Archive of articles - January 2008, page 3
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Euro window
GOVERNOR of the National Bank of Slovakia (NBS) Ivan Šramko thinks that opening a discussion about whether it is advantageous to enter the eurozone on January 1, 2009 is not appropriate at this point. "We have repeatedly said that we welcome discussions by experts about the suitability of the date; however, at this time it is misplaced. It should have been discussed, and really was discussed, in 2004 and 2005 when the starting date was decided," Šramko said at a conference about the entry of Slovakia into the eurozone on January 18, the Hospodárske Noviny daily wrote.
Oncology ward gets convertible beds
Thanks to Daffodil Day, two new beds were acquired for the Oncological Department at the hospital in Bojnice. Daffodil Day is probably the best known way of collecting money and fund-raising in Slovakia. The Liga proti rakovine (League Against Cancer) collected a record sum of Sk20.7 million (€600,000) in donations during last year's Daffodil Day, held in Slovakia on April 13.
Historical landmarks demolished without permission
INVESTOR HB Reavis demolished historical industrial buildings in Bratislava without a permit after concluding they posed a danger to the neighbourhood, the Sme daily wrote.
You can't teach an old dog new clichés
GOVERNMENTS always have their clichés. They are often passed down to the new political gang in power, like precious family heirlooms, especially if the successor in any way resembles the clichés' originator.
OSCE: Draft Press Act violates pluralism
MIKLÓS Haraszti, a Hungarian writer and former dissident, was appointed by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) as its freedom of the media representative in 2004. On January 22 he addressed a letter to Slovak Foreign Minister Ján Kubiš criticising the Slovak government's draft Press Act, which it submitted to parliament this month. After Culture Minister Marek Maďarič dismissed the letter as the work of "not a very high representative" of the OSCE, The Slovak Spectator interviewed Haraszti to get his side of the story.
African-American murals show power of public art
THE AMERICAN Embassy in Bratislava is celebrating Black History Month, which takes place throughout February in the United States, by opening a new art exhibit in its art space on January 23.
Gojdič becomes Righteous Among Nations
PAVOL Gojdič, a Greek-Catholic bishop from Prešov, will receive the title of Righteous Among the Nations in memoriam. The ceremony will take place in Bratislava on January 27.
Carnival
Local youth demonstrated the customs of the carnival season in the village of Martinček, close to Ružomberok, on January 19. The tradition dates back to past carnival seasons, when young men were dragged before the town locals and a judge, who would recite a long list of sins they had committed. The young men would then be strung up by the leg and made to sing a song. This event developed over time into a festive occasion.
Top European snowboarders head to Vrátna
THE MIDDLE of winter is near and the weather corresponds with January in the calendar. After the arrival of cold air, the temperature at the Chopok peak decreased to -13 C along with a snow whirl. But this did not improve ski conditions significantly.
Small countries like Slovakia are never too small to help regions in need
LANDSLIDES in Indonesia that have forced tens of thousands from their homes; the bloodshed in Kenya; and drought, AIDS and economic meltdown in Zimbabwe have all rung the alarm of international humanitarian organisations.
The "European Humanitarian Olympiad" starts
This year, the European Commission Humanitarian Aid Office (ECHO), one of the biggest human aid providers in the world, is organising a nation-wide communication campaign in Slovakia, called "The European Humanitarian Olympiad". The aim of this project is to draw Slovaks', and especially young people's, attention to the issue of European humanitarian aid, the ECHO informed The Slovak Spectator in its press release from January 17.
Slovakia commemorates crash victims
MILITARY and relatives went to Hejce, the Hungarian village near the Slovak-Hungarian border to commemorate the biggest accident in Slovak military history. The ceremony took place on January 19, the SITA newswire wrote.
France: SPP and NAFTA Scholarship
Companies SPP and Nafta are offering a scholarship for to study stayin France in the academic year 2008/2009, with the possibility to be offered a permanent job later.
Safe from sub-prime crisis
IF THE world financial market has the flu, the Slovak market only has a mild cold.
Almost 8,000 organisations apply for 2% income tax
This year, about eight thousand non-governmental organisations applied for the two percent assigned income tax, as the lawyer and author of the legislation amendment of the assigned tax, Peter Handiak, informed the SITA newswire. The official number of registered NGOs as well as their list was published by the Notaries' Chamber on its website www.notar.sk. The list of all organisations, which may be eligible for two percent of income tax can be also found on the website www.rozhodni.sk.
Ekopolis supports environmental projects
The Ekopolis Foundation announced the first call for applications for the Bloc Grant for the environmental NGOs, the Sme daily wrote on January 16. The programme lasts for three years, during which the foundation distributes over €2 million. The Bloc Grant is being financed by the Financial Mechanism of the European Economic Area, the Norwegian Financial mechanism, and the Slovak state budget. The foundation will support activities concerning the environment, such as decreasing the loss of bio-diversity, and protecting nature's biotopes, raising the quality of air, and cutting the production of greenhouse gases in Slovakia, improving the state of waste economy on a local level, improving and developing infrastructure in water protection and water economy, permanently sustainable energetics projects, food safety, and environmental education.
German language brings in experts
AT A time when the extending Schengen zone erases borders in Europe, the Economic University in Bratislava is holding an international conference with the focus on the German language as the language of experts in border regions. Sixty-six European experts will meet on February 7 and 8 on the university premises to discuss teaching and other aspects of the German language. The conference is taking place under the auspices of First Lady Silvia Gašparovičová and ambassadors of three German speaking countries.
White Pencil supported the visually impaired again
Last year, the Union of Visually Impaired and Purblind of Slovakia (UNSS) organised a nation-wide charitable public collection called The White Pencil, aimed at supporting programmes for visually impaired and purblind citizens. Its leitmotif is a white pencil as the symbol of a world of visually handicapped people. On September 26, at SNP Square in Bratislava, contests in walking with a white stick were organised. People could find out how the tools for the visually handicapped work, or they could learn a lot about the training of seeing-eye dogs, the Sme daily wrote.
Avent Slovakia leaves Slovakia
PIEŠŤANY-based Avent Slovakia will dismiss all of its 800 workers by the end of 2008, the Radio Regina reported. Its parent company, US Kimberly-Clark Corporation is closing the Piešťany plant to curb costs. The company has manufactured sterile operating-theatre sheets and cloaks for 11 years. It denies the claim that it has used up its tax break and now it is leaving for a cheaper region.
Samsung starts production in Voderady
THE SOUTH Korean company Samsung Electronics, which is building a production plant in Slovakia near Voderady, launched serial production of LCD modules on its new premises ahead of schedule, on January 7. It was planning to launch production in March 2008, the SITA newswire wrote.
- The law changed. Our family papers were ready. Now my kids are Slovak citizens
- Maria Theresa on the banks of Bratislava
- The Kremlin’s security agency has a Russian contractor in Slovakia - no one has noticed
- Slovak female triathlete shatters barriers with historic win at Himalayan event
- Slovakia loses another EV model to Spain as Stellantis chooses Zaragoza over Trnava
- From eight to thousands of runners. How Košice marathon rose to prominence Photo
- Iconic Slovak barn still draws crowds. Without donors, it might have been lost Photo
- No more photos or bank statements? Slovakia moves to ease residence process
- The law changed. Our family papers were ready. Now my kids are Slovak citizens
- Maria Theresa on the banks of Bratislava
- Slovak female triathlete shatters barriers with historic win at Himalayan event
- The Kremlin’s security agency has a Russian contractor in Slovakia - no one has noticed
- Slovakia loses another EV model to Spain as Stellantis chooses Zaragoza over Trnava
- From eight to thousands of runners. How Košice marathon rose to prominence Photo
- No more photos or bank statements? Slovakia moves to ease residence process
- Iconic Slovak barn still draws crowds. Without donors, it might have been lost Photo
- The law changed. Our family papers were ready. Now my kids are Slovak citizens
- Maria Theresa on the banks of Bratislava
- No more photos or bank statements? Slovakia moves to ease residence process
- Weekend: Celebration of fun comes to Malacky Photo
- 3 free things to do in Bratislava in the next seven days
- Top 10 events in Bratislava for foreigners
- The Kremlin’s security agency has a Russian contractor in Slovakia - no one has noticed
- Digital Jarvis is real now. He is coming for your to-do list
- The law changed. Our family papers were ready. Now my kids are Slovak citizens
- Maria Theresa on the banks of Bratislava
- No more photos or bank statements? Slovakia moves to ease residence process
- A mayor resigns over €2.7 million fraud scandal at town hall
- The Kremlin’s security agency has a Russian contractor in Slovakia - no one has noticed
- Fico praises China and Vietnam as models, says liberal democracy has failed
- News digest: Violent gang in Bratislava is under arrest
- He designed Gatwick. But this is his masterpiece
- The law changed. Our family papers were ready. Now my kids are Slovak citizens
- News digest: Prosecutor seeks jail for NBS Governor Kažimír as his political support wanes
- Slovakia loses another EV model to Spain as Stellantis chooses Zaragoza over Trnava
- Slovak female triathlete shatters barriers with historic win at Himalayan event
- Weekend: Celebration of fun comes to Malacky Photo
- News digest: Fico’s bloc wants to save money by restricting electoral access
- Slovakia plans to restrict access to new medicines amid funding shortfall
- No more photos or bank statements? Slovakia moves to ease residence process More articles ›
