Archive of articles - January 2009, page 2
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Holocaust victims should be always remembered: Čaplovič
Today the world remembers one of the greatest tragedies in the history of humankind – the Holocaust. January 27 is the day when the largest Nazi extermination camp in Auschwitz was liberated.
Slovakia will preside over International Commission to protect the Danube
Slovakia will take over the presidency of the International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River (ICPDR) at the UN headquarters in Vienna. After last year’s Serbian presidency, Slovakia will preside over ICPDR through 2009, SITA newswire wrote.
Lipšic of KDH encourages voting for Radičová
The opposition must admit the mistakes they made in their style of governing and pay their moral debt to their electorate. The first step towards overcoming the frustration of the voters is to vote for Iveta Radičová in the presidential elections, said the deputy president of Christian Democratic Movement (KDH) Daniel Lipšic, SITA newswire reported. He is supported by members of the general public who are gathered in the initiative called Slovakia, You Can Make It! (Slovensko, Ty na to máš!) who believe that Slovakia is able to overcome its apathy and stagnation.
Opposition representative chosen for the Crisis Council
The opposition parties agreed on their candidate to represent them in the Government Council for the Economic Crisis. They chose Vladimír Tvarožka, the former state secretary of the Finance Ministry. His nomination was announced by Mikuláš Dzurinda, the head of Slovak Democratic Christian Union (SDKU) after the party’s negotiations with the Party of Hungarian Coalition (SMK), TASR newswire informed.
Gašparovič appoints Lajčák as new Foreign Affairs Minister
President Ivan Gašparovič appointed career diplomat Miroslav Lajčák as Slovakia’s new Foreign Affairs Minister on Monday, January 26. Lajčák has replaced Ján Kubiš, who left to become the new Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe in Geneva, the TASR newswire wrote. Kubiš was appointed to his new post by United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on December 19. He was due to begin his new job in mid-January, but this was delayed by the gas crisis in Slovakia that was triggered by the dispute between Ukraine and Russia earlier in January. Although he has become a member of the Slovak Cabinet, Lajčák is still the UN and EU representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina at the moment. On January 27 he will attend a session of the Peace Implementation Council in Sarajevo during which the selection of his successor will be discussed. TASR
Norway's Q-FREE ASA to provide main system for toll collection
SkyToll, a company set up by members of the Ibertax-SanToll consortium, which won the tender for an electronic road toll collection system in Slovakia, will sign a contract with Norwegian firm Q-FREE ASA to provide the main system, along with an enforcement system and three years of comprehensive road toll collection services, SkyToll's spokesperson Eva Guttlerová told the TASR newswire. Q-FREE will begin providing the services immediately after signing the contract. The system will be set up in 2009, and Q-FREE will service and maintain it over the next three years. Slovakia's electronic toll collection system will be unique because, in addition to tolls on motorways, it will also cover a large number of A-class roads. A satellite system based on GPS-GSM technology which should provide maximum flexibility in dealing with an increase in freight transport on highways and expansion of the road network expected over the next few years.
Lajčák to stay in Bosnia for brief transition period
New Slovak foreign minister Miroslav Lajčák said he had agreed with Prime Minister Robert Fico to finalise his duties as the High Representative and the European Union’s special envoy in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Until February 6, he will spend much of his time in Sarajevo, where he holds the position of High Representative and reports to the Peace Implementation Council which oversees compliance with Bosnia's 1995 peace agreement, TASR wrote. Lajčák, 45, intends to make his first foreign trip to the Czech Republic, which currently holds the EU presidency. He also plans to meet his Hungarian counterpart Kinga Goncz as soon as possible to continue in the mutual effort to improve bilateral relations. TASR
PM gives opposition chance to have members on Crisis Council
Prime Minister Robert Fico will propose that the opposition parties nominate one expert for the Government Council for the Economic Crisis, he said on January 26 in Bratislava. Fico spoke after the SDKÚ-DS and Christian Democrats (KDH) parties earlier in the day declared their willingness to work with the government on steps designed to counter the adverse effects of the global economic crisis, the TASR newswire wrote.
KDH refuses to talk with SMK over Duray’s statements
Instead of the originally planned meeting of the Opposition Council, which should have taken place on January 15, SDKÚ-DS will hold two separate bilateral sessions with the KDH party (Christian Democrats) and with the ethnic-Hungarian SMK party during the week of January 26, the TASR newswire was told by SDKU-DS caucus leader Stanislav Janis on Sunday, January 25.
Slovakia's largest snow park opened
Slovakia's largest snow park was opened on Saturday, January 24, in the ski resort of Jasná in the Žilina region, Jasna Ski Park’s marketing director Katarína Sarafinová told the TASR newswire. The new snow park is located in Jelení Grúň (Stag Hillside), which is above the Záhradky (Small Gardens) ski area. Various jumps are among the main attractions for skiers and snowboarders, according to Sarafinová, who stressed that most of these ramps feature so-called safe jumps.
Jews in Komárno mark Holocaust Memorial Day with a plaque
A memorial plaque of the ‘Slovak Jewish Heritage Travel’ was unveiled at the Menhaz Jewish centre in Komárno on Sunday, January 25, to mark Holocaust Memorial Day on January 27 and the 100th anniversary of the Jewish Youth Organisation in Komárno, the TASR newswire wrote. The Jewish Religious Community (ŽNO) in Komárno has been organising this event since 2007.
Mečiar: Melník to hand in petition sheets on Tuesday
Presidential candidate Milan Melník, who is supported by the governing coalition party ĽS-HZDS, has received more than 120,000 petition signatures, HZDS chairman Vladimír Mečiar announced at the party's Republic Board session in Dolný Kubín on January 24, the TASR newswire wrote. According to Mečiar, Melník's petition committee will hand in the signature sheets to Parliamentary Chairman Pavol Paška on Tuesday, January 27.
EC gloomier over growth
JANUARY’S gas supply problems have rather overshadowed wider economic developments. But one piece of recent news represents, simultaneously, a serious and an optimistic signal for Slovakia: the European Commission (EC) has sharply reduced its forecast for the country’s economic growth, but it still ranks Slovakia as one of the top economic performer within the European Union (EU).
Mid-season events on slopes
ONLY days ago the thermometer was still showing temperatures below zero but now skiers could be forgiven for weeping as they watch weather forecasts predicting almost spring-like weather. The blanket of snow is growing thinner and there is even a possibility that resorts located at lower elevations will face restricted conditions. The weather will be very unstable. One day it might be snowing; the next there might be rain. However, new snow will fall at Chopok and in the High Tatras which, thanks to their height, are in a safe area.
Health-care facilities face vicious circle
SLOVAKIA’s entry to the eurozone and the global economic crisis are mentioned as two reasons why many Slovaks who have been working abroad for an extended time are now thinking about returning home and finding their place in the Slovak labour market.
Birdwatchers monitor winter arrivals
THOUSANDS of birds from northern Europe have come to spend the winter in Slovakia, thanks to cold weather during the last weeks. Many places in Slovakia are ideal to watch species that cannot be found here in other seasons, said Jozef Ridzoň of the Slovak Ornithological Society. Bohemian Waxwings are more in evidence this year than in previous winters and can often be spotted in the centres of busy towns and cities. Winter guests also include rare northern waterbirds that have flown in from as far away as the Arctic tundra or Siberia, the Sme daily reported.
Plastic producers join forces
THE SLOVAK Plastic Cluster was established in Nitra in early January.“The highest concentration of companies focusing on plastic production is in the Nitra Region,” Zuzana Liptayová from the cluster told TASR, adding that there are more than 100 companies making plastic products which are interested in cluster membership.
Something is rotten in the state of Slovakia's gas supply
IN EACH crisis lies a lesson for societies who do not want to continue locked in an endless cycle of re-emerging problems fuelled by the same cause. In the last three weeks Slovakia has not been able to avoid noticing that something is rotten in the state of the pipeline system delivering Russian gas to Slovakia via Ukraine.
Return of the famous
EIGHT historical personalities are to return – albeit symbolically - to Dolný Kubín. The town is building a Park of Activists, which should be completed by the beginning of summer, Dolný Kubín’s mayor, Ivan Budiak, told the SITA newswire.
From a village to a town
THIS POSTCARD shows Dolný Kubín, in the centre of the picturesque Lower Orava region, as it looked in 1924. With its several church towers and peeping roofs, it was a very charming place.
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- Weekend: Celebration of fun comes to Malacky Photo
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- No more photos or bank statements? Slovakia moves to ease residence process
- Top 10 events in Bratislava for foreigners More articles ›
