Archive of articles - November 2004, page 11

Dine like a king in a stable

Restaurant StodolaWhere: Dopravná 5, KošiceWhen: daily 11:00-22:00Reservations: YesEnglish menu: YesTel: 055/6259-344Rating: 9 out of 10AT THE DARK edge of the highway on the outskirts of Košice's old centre I am sitting in a barn eating dinner with a wooden spoon. In hushed tones I am told that former President Rudolf Schuster will be stopping by later in the evening. Stodola, however, is no murky spot for backroom deals; it is a restaurant that serves down-home traditional Slovak fare with an untraditional flair for luxury.

SURVIVING Slovakia

I am a Canadian citizen and am currently staying in Slovakia. I brought my car with me from Canada but do not plan to register it as I am returning to Canada in six months. Is there any place where I can get insurance to cover my driving here?Although your car is not registered here you have a way of getting insurance. We found out that it is Slovenská kancelária poisťovateľov (Slovak insurer's bureau) that can sell you car insurance. The cost for 30 days is 4,000 Sk (€100). To purchase insurance you need to visit the Slovak insurer's bureau. Take with you your ID, car title (technický preukaz), information about the car and its owner, and, of course, cash. Their website is also in English so if would like to get more information visit www.skp.sk.

Alliance for industry and jobs

Will nuclear promises be broken?

ECONOMY Minister Pavol Rusko's desire to change the course of the country's nuclear programme struck its first obstacle, signalling that the EU is taking Slovakia's pre-accession commitments seriously.While Austria, Slovakia's environment-conscious neighbour, has not directly commented on Rusko's proposal to delay the closure of one nuclear reactor at Jaslovské Bohunice by two years, it has said that the dates for decommissioning the blocks are set and unchangeable.

Latino-American film festival arrives

FOR MOVIE-goers and lovers of Hispanic culture, the Spanish-speaking embassies have prepared several days of Latino-American cinema, Días de cine ibero-americano. Six movies will be screened between November 8 and 11 at Bratislava's Mladosť cinema.The president of the Mozaika/Mosaico association, Diana Patricia Varela Cano, will open the festival November 8 at 17:30. At the opening, the Venezuelan film Desnudo con naranjas by Luis Alberto Lamata will be screened.

Police: No SDKÚ inconsistencies

The SMK: A party apart?

AFTER announcing its plans to form a "Slovak coalition" to weaken the influence of the Hungarian Coalition Party (SMK) in local government, the opposition parties poured oil on one of its favourite fires: Hungarophobia.Such dousing is nothing new. During the run up to the last regional elections, the parties whipped up warnings about the spreading success of the SMK, and anti-Hungarian sentiment became a uniting theme for several political forces.

European House opens in Bratislava

Bratislava developing on loan

Reader feedback: Democracy's different flavours

Food sales fall, exports up

Slovakia takes stand against gay marriage

New music for a new Slovakia

MEREDITH MONK, the renowned American contemporary musician, played to a sell-out crowd as she opened the Evenings of New Music festival at Bratislava's Astorka Korzo Theatre October 25. Monk's original vocal performance, set against various musical genres, was rapturously received by the audience. Movement and mime added to the intensity of the show.

More money for Slovak farmers

Highway firm given green light

Parties to cut SMK clout

LEADERS of the opposition - Smer, the Slovak Communist Party (KSS) and the Movement for a Democratic Slovakia (HZDS) - announced October 28 that they would form a so-called "Slovak coalition" for the sole purpose of weakening the Hungarian Coalition Party (SMK) at the regional level.The SMK believes that the planned formation is anti-Hungarian and would disrupt national politics as well, while defenders say it would reintroduce "balance" into local politics. Analysts call the reason behind the coalition problematic, even though they doubt whether such a coalition would endanger national alliances.

Kosher wine? It's all in the family

KOSHER wine has the reputation of being syrupy and sweet, not the sort of thing one would drink for enjoyment, much less award medals. But an Austrian family of wine producers is changing that reputation, and for the better, supplying award-winning kosher wines to Slovakia and the world.Over the border, in the charming town of Mönchhof, Austria, the Hafner family has been making award-winning wines for generations.

Budget wars?

WHILE the US is tightening its border controls, the EU is relaxing theirs - at least as far as business is concerned. And with 10 new Central and Eastern European countries having joined the EU in May, the face of Europe is undergoing radical change.Changing along with it is easyJet Airlines, the no-frills air carrier that recently announced an expansion into Slovakia.

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