bratislava Flamenco Festival. The underlying theme of this year's festival, the organisers say, is to show the parallels between Middle Eastern and flamenco musical styles, and to bring to the public's attention flamenco's roots in Indian traditional music."Flamenco is one big fusion of gypsy culture and Andalusian folklore. It is also influenced by Middle Eastern - Arabic and Jewish - culture," says flamenco specialist and music critic Pavol Šuška.He explains that flamenco's roots are Indian and part of the Romany culture that originally came from there. Romany people left the subcontinent sometime in the seventh or eighth century and passed through Persia and Europe, finally arriving in Spain during the first half of the 15th century. It was then that flamenco first started to take shape as a dance form.

EU to decide exact entry date

Friendly skies for Iraq attack

Parliament approves cabinet programme

Inflation to hit 15 per cent in January