Archive of articles - April 2008, page 10
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Lisbon Treaty passes after SMK switch
THE LISBON Treaty was finally approved by Parliament on April 10 after months of wrangling between the coalition and opposition.
Still safe, but credit crunch worries persist
WHILE the financial world ponders whether the US economy has only slowed or has actually dipped into recession, Slovakia still feels protected by recent foreign investments, the economy's muscular growth and the fact that the region's banks weren't heavily exposed via securities to US sub-prime mortgages. The healthy real estate market, simpler loan products and more cautious banks should also help to shield Slovakia from any major crisis.
Euro decision day approaches
SLOVAKIA is now officially in the home stretch to adopt the euro in January 2009. On April 5 the country asked the European Commission and the European Central Bank to assess its readiness to switch to the EU currency. Both government officials and market watchers are confident that Slovakia is meeting all the Maastricht criteria for joining the euro, including the ever-sensitive inflation requirement. Any heated discussion in Brussels about Slovakia's prospects will certainly be about the country's ability to sustain these criteria, analysts said.
Slovak industrial pay grows at record pace
WORKERS enjoyed the fastest wage increase since May 2006 in February. The year-on-year increase in wages accelerated from January's 8.1 percent to 9.8 percent in February, the ČTK newswire reported, quoting data published by the Slovak Statistics Office.
Just what the vet ordered
IT IS SAID that people's behaviour towards animals reflects the maturity of their society. What the 2,000-odd stray animals caught each year just in Bratislava suggests about Slovak society is hard to say.
Commodities are not for the faint of heart
GOLD has ascended the throne atop the commodities market over the past several months. In fact, investment into gold has been credited with protecting investors from the crisis that has spread throughout global financial markets recently.
A cheap winter for the capital
BRATISLAVA came off lightly this winter, it has emerged. The capital put aside Sk189 million for winter road treatment, snow-ploughing and repair of winter damage, but the light winter meant maintenance costs only reached Sk43 million. The city therefore saved more than 75 percent of its budget - for the second consecutive year, the Pravda daily wrote.
Sweet success for Slovak wines abroad
SLOVAK wines won plaudits at this year's Vinitaly international wine competition, held in the Italian city of Verona. Two wines won gold medals; a third won silver, the Sme daily reported. Almost 3,600 wines from 32 countries were competing for 88 medals.
Countrywide Events
Western SLOVAKIA
Case against Valko, Rehák dismissed
EXTORTION charges have been dropped against two prominent supporters of the political opposition, attorney Ernest Valko and businessman Ladislav Rehák.
Second-graders to cyber-geeks
SIX and 7-year-old second-graders at the R. Dilong elementary school in Trstená have recently received new notebook computers. They will use them to work at school, but also on homework, the Oravské Noviny regional paper reported. It's a pilot project sponsored by a major software company, which is also meant as a reward for innovation and project activities carried out by the class's teacher, Peter Pallo, and his colleague Ľudovít Mačor.
Quote of the Week:
"Someone who lives in a family house, and pays thousands and thousands for gas heating, does not give a damn about what some third-class OSCE official, Mr. Haraszti, says"
Slovak finance group opens bank in Moscow
THE J&T Finance Group has entered the Russian banking market, where it opened a branch of its J&T Bank in Moscow, the SITA newswire wrote.
Price no longer key for grocery shoppers
FRESHNESS and quality are the two most important criteria for Slovaks when they buy food. Price, which for a long time was the main factor, fell to second place, the Hospodárske Noviny reported, citing the results of a survey of 1,000 respondents conducted by GfK Slovakia. Traders have also confirmed this shift in preferences. According to the survey, as many as 85 percent of buyers consider food quality to be "very important".
Trade inspection readies for euro switch
THE SLOVAK Trade Inspection (SOI) confirmed that it is prepared to conduct price checks during the dual price display in the months preceding euro adoption.
Standing ovation for Astorka in LA
A LOS ANGELES audience rewarded the Slovak Astorka Korzo '90 Theatre troupe with a standing ovation on April 5.
SLSP pays out Sk1.6 billion in dividends
THE COUNTRY's largest bank, Slovenská Sporiteľňa (SLSP), is divvying up part of last year's profit among its shareholders.
KDH backs Radičová for president
IVETA Radičová has won the support of the Christian Democratic Movement (KDH). All three opposition parties are now committed to supporting the deputy chair of the Slovak Democratic and Christian Union (SDKÚ) in her bid to get elected as national head of state in polls scheduled for 2009, the ČTK newswire wrote.
Soviet soldiers liberate Bratislava Castle - again
BRATISLAVA Castle turned back the clock 63 years on April 5 as members of the Klub Vojenskej histórie (War History Club) Carpathia re-enacted its liberation in 1945, the Pravda daily reported.
Only 31 days in March after all, Slovak Post confirms
A FICTIONAL date - 'March 32' - which appeared on mail sent from Post Offices 5 and 13 in Košice was caused by machine failure, according to Andrea Pivarčiová, spokesperson for Slovak Post, the SITA newswire reports.
- The law changed. Our family papers were ready. Now my kids are Slovak citizens
- Maria Theresa on the banks of Bratislava
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- Top 10 events in Bratislava for foreigners
- 3 free things to do in Bratislava in the next seven days
- 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 ›
