Archive of articles - December 2009, page 9
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Labour market responding with more flexibility
The labour market is one of the most reliable indicators that the global economic downturn has hit Slovakia with full force. While the number of vacancies in the Slovak labour market has dropped significantly, the ranks of the unemployed have kept rising. Experts believe that the bottom in the labour market has not yet been reached. Nevertheless, the labour force has been adjusting to the economic situation and those currently employed have become more loyal to their employers and job-seekers have become less particular and more flexible.
Few surprises in regional election run-offs
THE OUTCOME of the regional elections is a reason for celebration by the ruling Smer party of Prime Minister Robert Fico. While the first round of the elections brought the party control of most regional parliaments, the run-offs, which took place in four of the eight self-governing regions (VÚCs) of Slovakia, confirmed the strong voter support for Smer. The top position in seven out of eight regions went to candidates backed by Smer and its allies who will hold the offices for a five-year term.
Architecture awarded
THIS YEAR’S prestigious Dušan Jurkovič Award for architecture has been presented to Prague-based Cigler Marani Architects for Digital Park, an administrative project in Bratislava’s Petržalka district. The awards ceremony took place in Bratislava on November 23.
EC examines social companies
SLOVAKIA’S ‘social companies’ have long been a pet project of the present government’s Labour Ministry. These projects, subsidised with public cash ostensibly to provide opportunities for socially disadvantaged people – in particular the long-term unemployed – but competing on the open market, have been the repeated target of media scrutiny. A series of reports in the Slovak media about social company pilot projects launched in August 2008 have suggested ties between the new enterprises and Smer, the largest party in the current ruling coalition.
Anxiously awaiting the ski season's thrills
LAST YEAR’S skiing season wrinkled the foreheads of many ski resort operators in Slovakia: not much snow early in the season and temperatures above zero even in the mountains; heavy snow falling when most people thought the season was over; and the introduction of the euro scaring off tourists from Poland and Hungary.
Tourism clusters in Slovakia
K laster Liptov, www.visitliptov.sk
Turning a deaf ear
WHILE many economists worldwide challenge the notion that governments can be good owners of enterprises, the idea still seems to have its believers in many countries, including Slovakia. It certainly belongs among the legitimate political issues for which arguments and opinions can be freely presented anywhere – except perhaps in conservative economic forums and right-wing think tanks.
Quote of the week
"He's got normal citizen flu."
Doing business in Slovakia
Steve Forbes once called Slovakia “the next Ireland, Switzerland or Hong Kong” and the World Bank decorated the country with the badge of the world’s most successful reformer: But these happened before 2006. Slovakia’s reform progress has slowed down since, though observers suggest that the country still offers one of the best business environments in the region.
SkyEurope showed Slovaks the world
It was a tremendous saga of a Slovakia-based business. Some writers romantically described the company’s story as one of a magical airline company which made the skies accessible to thousands of Slovaks for the first time. Nevertheless, it is a business story that lacks a fairytale ending, as after eight years of flying Slovakia’s SkyEurope Airlines, which had never made an annual profit, went bankrupt and landed for its final time.
Taiwanese to invest near Trenčín
THE TAIWANESE company AU Optronics Corporation is asking for investment incentives of almost €38.3 million from Slovakia. The firm intends to spend over €191.3 million on the construction of a new LCD module plant near the city of Trenčín within three years, the SITA newswire reported.
Investment highlights
November 2008 – Construction of units 3 and 4 of the nuclear power plant of Slovenské Elektrárne in Mochovce resumes. The new nuclear reactors and auxiliary buildings should be finished in 2012 or 2013 and will cost about € 2.775 billion.
Wind farms in Slovakia are stalled as new rules are prepared
CONSTRUCTION of wind farms in Slovakia is at a halt. The national transmission network operator, Slovenská Elektrizačná Prenosová Sústava (SEPS) has not been issuing positive opinions which are required to obtain licences for construction of wind power sources from the Economy Ministry, the SITA newswire reported.
Letting the tourists know
TWO are stronger than one and three are stronger than two. This is especially true in the tourism business, in which no single firm provides the whole range of services required by tourists. To increase their chances of success, firms and individuals as well as local public administration bodies active in tourism in Slovakia are joining together in clusters – or klasters, as the word has been transliterated into Slovak. In the recent past such clusters have been launched in the Liptov, Orava and Turiec regions, and a spa cluster now exists in Dudince. In the pipeline are clusters in the Tatras as well as in Košice.
Slovenské Elektrárne’s journey to private ownership was long, and still continues
Almost 10 years have passed since the Mikuláš Dzurinda government green-lighted the privatisation of Slovakia’s dominant power producer, Slovenské Elektrárne, one of the biggest privatisation deals in the country. A majority stake in the highly-indebted, loss-making company was later sold to Italian energy giant Enel and SE has since transformed itself into a stable, profit-making company now investing billions of euros in the construction of new electricity generation facilities.
Ski centres in SlovakiaSki centres in Slovakia
Slovakia has some of the best conditions for winter sports in all of
'Patent protection plays an irreplaceable role', says pharmaceuticals body
RESEARCH and development of new drugs has become more demanding, lasts longer and is more expensive. And even though the pharmaceutical industry at this time does not play a significant role in Slovakia’s economy, more financing and better protection of intellectual property could change this. Research and development support and respect for intellectual property are problems extending beyond just the pharmaceutical industry and are issues that could determine Slovakia’s competitiveness in the future.
Land scam stings prime minister
WHEN Prime Minister Robert Fico fired the leadership of the state-owned Slovak Land Fund for corruption two years ago, he may have imagined the problem had been solved. But following an identical scandal at the beginning of this month, the government has again been forced to send the fund’s management packing.
Flu vaccines ordered from French firm
THE FRENCH company Sanofi Pasteur will supply Slovakia with vaccines against novel H1N1 flu virus, or swine flu. The company and the State Material Reserves Administration signed the deal on November 30, the SITA newswire reported.
International airports and air carriers in Slovakia
Low-cost airline carrier SkyEurope gave Slovaks the opportunity to fly to many different destinations from two airports within the country’s border. But the airline’s collapse into bankruptcy in September 2009 has brought considerable changes to the country’s airports since SkyEurope had hubs in both Košice and Bratislava with the largest number of flight departures. Though other airline are seeking to fill the void left by the departure of SkyEurope, Vienna airport, with its short distance to Bratislava, has retained its popularity among passengers travelling from and to Slovakia.
- 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
- Slovakia loses another EV model to Spain as Stellantis chooses Zaragoza over Trnava
- Slovak female triathlete shatters barriers with historic win at Himalayan event
- From eight to thousands of runners. How Košice marathon rose to prominence Photo
- Iconic Slovak barn still draws crowds. Without donors, it might have been lost Photo
- No more photos or bank statements? Slovakia moves to ease residence process
- 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
- 3 free things to do in Bratislava in the next seven days
- Top 10 events in Bratislava for foreigners
- The Kremlin’s security agency has a Russian contractor in Slovakia - no one has noticed
- 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
- A mayor resigns over €2.7 million fraud scandal at town hall
- 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
- He designed Gatwick. But this is his masterpiece
- 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 ›
