Archive of articles - August 2009
If you desire to read an old article, use the search bar or select the publication date.
Agreement reached on another highway PPP project
Slovakia has finally signed a deal with the Granvia consortium governing the financial terms under which the consortium will build a stretch of the R1 highway linking Nitra and Tekovské Nemce, Lubomir Vážny, the minister of Transport, Posts and Telecommunications told the TASR newswire on Friday, August 28.
Lajčák says meeting with Hungary’s Balazs re-established standard dialogue
Slovak Foreign Affairs Minister Miroslav Lajčák met his Hungarian counterpart Peter Balazs in the Slovenian town of Bled on Sunday, August 30, to discuss a possible meeting between the Slovak and Hungarian premiers and ways to improve bilateral relations, the TASR newswire wrote.
Anniversary of Slovak National Uprising celebrated in Banská Bystrica
The central celebrations of the 65th anniversary of the Slovak National Uprising (SNP) took place in Banská Bystrica on Saturday, August 29 with high attendance despite rainy weather. Slovakia’s three top constitutional officials joined the celebrations and in their addresses following the wreath-laying ceremony at the SNP Memorial they underscored the importance of the Uprising as one of the most important events in the history of the Slovak nation, the SITA newswire wrote.
Deputy PM Čaplovič is appointed temporary head of Environment Ministry
Slovakia’s Deputy Prime Minister for a Knowledge-based Society, European Affairs, Human Rights and Minorities, Dušan Čaplovič, was put in charge of the Environment Ministry by President Ivan Gašparovič on Friday, August 28, the TASR newswire wrote.
Štefanov: bulletin-board case closed
CONSTRUCTION Minister Igor Štefanov claims that he verbally gave Prime Minister Robert Fico an overview of the financial payments made in the so-called ‘bulletin-board tender’ by “using notes he had prepared in written form”. However, Fico claimed earlier in July on public service Slovak Radio that he had received the information in written form, the SITA newswire reported.
Private healthinsurers plan to merge
HEALTH insurance companies operating in Slovakia are continuing to consolidate. After the merger of the two state health insurance companies was announced by Health Minister Richard Raši in July, two private health insurance companies, Apollo and Dôvera, now say they too will come together. The mergers will leave Slovakia’s health insurance market with just three insurers: one state and two private.
Sharing Visegrad spirit
WHAT characteristics do Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland want the Visegrad region to have in a decade or two? How can these four countries help other countries in neighbouring regions to firmly join the zone of political and economic stability? What issues can help these neighbours to forget their historical disputes and cultural differences and focus on things that make the region a stronger and more viable force to effectively defend regional interests?
No progress in the Malinová case
TWO police officers who were present at the interrogation of Hedviga Malinová in 2006 were interviewed on August 25 at the General Prosecutor’s Office, the TASR newswire reported. Roman Kvasnica, Malinová’s attorney, was disappointed, saying they did not give any statements relevant for the case, the TASR newswire reported.
Scanner row at Ukraine rail border
‘A MINI gas crisis’, ‘an artificial problem’, ‘lobbying on behalf of a smuggling gang’, and ‘a radiation threat’ are among the various explanations or descriptions put forward by different sources for the recent spat between Slovakia and Ukraine over the operation of a scanner at the Maťovce railway border check.
Macroeconomic outlook and challenges in the V4
INTERNATIONAL economic relations between countries in central Europe underwent radical change between 2004 and 2007 on account of the two waves of European Union enlargement, which created new conditions for economic development and convergence.
Fico strips SNS of ministry
A DUBIOUS €85-million tender for fly ash removal has ended the reign of junior ruling coalition member the Slovak National Party (SNS) at Slovakia’s Environment Ministry. As a result of this and a string of other scandals Prime Minister Robert Fico not only sacked Environment Minister Viliam Turský but – in an unprecedented move which goes against the coalition agreement – denied the SNS the right to nominate his successor.
Czech book of V4 drama is ready
THE CZECH volume of the V4 drama series “Visegrad Drama” is just about set to be released in Prague.
Plenipotentiary for Roma appointed
THE CABINET approved Ľudovít Galbavý, nominated by Deputy Prime Minister Dušan Čaplovič, as the new government plenipotentiary for Slovakia’s Roma communities on August 19.
Memories from Košice’s past
THIS postcard from 1911 shows Košice’s Main Street (Hlavná ulica) as it looked when Slovakia was still a part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
Agriculture minister to go
THE PUBLIC is unlikely to see Stanislav Becík roaming through rural Slovakia on a horse-drawn carriage to inspire pride in farmers during crisis-hit times again- at least, not as agriculture minister. Vladimír Mečiar, boss of the Movement for a Democratic Slovakia (HZDS) party has asked Becík to quit and has even revealed his new candidate for the ministerial post. He will be the fourth agriculture minister since 2006.
The Visegrad countries will remain the first countries among which Slovakia seeks allies
Slovakia believes that in the times of global economic crisis the V4 could support even more regional cooperation among small and medium-sized enterprises and closer contacts between regional chambers of commerce, said Peter Stano, spokesman of the Slovak Foreign Affairs Ministry in an interview with The Slovak Spectator. Stano spoke about challenges such as the efforts to help the integration of the Roma community to societies, climatic changes and migration and ways the V4 countries might cooperate in tackling these challenges.
Unconventional traditional art and craft in Uherské Hradište
IN THE middle of July, the Moravian town of Uherské Hradiště in the Czech Republic hosted the jubilee tenth year of its International Symposium of Medals, Plaques and Small Carvings.
IVF Grants
Small Grants
Car-scrapping sells some Slovak cars
AS MANY AS 10 percent of the new cars sold thanks to the Slovak government’s car-scrapping scheme earlier this year were made in Slovakia.
Pursuing V4 goals allegro
MAKING long distance relationships work can be a difficult task. Now imagine there are four participants instead of just two and each hails from a different country. The Visegrad Cello Quartet, a Slovak-Czech-Polish-Hungarian ensemble of cellists has shown that such a relationship can work. The quartet regularly sells out wherever they perform at concert halls around central Europe.
- Weekend: Celebration of fun comes to Malacky Photo
- No more photos or bank statements? Slovakia moves to ease residence process
- News digest: Fico’s bloc wants to save money by restricting electoral access
- Slovakia loses another EV model to Spain as Stellantis chooses Zaragoza over Trnava
- Top 10 events in Bratislava for foreigners
- 3 free things to do in Bratislava in the next seven days
- Convicted of multiple murders, Slovakia’s mafia boss seeks release from prison
- Slovakia plans to restrict access to new medicines amid funding shortfall
- Maria Theresa on the banks of Bratislava
- No more photos or bank statements? Slovakia moves to ease residence process
- 3 free things to do in Bratislava in the next seven days
- Weekend: Celebration of fun comes to Malacky Photo
- Digital Jarvis is real now. He is coming for your to-do list
- News digest: Fico’s bloc wants to save money by restricting electoral access
- The disinformation scene has become a tool of media capture
- Slovakia plans to restrict access to new medicines amid funding shortfall
- Maria Theresa on the banks of Bratislava
- 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
- 3 free things to do in Bratislava in the next seven days
- Digital Jarvis is real now. He is coming for your to-do list
- Weekend: Celebration of fun comes to Malacky Photo
- The disinformation scene has become a tool of media capture
- 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 ›
