Archive of articles - May 2009, page 2
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Quote of the Week
“My experience from many years in politics is that if you do not speak the truth, sooner or later the truth will come out. And the later it comes out, the higher is the pressure on the one who concealed it.” Former prime minister Vladimír Mečiar - an unlikely convert to the cause of honesty in politics - calls on the current prime minister, Robert Fico, to reveal details of the disputed CO2 emissions quotas sales contract.
Questions for SNS minister
THE CONTROVERSIES swirling around ministers nominated by the Slovak National Party (SNS) have yet to abate. Two ministers from the SNS, one of two junior parties in the tripartite governing coalition, have been forced to resign in the past two months over dubious public contracts.
Art lights Košice streets (video included)
IN KOŠICE, contemplating a piece of art at three in the morning has now become possible even for those who have not honed their lock-picking skills. The reason is that the city, holder of the European Capital of Culture (ECOC) 2013 title, recently launched a project entitled Citylight Gallery, which aims to make art a part of people’s everyday lives. Its first exhibition was presented to the public for two weeks during May.
Movie Review: Star Trek
Star TrekStarring: Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldana, Eric Bana.Directed by: J J Abrams
Bratislavan wins Best Customer Service Agent certificate
COMPETENCE Call Center (CCC), one of the leading European call centres currently present in six countries, including Slovakia, harvested a number of awards at the Contact Center World Conference in London last June.
IT outsourcing is a complex relationship
OUTSOURCING of IT services is one of the ways that a company can become more effective and competitive. Along with cost-savings, IT outsourcing enables companies to keep pace with the rapid changes in information technologies and to garner the experience of professional teams. But in spite of an increase in the level of IT outsourcing, Slovakia is still lagging behind trends in other countries.
Moody’s puts nine Slovak financial institutions on downgrade watch
International rating agency Moody’s on May 26 placed the ratings of nine Slovak financial institutions on review for possible downgrade
Re-enactment of WWII battle for the Dargov Pass
ON THE weekend of May 8-10 when Europe celebrated the victory over fascism in WWII, members of the Cassovia Corp and Retro Air civic associations from Košice organised a re-enactment of the battle to free Dargov Pass in eastern Slovakia from the German army.
More controversy surrounds bishop
THE ARCHBISHOP of Trnava, Ján Sokol, who is expected to retire soon, is alleged to have transferred Sk500 million [€16.6 million at 2009 exchange rates] to the account of a former communist-era secret police (ŠtB) agent, Štefan Náhlik, in 1998, the Týždeň weekly reported.
Voting possibilities for foreigners in Slovakia
Citizens of EU member states with residency permits in Slovakia who registered before April 27 can vote in the European Parliament (EP) elections for Slovak candidates.
Another candidate for the dodgy contracts hall of fame
IT MIGHT make a good shaggy dog story if it wasn’t actually so serious: the junior ruling coalition member, the Slovak National Party (SNS), now has its third minister under the media spotlight over yet another questionable contract.
Primitivism – The second coming
ANYONE who drives at over 100 kilometres per hour in a 50-zone is making a statement, as clear as if he were driving along with his middle finger extended out the window: I don’t care about your safety or that of your family or pets; I don’t care about your neighbourhood or your right to enjoy your garden without cars roaring by; I don’t care about the laws of this country or the people who enforce them.
Swine flu in Slovakia
SLOVAKIA’s first case of novel flu virus – better known as swine flu – has been confirmed in a 37-year-old Bratislava man who recently returned from the USA, Health Minister Richard Raši announced at a special briefing on May 28, the SITA newswire reported.
EP elections ready – but for whom?
THE BALLOT boxes are ready for Europeans to elect their new representatives to the unique institution called the European Parliament (EP). Over the course of four days between June 4 and 7, more than 375 million Europeans are eligible to cast a ballot for deputies who are supposed to work in the EP on the basis of political affiliation rather than nationality. However, a week before the election it appears as if a majority of the electorate is not yet convinced that Europe really needs their vote.
Four outpatient health-care providers to receive EU funding
FOUR outpatient health-care providers will receive non-refundable contributions from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). Providers based in Nitra, Žilina, Martin and Bardejov will share the overall allocation of about €6.5 million, which will be spent on reconstruction, further construction and modernisation, the SITA newswire reported.
CB Richard Ellis is among top outsourcing providers
THE INTERNATIONAL Association of Outsourcing Professionals (IAOP) has named CB Richard Ellis Group in The Global Outsourcing 100 for the third straight year. The list recognises the world’s best outsourcing service providers across all industries and is based on applications received and evaluated by an independent panel of judges, Kristína Havasová, marketing and PR manager of CB Richard Ellis (CBRE) in Slovakia, informed The Slovak Spectator in March.
State social insurer in trouble
THE COUNTRY’S social security provider is becoming increasingly nervous about its financial position, in large part because savers have ignored its warnings that they themselves should be nervous about saving in the second, capitalisation, pillar of the country’s pension system, set up by the previous government.
The flexible will respond well to crisis
Turbulent times always open up new questions and societies can hardly progress until they effectively answer them. The global economic crisis has posed some tough questions for Slovakia’s labour market and for human resources professionals but Igor Šulík believes that those who are flexible and innovative will respond effectively to them.
Ruling coalition split over Special Court
WHILE on May 20 it seemed as if the nation could start counting the final days of Slovakia’s Special Court, which currently hears cases dealing with organised crime and high corruption, now both Prime Minister Robert Fico and the opposition are fighting to save the institution. However, opinions differ over the form the court should take in the future.
Bargain-basement price?
HOT AIR has become an essential part of the vocabulary of all Slovaks over the past several weeks while the governing coalition, the opposition and the media debated the controversial sale of Slovakia’s excess emissions quotas that has already cost one Slovak National Party (SNS) minister his seat and caused trouble for his successor since his first day in office. The latest findings published by the Sme daily indicate that Slovakia may have lost about €120 million on the sale; nevertheless, Prime Minister Robert Fico has so far rejected the figures and ignored the growing controversy.
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- Slovakia loses another EV model to Spain as Stellantis chooses Zaragoza over Trnava
- News digest: Prosecutor seeks jail for NBS Governor Kažimír as his political support wanes
- Maria Theresa on the banks of Bratislava
- News digest: Fico’s bloc wants to save money by restricting electoral access
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- 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
- News digest: Fico’s bloc wants to save money by restricting electoral access
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- Slovakia plans to restrict access to new medicines amid funding shortfall
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- No more photos or bank statements? Slovakia moves to ease residence process
- News digest: Violent gang in Bratislava is under arrest
- The Kremlin’s security agency has a Russian contractor in Slovakia - no one has noticed
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- Weekend: Celebration of fun comes to Malacky Photo
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- Top 10 events in Bratislava for foreigners
- Maria Theresa on the banks of Bratislava
- A mayor resigns over €2.7 million fraud scandal at town hall
- Show me your moves! Slovak hockey stars share their best pick-up lines
- No more photos or bank statements? Slovakia moves to ease residence process
- He designed Gatwick. But this is his masterpiece
- Fico praises China and Vietnam as models, says liberal democracy has failed
- News digest: Violent gang in Bratislava is under arrest
- The compass points to Kúty, and people are starting to follow
- 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
- Top 10 events in Bratislava for foreigners More articles ›
