Archive of articles - September 2009, page 8
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EU Commissioner: Slovak language act does not contradict EU law
Slovakia's State Language Act does not contravene European law, but problems might arise in its implementation, European Commissioner for Multilingualism Leonard Orbán said following a meeting with Slovak Foreign Affairs Minister Miroslav Lajčák on September 14.
‘Juliet’ to commemorate the Velvet Revolution at Convergences
TO COMMEMORATE the 20th anniversary of the Velvet Revolution, the 10th Convergence Festival is to present the monodrama Juliet – Dialogue about Love. The suggestive piece, written by András Visky, a prominent Romanian writer of Hungarian origin, will be performed by American actress Melissa Hawkins.
Foreign trade swings back into surplus, surprising analysts
Slovakia's foreign trade posted a surplus of €49.4 million in July 2009, the Statistics Office announced on Friday, September 11.
Bankruptcy administrator: SkyEurope ‘in chaos’
SkyEurope Airlines probably doesn't have sufficient assets to allow it to function during its ongoing bankruptcy proceedings, SkyEurope’s bankruptcy administrator Emil Čerevka said on Sunday, September 13.
Hochshorner twins win again at Canoeing World Championships
Slovak twins Peter and Pavol Hochschorner successfully defended their world championship title at the 2009 ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships in Seu d'Urgell in Spain on Sunday, September 13, winning the gold medal in the C2 Slalom race.
President returns from V4 summit in Sopot
Slovak President Ivan Gašparovič returned on Saturday, September 12, from a summit of the Visegrad Four (V4) presidents (of Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Poland and Hungary) in Sopot, Poland. On Friday, September 11, the four presidents discussed the position of the V4 countries within the 27 countries of the European Union.
Where are Bratislava’s local delicacies?
TOURISTS are generally very happy with the quality of gastronomic services in the capital city. But they said they want more opportunities to find original Bratislava (or Pressburg) specialties as well as other traditional Slovak cuisine, according to the results of a survey released by the Bratislava City Council in May.
Film review
Inglourious Basterds
State health insurer seeks €65 million
HEALTH Minister Richard Raši has asked the government for over €65 million to support the state-owned health insurer, Všeobecná Zdravotná Poisťovňa (VšZP), as it prepares to merge with the other state-owned health insurance company, Spoločná Zdravotná Poisťovňa (SZP). The minister said this step is being taken to eliminate impacts from the economic crisis and to maintain the health insurer’s equity, the SITA newswire reported.
Hotels in Slovakia with the capability to host meetings and congresses
In brackets is the capacity of each hotel's largest meeting room
Prime ministers meet to patch up relations
THE ATTENTION of two nations turned to the small Hungarian town of Szécsény on September 10. The town was the venue for a long-awaited meeting between Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico and Hungarian Prime Minister Gordon Bajnai. As the date approached, the premiers’ were expected to demonstrate their willingness to maintain friendly relations between the two countries, physically divided by the Danube but carrying a heavy burden of mutual slights and historical grievances which continue to keep them worlds apart.
New web portal for Bratislava visitors
BRATISLAVA has seen a 14 percent drop in tourists this season. To reverse this trend and to aid visitors who plan their visit to the capital via the internet, Bratislava’s city council has decided to improve its online presentation, said Milan Vajda, the spokesperson of the Bratislava city council, at a meeting in which the newest generation of the on-line service www.zlatestranky.sk was presented. The new website, also in English, enables visitors to virtually see panoramic views of the streets in the centre of Bratislava. The website also lets future tourists virtually visit shops, restaurants and other selected attractions in the city.
Postage stamps connect Gerulata and Carnuntum
A JOINT issue of two postage stamps by Austria and Slovakia is to connect Carnuntum and Gerulata, two significant Roman settlements which lie on either side of the two countries’ shared border.
Slovakia seeks to lure convention tourists
CONVENTION tourism ranks among the most profitable forms of tourism. Because expenditure by participants is typically 2-3 times higher than expenditure by ordinary tourists and because it is organised outside the main tourist season it is a segment which all countries with developed tourism industries rate highly and compete hard with each other to win.
Agriculture Minister Becík resigns
AGRICULTURE Minister Stanislav Becík delivered his resignation letter to the Slovak president on September 9, the spokesperson for the president, Marek Trubač, told the SITA newswire, adding that it will be accepted and that a new minister will most likely be appointed in the following week.
Hungarians seek a sympathetic ear in the US
HUNGARIANS’ dissatisfaction with Slovakia’s new State Language Act seems strong enough to travel all the way across the Atlantic Ocean. Though the European Union says it is following the controversy, the Swedish EU presidency views it as a purely bilateral matter between Slovakia and Hungary. The High Commissioner on National Minorities for the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), Knut Vollebaek, has not voiced strong support for the objections raised by officials from Hungary or Slovakia’s Hungarian Coalition Party (SMK). So now those who object to the law are hoping to find a more sympathetic ear in the United States.
Another summer of tourism draws to a close
AS EXPECTED, the summer tourism season in Slovakia has turned out a bit weaker than in previous years. The global financial crisis is primarily seen as most responsible for this outcome, from which Slovakia could not escape. But for tourists from other countries in the region that have not yet adopted the euro, the crisis plus the adoption of the euro made Slovakia a more expensive holiday destination when their currencies weakened. On the other hand, rising unemployment and other effects of the crisis lessened the appetite of Slovaks to travel abroad for holidays and many of them began to rediscover the beauties of their homeland.
Prešov celebrates ecology
THE TOWN of Prešov, centre of the Šariš region in eastern Slovakia, has plans to take an active part in European Mobility Week between September 16 and 22.
New waste law adopted by parliament
PARLIAMENT passed a revised version of the waste law on September 8 after the previous bill was returned to parliament by President Ivan Gašparovič on July 31. The deputies accepted the president’s objections and removed the proposed system of new fees for the Recycling Fund which opponents claimed would have increased prices of food and electrical appliances.
- The law changed. Our family papers were ready. Now my kids are Slovak citizens
- Maria Theresa on the banks of Bratislava
- Slovak female triathlete shatters barriers with historic win at Himalayan event
- From eight to thousands of runners. How Košice marathon rose to prominence Photo
- The Kremlin’s security agency has a Russian contractor in Slovakia - no one has noticed
- 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
- Slovakia loses another EV model to Spain as Stellantis chooses Zaragoza over Trnava
- The law changed. Our family papers were ready. Now my kids are Slovak citizens
- Slovak female triathlete shatters barriers with historic win at Himalayan event
- Top 10 events in Bratislava for foreigners
- Slovakia loses another EV model to Spain as Stellantis chooses Zaragoza over Trnava
- No more photos or bank statements? Slovakia moves to ease residence process
- Convicted of multiple murders, Slovakia’s mafia boss seeks release from prison
- Weekend: Celebration of fun comes to Malacky Photo
- News digest: Prosecutor seeks jail for NBS Governor Kažimír as his political support wanes
- 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
- 3 free things to do in Bratislava in the next seven days
- Top 10 events in Bratislava for foreigners
- Digital Jarvis is real now. He is coming for your to-do list
- The law changed. Our family papers were ready. Now my kids are Slovak citizens
- The Kremlin’s security agency has a Russian contractor in Slovakia - no one has noticed
- Maria Theresa on the banks of Bratislava
- No more photos or bank statements? Slovakia moves to ease residence process
- A mayor resigns over €2.7 million fraud scandal at town hall
- Fico praises China and Vietnam as models, says liberal democracy has failed
- He designed Gatwick. But this is his masterpiece
- News digest: Violent gang in Bratislava is under arrest
- The Kremlin’s security agency has a Russian contractor in Slovakia - no one has noticed
- Weekend: Celebration of fun comes to Malacky Photo
- 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
- Slovakia plans to restrict access to new medicines amid funding shortfall
- No more photos or bank statements? Slovakia moves to ease residence process More articles ›
