Archive of articles - October 2008, page 12
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Landlines aren’t sounding a swan song
HOUSEHOLDS worldwide have been abandoning landlines, causing fixed-line operators to focus on business clients, who continue to use the service.
Post office loses hybrid mail monopoly, on EC orders
THE EUROPEAN Commission has stripped Slovakia’s state-owned postal company of part of its monopoly. The market protection granted to Slovenská Pošta which the European Commission has now declared unlawful was the result of an amendment passed by the Slovak parliament earlier this year.
The journalist's dilemma: how to report Ján Slota
WHAT EXACTLY are you supposed to do if you are a journalist in a country which contains Ján Slota? Moreover, a country where Ján Slota represents the will of about 10 percent of the population, and is part of the ruling coalition.
Mobile data services are all the rage, say operators
MOBILE data services are experiencing a golden age in the European Union, at least according to recent surveys.
Switzerland offers regional experience
AIR, water, ideas and crises: ways to resolve difficulties do not stop at state borders.
30,000 clients now on Magio Digital TV
A TOTAL of 30,000 clients in Slovakia are now using the Magio digital TV service provided by dominant fixed-line operator Slovak Telekom (ST), a subsidiary of Germany’s Deutsche Telekom. This is an increase of 10,000 since April 2008, the SITA newswire reported. The company's vice president for sales and operating activities, Ruediger Schulz, said that as many as 100,000 Slovak households are now able to use its optics-based triple-play services. The operator intends to connect between 250,000 and 260,000 households to its optical network, which is now available in parts of Trenčín, Nitra, Banská Bystrica, Zvolen, Košice, Prešov and Poprad. Other cities such as Bratislava, Žilina and Michalovce are to be connected by the end of the year.
More mergers in insurance market
INSURERS Česká Poisťovňa-Slovensko and Generali Poisťovňa have completed their merger. As of October 1 they have been trading as a joint venture, Generali Slovensko, the SITA newswire wrote. The new insurance company’s ambition is to extend its Slovak market share from the current 11 percent to over 15 percent within five years. The new insurer has over 600,000 clients.
Green light for reform programme
THE SLOVAK cabinet approved the National Programme of Reforms of the Slovak Republic for 2008-2010 at its regular session on October 8.
Border killings remain unpunished decades later
THIS October, less than a year after Slovakia joined the Schengen zone, a German woman named Christa Tautz came to Bratislava to see the place where her son, Hartmut, died a painful death.
Text messages from abroad to get cheaper
TEXT messages sent from abroad should be cheaper by next summer. On September 23, the European Commission approved a regulation, according to which the price of one text message should not be higher than €0.11, i.e. about Sk3.3. The current average price in the EU is €0.29 (Sk8.7), which is too much, according to the commission. In Slovakia, for instance, an Orange customer sending an outgoing roaming message while in another EU country pays under Sk11 to the mobile operator, the Hospodárske Noviny financial daily wrote.
Café that employed the disabled closes for repairs
CAFÉ Radnička in Bratislava's Primaciálne Square, which has employed disabled people as waiters, closed temporarily on September 30. It is located in the same building as the Old Town Hall, which is undergoing a two-year long renovation, the SITA newswire wrote.
U.S. may lift visas soon
FOLLOWING an official visit from Slovak President Ivan Gašparovič on October 9, U.S. President George W. Bush stated that he expects Gašparovič to receive a "positive decision" by mid–November on whether the visa requirement for Slovaks will be officially lifted.
Kinstellar launches in "New Europe"
The new identity of the Linklaters Central & Eastern European spin-off firm is unveiled today: Kinstellar. From November 1st 2008, Kinstellar will operate as a fully independent law firm while maintaining a strong “best friends” relationship with Linklaters.
Interest rate cut would not favour banks, Central Bank Governor says
It would not make sense for Slovakia to immediately follow the coordinated interest rate cut undertaken by the U.S. Federal Reserve, the European Central Bank and four other central banks on October 8.
Slovak MEPs criticise SMK
A group of Slovak MEPs criticised Slovakia's ethnic-Hungarian SMK party during a debate in the European Parliament.
Ministry suggests new benefit for children in material need
The Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs, and Family has proposed cancelling the existing contribution for children in material need from January 2009.
Parliamentary Committee wants changes to party financing rules
Problems involving party funding for 2007 - in particular, the recent “cash in a plastic bag” claims affecting the HZDS – and the way they are reported in partys’ annual financial statements could lead to a change in legislation. The Parliamentary Finance Committee has submitted to parliament a draft revision to the Act on Political Parties and Movements, which makes some provisions more specific, the SITA newswire wrote.
SE plans to build steam-gas power plant in Vojany
Slovakia's dominant power generator, Slovenské Elektrárne (SE) is planning to build a combined-cycle steam and gas power plant in Vojany.
Industrial sales fell in August
Industrial sales decreased year-on-year in August for the first time this year (y/y), the Statistics Office reported on October 9.
Fico raises deposit guarantee to 100 percent
The Slovak Government on October 8 raised the guarantee for bak deposits to 100 percent, eliminating depositors’ 10 percent co-responsibility, it was announced on October 8, the TASR newswire wrote.
- The law changed. Our family papers were ready. Now my kids are Slovak citizens
- Legendary captain Zdeno Chára inducted into IIHF Hall of Fame Video
- 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
- Liberal MP's boxing challenge backfires as far-right MEP seizes the moment
- No more photos or bank statements? Slovakia moves to ease residence process
- From eight to thousands of runners. How Košice marathon rose to prominence Photo
- 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
- Slovakia loses another EV model to Spain as Stellantis chooses Zaragoza over Trnava
- 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
- 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
- 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
- Top 10 events in Bratislava for foreigners
- 3 free things to do in Bratislava in the next seven days
- Legendary captain Zdeno Chára inducted into IIHF Hall of Fame Video
- Liberal MP's boxing challenge backfires as far-right MEP seizes the moment
- 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 More articles ›
