Archive of articles - May 2008, page 3
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Countrywide Events
Western SLOVAKIA
Companies still leery of complex outsourcing
ABOUT two thirds of companies which took part in a poll by eFocus magazine said they use some form of outsourcing. The magazine conducted its poll last year among potential and existing users of outsourcing in Slovakia. There were more than 180 respondents, mostly top managers in the information and communication technology industry, business, finance, telecom-munications, and public administration, the Hospodárske Noviny financial daily reported.
Scandal over MP's forged signatures
THE SLOVAK parliament has been racked by allegations of deceit over falsified signatures used by a coalition party leader to qualify for tax-payer funded pay and allowances. Despite early resistance from the speaker, parliament has now instructed him to report on the affair.
Pezinok dump is being built
AFTER three inspections, the Bratislava Environmental Inspectorate (IŽP) has confirmed what many in Pezinok have known for weeks: that an illegal waste dump is being built in the town.
Slota jibe nixes PMs' meeting
THE HUNGARIAN Prime Minister, Ferenc Gyurcsány, has put on hold a long-planned meeting with his Slovak counterpart, Robert Fico, following controversial statements made by Ján Slota, a fellow-party leader of Fico's in the governing coalition. Slota, chairman of the Slovak National Party (SNS), made his comments in reference to St Stephen, an important historical figure for Hungarians. The Slovak prime minister has made light of the comments.
McFerrin concert is 'Christmas in May'
"IF I said that this is Christmas, I would be wrong. Because Christmas takes place every year and this has happened only once in 22 years."
Checks on Austrian-Slovak border to restart for a month
LESS than six months after Slovakia joined the Schengen zone, its border with Austria will go up again at airports and land crossings from June 2 to July 1, the SITA newswire wrote.
Economic growth slowed to 8.7 percent in Q1
SLOVAKIA'S year-on-year economic growth decelerated in the first quarter of 2008, ending at 8.7 percent, which is far from the record 14.3 percent GDP reported in the final quarter of 2007. The Slovak Statistics Office published this information as a flash estimate on May 15.
The 'clown' of controversy
JÁN SLOTA has done it again. His unique turns of phrase have conquered the news headlines once more. He's in the news this time for much the same reason as on every previous occasion: cheap controversy. First, he issued a statement which carelessly injected another squirt of poison into the festering Slovak-Hungarian relationship. Then he proceeded to cock a snook at parliament by demonstrating that he regards attending its session as little more than a joke at taxpayers' expense.
Pensioner is fined for not creating garbage
A GARBAGE truck does not have to stop in front of 75-year-old Jozef Prištic's house in the oldest part of Piešťany because this pensioner does not own a garbage container. Furthermore, he says he does not want one because his household doesn't produce any garbage, the Pravda daily wrote.Prištic says he puts all the waste from his kitchen and perfectly cultivated garden in compost, grinds bones and uses them to feed animals, and brings all paper, glass and metal to the scrap yard. As proof, he offered copies of receipts that he shows to inspectors from time to time."It is not easy to cut every stick into small pieces for the compost," he explained to members of the Environmental Committee. "My hands are all calloused from that."
Slovakia ranks 20th in the Global Peace Index
SLOVAKIA has kept its ranking of 20th in the Global Peace Index 2008. Iceland is the world's most peaceful nation, followed by Denmark and Norway, according to the study released on May 20.
Quote of the Week:
"I hope whoever signs the new law on the Nation's Memory Institute does so with their real signature."
Second Twin City Liner takes to the river
BRATISLAVA Mayor Andrej Ďurkovský and Vienna Mayor Michael Häupl recently inaugurated the Twin City Liner 2, a lightweight catamaran that will add to trips between the capitals already made by the popular Twin City Liner boat.
Slovak banks take a shine to outsourcing
SLOVAK banks have already discovered the advantages of outsourcing. They use it as a way to cut costs and staff, while staying aware that the situation is different for banks, which work with sensitive personal data.
Slovakia elected to UN Human Rights Council
SLOVAKIA is now a member of an international body founded to fight racism and discrimination, and protect the rights of women, children and national minorities. Slovakia gained a seat on the United Nations Human Rights Council after 135 UN member countries voted in favour of its candidacy during the 62nd UN General Assembly session on May 21 in New York.
Avoiding the euro bug
FOR the majority of companies, euro adoption might not be as simple as just converting from Slovak crowns. The switch will affect systems that many companies don't realise play an important role in their daily function, or that are connected to vital systems. In a recent survey, Ernst & Young gave the euro's impact on MS Excel spreadsheets as an example of this.
Spiš Castle
SPIŠ Castle lies on a hill that has been populated since time immemorial. The largest number of people lived there at the beginning of the first century AD, during the Celtic period. The remnants of that civilization can be found there to this day.
State focuses on long-term jobless
CHANGES to training models, help for the long-term unemployed to get used to working again, social companies, more active help from agents in local labour offices: these are among the tools that the Slovak government says it will use to improve Slovakia's employment position. The revision to the law on employment services, which became effective on May 1, also aspires to foster the employment of disadvantaged groups such as the physically disabled or those with lower qualifications.
Outsourcing still finding its way in Slovakia
ONE WAY of cutting costs is through outsourcing, with savings amounting to 5 to 15 percent. That's the finding of an Everest Research Institute study, according to a report in the Hospodárske Noviny daily.
Euro opportunity for consultancy firms
SLOVAKIA's almost certain eurozone entry has launched the busiest phase that some sectors will ever face, posing new challenges to both small and larger firms, as well as the consultants these firms might hire to assist the process. While some say that the euro-switch should bring some good business to the consultants, the consultancy firms say that it also increases pressure and requires responsibility.
- News digest: Finns air unseen video of Fico shooting, PM’s bloody jacket driven away by minister
- Weekend: What to make of Easter in Slovakia
- Hundreds of people ousted from Bratislava’s Volkswagen
- US giant pulls plug on Slovak factory, axing 137 jobs
- 3 free things to do in Bratislava in the next seven days
- When to shop over Easter: Opening hours for supermarkets in Slovakia
- “Return not,” the ocean cried. But I returned for her
- Cockroaches and crumbling toilets greet seven-year-old battling serious virus
- Hundreds of people ousted from Bratislava’s Volkswagen
- 3 free things to do in Bratislava in the next seven days
- Weekend: What to make of Easter in Slovakia
- News digest: Finns air unseen video of Fico shooting, PM’s bloody jacket driven away by minister
- US giant pulls plug on Slovak factory, axing 137 jobs
- When to shop over Easter: Opening hours for supermarkets in Slovakia
- Prices surge in Slovakia as inflation hits 15-month high
- Cockroaches and crumbling toilets greet seven-year-old battling serious virus
- “Return not,” the ocean cried. But I returned for her
- German shoemaker Lowa joins wave of factory closures in Slovakia
- Hundreds of people ousted from Bratislava’s Volkswagen
- Prices surge in Slovakia as inflation hits 15-month high
- US giant pulls plug on Slovak factory, axing 137 jobs
- When to shop over Easter: Opening hours for supermarkets in Slovakia
- Danish shoemaker to shut Slovak factory, axing 650 jobs in fresh blow to struggling region
- News digest: A parade too far? Fico heads to Moscow despite EU warnings Video
- A café in an ice cellar, sand dunes and a flower shop at the border
- “Return not,” the ocean cried. But I returned for her
- Hollywood turns Slovak highlands into high-speed playground Video
- German shoemaker Lowa joins wave of factory closures in Slovakia
- Chicken Jockey! Chicken Jockey! Chicken Jockey! Video
- Danish shoemaker to shut Slovak factory, axing 650 jobs in fresh blow to struggling region
- Prices surge in Slovakia as inflation hits 15-month high
- Hundreds of people ousted from Bratislava’s Volkswagen
- Slovakia's latest basketball star is destined for great things in the USA
- News digest: Finns air unseen video of Fico shooting, PM’s bloody jacket driven away by minister
- 3 free things to do in Bratislava in the next seven days
- He has been disciplined for delays. Now he will lead Slovakia’s top court
- Slovak startup Upfan declares war on fake tickets
- Smer MEP tells Slovaks to learn the EU’s rules – so they can break free from Brussels
- Too small to cope alone, Slovak villages are teaming up
- Top 10 events in Bratislava for foreigners More articles ›
