Archive of articles - May 2004, page 2

An unexpected blessing

PAUL and Kay Hanson arrived in Bratislavain 1997, expecting to stay two years. Instead they will remain until Paul Hanson finishes his work at the end ofJune.Hanson began his ministerial career in Berlin 43 years ago, one mile west of the old Iron Curtain. He will finishit one mile east of where the Iron Curtain used to be.Hanson came to Europe in 1960, after a year of seminary studies

Useful French talk

THOUGH the aim of the French Institute in Bratislava is to bring Francophone culture to Slovakia,Jean-Pierre Meullenet, the institute's director and the French Embassy's cultural councillor, said in an interviewwith The Slovak Spectator that his native language has uses beyond the arts.The Slovak Spectator: What are the most important cultural projects that France promotes in Slovakia?Jean-Pierre Meullenet (JPM): France has traditionally been immensely active in promoting arts and culture.The French Institute in Bratislava cooperates with the Goethe, Polish, Italian, and Austrian institutes, and severalembassies, including the Spanish Embassy.

Sk2.5 billion for internet services

Breaking with tradition

ALTHOUGH French presence inSlovakia and the rest of eastern Europe is not traditionally strong, French businesses are currently striving touncover the Slovak market. The Slovak Spectator talked to Jean-Michel Giovannetti, president of the French-Slovak Chamber of Commerce and general manager of Credit Lyonnais Bank Slovakia, about current andprospective business links between France and Slovakia. Services and infrastructure are the areas in whichFrance could become an effective partner for Slovakia, he said.The Slovak Spectator (TSS): Slovakia entered the European Union on May 1 with nine other countries. Areyou optimistic about the economic future of a bigger EU? What might this bring in mutual co-operation betweenSlovakia and France?

Action-packed relaxation

SPRING is the time of healing and purification, and Slovakia could offer some excellent sites to undergo theseprocesses. Maybe, then, it is no accident that most Slovak spas open their main season around this time of theyear. As for the future, these spots could be one of the main bonuses Slovakia offers those who select this smalleastern European country as a vacation destination.Piešťany started a tradition of opening its summer season on a grand scale 13 years ago. This year, June 4 to 7will see a rich programme for lovers of all kinds of music, be it folk, classical, or jazz.

Police disarmgangs in Sereď

Ministry to a parade

OFFICIALLY it's called the Bratislava International Church, but the people who worship in itsEnglish-language services all refer to it as Malý kostol or the Little Church.Their service is held each Sunday at 9:30, sandwiched between a German service and a Hungarian service in theMalý evanjelický kostol on Lycejná at the intersection with Panenská 26/28, in a building that from the outsidedoes not even look like a church.

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EP offers HZDS chance

THE MOVEMENT for a Democratic Slovakia (HZDS) chose Sergej Kozlík as its leader in the June13 elections for the European Parliament.Kozlík served as finance minister in the government of the controversial former PM Vladimír Mečiar and hasbeen a member of the Slovak parliament since Mečiar's defeat in the September 1998 general elections.The Slovak Spectator talked to Kozlík about some key issues on the European agenda and the plans of his party,whose reputation has so far barred it from forming international alliances.

Law banning discrimination born

DISCRIMINATION based on sex, race, religion, health, ethnicity, and sexual orientation will bebanned in a single law as of July 1.A strong majority of 107 coalition and opposition MPs approved the anti-discrimination law, which waswelcomed by representatives of various groups including gays and lesbians, women, and the Roma.Until now, non-discrimination requirements were incorporated into several laws. Human rights activists saidsuch a system was inefficient and called for the legislation to be put the under one umbrella.

We know more than we think

"SO, what do people here think about Iraq?" tends to be among the first questions asked by Americansvisiting Slovakia.Though Iraq is not much of an issue in Slovakia, Slovaks do have one very important advantage that may enablethem to understand the dynamics of developments there and anticipate future threats better than many Americans- first hand experience with the transformation of a country from an authoritarian regime to an almost-functioning democracy.

V4 to discuss jet pilot training centre

Opera, ballet scenes get dramatic

"OPERA and ballet[institutions] are sometimes considered museums where the same repertoire works get 'dusted off' over andover, and where new, modern theatre works have a hard time breaking through," said Marián Chudovský, thedirector of the Opera of the Slovak National Theatre (SND).To prove this wrong, the management of the Opera SND has decided to organise the International Festival ofMusic Theatre in Bratislava to prove that opera and ballet are "living, dynamically developing music-theatreforms that can address the man of today," said Chudovský.

Wine hits the spot

RUSSIANS are famous for their vodka, Germans for their beer, French and Italians for their wine.What beverage could represent Slovakia? There is no unequivocal answer, as all three are produced here and asubstantial amount of each is consumed as well.However, over the last decade Slovakia has seen a widening availability in this area. Local and regional drinksare being complemented by world-famous products that were previously difficult to find.One of the contributors to this trend is Belvédere Slovensko, a subsidiary of the Belvédere company based inBeaune, France. Belvédere was established in 1991 to import quality French wines and spirits to countries wherethese drinks were relatively unfamiliar. At present, the company has more than 30 subsidiaries around the world,especially in the countries of central and eastern Europe, Japan, China, the US, and South America.

Parliament clears screening obstacle for arms companies

Journalism association rejects accusations of racism

Bomb disposal experts on alert

Oil refinery bosses bugged