Archive of articles - November 2009, page 9
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Slovak ‘IT Oscars’ handed out
FOR the ninth time, Slovak journalists and members of professional associations active in the fields of information technologies and telecommunications handed out the prestigious IT Awards for 2009 in mid October.
Countrywide Events
Western SLOVAKIA
Changes in management at Ness
IN SEPTEMBER, Ness Slovensko announced changes to its top management. As of October, Martin Kohút became the new director general of the company. Simultaneously, he became country manager and a member of the European management team of Ness Technologies.
EU banking rules arrive
CUSTOMERS of banks will now receive their bank account statements once a month for free, they will be informed about any changes in banking fees two months in advance, they will pay less for transactions or for termination of an account: all these goodies have not arrived as part of a pre-Christmas promotion package by Slovak banks but because parliament has brought the country’s law into compliance with an EU directive.
Fičať
TO BREEZE along, to hurry, to ride freely and fast, to have a deep passion for a cause, to be in fashion: all these meanings are hidden in the word “fičať”. If you want to see it used in a sentence, the Constitutional Court provides several examples.
Special schools - a bad policy?
STORIES about special schools full only of Roma children and segregated classes for Roma in eastern Slovakia might sound bizarre, but they are the real situation in many Slovak villages or towns. The lack of equal opportunities in some Slovak primary and secondary schools was the central topic of a discussion featuring Michael Roberts, the British Ambassador to Slovakia, Arthur Ivatts, a British expert on the education of Roma and Miroslav Beblavý, the president of the Slovak Governance Institute (SGI).
Eset Slovakia's fastest growing tech firm
ESET is the 11th fastest growing technology company in the central European region, which covers 10 countries including fast-developing ones in the Balkan region. According to this year’s ranking, the Deloitte Technology Fast 50 Central Europe, Eset recorded 951-percent growth in the past five years and is the fastest growing technology firm in Slovakia, the company wrote in a press release.
Blessings and curses
THE HISTORY of Považská Bystrica is closely connected to that of the nearby Považie Castle, known in the past under the name of Bystrica. It was more or less thanks to this fortification that the town developed. The most famous owners of the castle were the Podmanickýs, a family of notorious brigands. According to historians, they were neither more nor less immoral than their contemporaries; the only difference was their power.
June trade surplus is highest of 2009
SLOVAKIA’s foreign trade balance posted the highest monthly surplus of this year, preliminary figures for June released by the Slovak Statistics Office indicate. Exports exceeded imports by €378.4 million. The results represent improvement from the estimate made in August by the Statistics Office which expected a June surplus of €282.7 million.
Opposition to takeover law swells
THE STATE wants to jam its foot into the doors of bankrupt 'strategic' companies. But those who object to the state stepping across the threshold have been increasing in number ever since Slovakia’s parliament gave its quick approval to a new law on strategic companies prepared by Economy Minister Ľubomír Jahnátek. He has dubbed the bill an 'anti-crisis measure'.
Slovak towns celebrating November 1989 anniversary
Slovak cities and towns have prepared various events commemorating the 20th anniversary of the milestone in Slovakia’s modern history, the Velvet Revolution that is often marked to have begun on November 17, 1989. Several programmes have been prepared in the capital between November 16 and 18: a conference of the Central-European Forum to be held in the City Theatre of P.O. Hviezdoslav hosting many personalities, including former dissident and Czech President Václav Havel; a festive session of the city council; and on November 17 at 17:00 the biggest event will unfold at Hviezdoslav Square – a public gathering complete with a musical programme and the official opening of a memorial called The Heart of Europe. In Košice, a memorial board will be unveiled and two activists from 1989, Fedor Gál and Peter Zajac, will recall the events of twenty years earlier. On November 17, a concert will be held as well as a mass for the victims of communism. An exhibition of period photographs will also be an interesting part of the celebrations in Košice.
ITAS joins European e-Skills Week 2010
THE IT Association of Slovakia (ITAS) will join the European e-Skills Week 2010 project as a member of DIGITALEUROPE. The e-Skills Week 2010 campaign aims to raise awareness of the growing demand for highly skilled ICT practitioners and users within the industry. DIGITALEUROPE and European Schoolnet have come together with 20 national partners to promote e-skills while building bridges between different stakeholders. The culmination of the campaign will be the European e-Skills Week taking place in the first week of March 2010.
Underworld boss gets life sentence
MOST countries have their Al Capones, and Slovakia is no exception. The country’s best-known underworld figure is Mikuláš Černák, and he is now destined to spend his life in jail after Prešov District Court on November 10 found the former bus driver guilty of murdering six people and plotting another killing.
OPIS
Operational Programme for the Information Society (OPIS) www.opis.gov.sk OPIS is a reference document to be used as a basis for the provision of EU assistance for all projects concerning e-Government, and the digitisation and making accessible of the content of repository institutions and broadband Internet connection. It contains a description of the horizontal management of informatisation projects, which is also included in the NSRF and which will ensure the interoperability of all IS developed using structural funds in the 2007-2013 programming period.
Marking the Velvet Revolution in Bratislava’s squares
ON NOVEMBER 17, Slovakia will mark the 20th anniversary of the launch of the Velvet Revolution which brought down the former totalitarian regime, the most remarkable milestone in the recent history of the country. There will be a number of events on this day across Slovakia marking the first steps taken to cross that threshold.
Over half of households have internet
IN SLOVAKIA 64 percent of households have a personal computer, 62.2 percent have access to the internet and nearly 42 percent of households use broadband internet access. These are the findings of a Slovak Statistics Office survey published in mid October.
Israeli ambassador heckled
A THREESOME of young men carrying a Palestinian flag and a banner saying ‘Stop Jewish racism’ blew whistles in an attempt to silence Israeli ambassador Zeev Boker during a lecture he was giving at Prešov University on the possibilities for the future development of the Middle East from Israel’s point of view, the Sme daily reported.
Slovakia must lower deficit by 2013
SLOVAKIA has until the end of 2013 to cut its excess general government deficit. The European Commission gave Slovakia and eight other European Union countries until 2013 to bring their deficits below 3 percent of GDP as required under the European rules, said the EC in its recommendation to the EU Council, the SITA newswire reported.
Home-grown software development
SLOVAKIA, a small country with 5.4 million citizens, has already become home to a number of successful IT development companies.
Slota fined one month’s salary
SLOVAK National Party (SNS) leader Ján Slota will not be paid one month’s MP’s salary, including lump-sum payments, because of four unexcused absences at October meetings of the parliamentary committee for human rights, minorities and gender issues, of which he is a member, the Sme daily reported.
- 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
- Liberal MP's boxing challenge backfires as far-right MEP seizes the moment
- Slovakia loses another EV model to Spain as Stellantis chooses Zaragoza over Trnava
- 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
- Legendary captain Zdeno Chára inducted into IIHF Hall of Fame Video
- 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
- 3 free things to do in Bratislava in the next seven days
- Slovakia loses another EV model to Spain as Stellantis chooses Zaragoza over Trnava
- 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
- 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
- A mayor resigns over €2.7 million fraud scandal at town hall
- Top 10 events in Bratislava for foreigners
- 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 ›
