Archive of articles - September 2008, page 2
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Tatras under scrutiny
SLOVAKIA might no longer be entitled to call its premier highland conservation area, the High Tatra Mountains, a national park at international forums if the concerns of one of the world’s leading nature conservation organisation turn out to be justified.
Environment Ministry gets new state secretary
MILOSLAV Šebek, previously head of the Slovak Land Fund (SPF), became the state secretary at the Environment Ministry on September 24. Prime Minister Robert Fico, who is also the leader of the main coalition party, Smer, nominated Šebek for the post, the SITA newswire wrote.
Antitrust office probes three Slovak banks for alleged cartel agreement
THE ANTITRUST Office (PMÚ) has opened administrative proceedings against three major banks because of a suspected violation of the law on protecting economic competition.
Americans should register early to vote
American citizens who wish to vote in the upcoming presidential and general election should registerand request an absentee ballot. Complete an application at www.fvap.gov or pick up a hardcopy at the U.S. Embassy. Many states close voter registration 30 days before the general election,and don’t forget the time it takes for voting forms to reach the U.S. by mail. To contact the VotingAssistance Officer, call 02/5443-0861 or send an e-mail to Votebratislava@state.gov.
Tatra tram and funicular are 100
THE TATRA Tram Railway (TEŽ) is celebrating its 100th anniversary. On September 20, not only railwaymen but history lovers and residents of Poprad, High Tatras and other communities beneath the Tatra mountains, to which the tram brought new opportunities for development, gathered to commemorate the anniversary, the SITA newswire wrote.
Citizens call for improved cycling routes
ABOUT 50 citizens gathered on Primaciálne Square in Bratislava on September 22 and called on Mayor Andrej Ďurkovský to improve conditions for cyclists in the Slovak capital. They also asked him to show them a cycling route that would meet all European standards, and would be safe for both children and adults, the vice-chairman of the Green Party Slovakia, Ivan Hirländer, told the SITA newswire.
READERS FEEDBACK
I thought a while after reading your article about the Fico government's newly granted power to regulate prices, and why many people, including myself, are uncomfortable with this government control.
Countrywide Events
Western SLOVAKIA Bratislava EXHIBITION: SAND, SEA and sky are among the favourite themes of Mária Machatová, a young promising painter who is presenting her new display, Sand in Hand, in Bratislava. The artist’s works were inspired by the French region of Camargue, which boats vast salt lakes and deserted beaches. Machatová often highlights the lightness of being, which gives her paintings a slight shadow of melancholy. To stay relevant, she also indirectly points out recent threats posed by global warming. Her paintings can be admired daily except weekends from 9:00 to 18:00 at the Gallery of the French Institute at Sedlárska 7 until November 4. Admission is free. For more information, go to www.france.sk.
Pension pillars shake again
THE PENSION system, which has been experiencing turbulence since the start of the year, now looks set to face a fresh period of uncertainty. The second pillar of the pension system, which allows contributors to pay into privately-managed funds, was opened by the government for six months earlier this year to give people the opportunity to return to the alternative, publicly-managed scheme.
Ministry cancels Tiso fund–raising
THE INTERIOR Ministry has halted a fund-raising effort which was intended to pay for the reconstruction of the birthplace of Jozef Tiso, Slovakia's wartime leader and an ally of Adolf Hitler. Despite having originally authorised the fund-raising, the ministry cancelled it following media scrutiny.
Health insurers coy on campaign expenditures
MOST health insurance companies in Slovakia have not announced how much they plan to spend on this year’s advertising campaign to lure customers, SITA wrote on September 9.
Fair Play calls for objective audits of party finances
THE FAIR Play Alliance, a non-governmental ethics watchdog, has warned that oversight of party financing is sorely lacking in Slovakia. As an example, it has cited balance sheets and annual reports from the Smer party and the Slovak Democratic and Christian Union (SDKÚ), both of which, Fair Play contends, have broken party financing laws by failing to report gifts.
Lexa wins case in Human Rights Court
THE EUROPEAN Court for Human Rights (ECHR) in Strasbourg on September 23 ruled in favour of Ivan Lexa, Slovakia's spy chief in the mid-1990s under then-Prime Minister Vladimír Mečiar, who had sued Slovakia for unlawful detention.
Bratislava has a new guidebook
BRATISLAVA is the country’s capital and it deserves guidebooks that provide tourists with all the information they’ll need. The recently published Bratislava Active guidebook has enriched the so-far limited offer of such literature in English.
Castle complex in Nitra lacks a castle
THE NITRA Castle complex is among the most beautiful in Slovakia despite the paradox that no real castle can be found there. Only its fortifications remain.
Ministry expects slow growth in natural gas consumption
CONSUMPTION of natural gas in Slovakia will gradually rise in the coming years, according to the Economy Ministry. The ministry has predicted the country’s consumption will rise to about 6.23 billion cubic metres this year, an increase of about 0.43 billion. According to an annual report that the ministry conducts each July, gas consumption will rise to 6.5 billion cubic metres in 2010 and 7.7 billion cubic metres in 2020. The ministry expects a moderate growth in gas consumption within the next 3-5 years due to construction of new sources to generate electricity and heat.
Trichet: Slovakia is preparing very well for the euro
EUROPEAN Central Bank President Jean-Claude Trichet praised Slovakia’s preparations for the euro at a press conference during the Slovakia Euro Changeover Conference in Bratislava on September 22.
International Press Institute begins work in Slovakia
A BODY devoted to defending global press freedom, the International Press Institute (IPI), has officially launched operations in Slovakia. Founding members of the Slovak branch of the organisation, which operates in over 120 countries worldwide, met at the first regular session of IPI Slovensko general assembly in Bratislava on September 23, the SITA newswire wrote.
Slovaks look out for old age
SURVEYS by the Banking Association of Slovakia suggest that the knowledge of Slovaks about financial products is quite weak. However, this is not the case with life insurance products. Slovaks are, on average, more interested in life insurance and in how they will live after they retire than in the rest of Europe.
UNESCO listing boosts interest in Slovakia's wooden churches
THE WOODEN churches in Slovakia that were recently added to the UNESCO World Heritage List have reported an increase in visits by tourists and locals.
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- Top 10 events in Bratislava for foreigners More articles ›
