Archive of articles - February 2010, page 3
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Slovak hockey enjoys record success
SLOVAKIA’s men’s ice hockey team beat Sweden 4-3 in a thrilling contest to advance to the medal round of competition at the Winter Olympics in Vancouver on February 24.
In Slovakia, life imitates hockey
Growing up playing hockey in Canada, I learned this: It doesn’t matter if the other guys are bigger or better, have more expensive equipment or wear fancier sweaters. Because the team that plays with more heart can win. I admit that belief was shaken by our team’s frequent and embarrassing defeats. But on the rare occasions it was confirmed, life seemed that much sweeter and more just. As adults we recognise that hockey has become the usual sports thrash of money, advertising and politics. But there are times when it returns to its original narrative. For example, few of us who were living in Slovakia in 2002 will ever forget the country’s run to the gold medal at the World Hockey Championships in Sweden. In homes and pubs across the nation, people witnessed improbable victories over Canada, Sweden and finally Russia. The confidence the Slovak team showed seemed to echo a growing confidence in the country at large, that the experiment of nationhood ten years earlier had been neither a failure nor a mistake. As political scientist Sona Szomolanyi said of the victory party on SNP Square in Bratislava: “I felt I was witnessing the true birth of the modern Slovak nation.”
Slovakia beats Sweden in ice hockey and goes to Olympics semi-finals
Slovakia’s men’s ice hockey team beat Sweden 4:3 in a dramatic match in the quarter finals at the Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver on February 25, the TASR newswire wrote.
Five-star Sheraton hotel opens in Bratislava
Following the opening of the Arkadia and Albrecht hotels in recent years, investor Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide and developer Ballymore Group on February 24 opened Bratislava’s third five-star hotel, the Sheraton in the new Eurovea complex, the TASR newswire wrote. “We’re confident that the Sheraton will boost the number of visitors to Bratislava given that over 50 percent of the guests here hail from neighbouring countries ... thanks to Sheraton's quality, insights and global presence we’ll increase the number of visitors to the Slovak capital,” said Ballymore Group Chief Executive David Brophy.
EC launches probe into Slovakia’s 2009 loan for ZSSK Cargo
The European Commission has begun an in-depth investigation into whether a loan that Slovakia provided to the country’s state-owned rail freight transport operator, ZSSK Cargo Slovakia, in 2009 is compatible with the EU’s rules on state aid, the TASR newswire was told by the Commission’s Representation in Slovakia on February 24. “At this stage the Commission believes that the loan – which the Slovak rail freight company will use to finance costs linked to the operation of the company – could constitute state aid that is incompatible with the internal market,” reads a statement by the EU’s executive branch.
Lajčák awards medal to outgoing Turkish ambassador
Slovak Foreign Affairs Minister Miroslav Lajčák awarded outgoing Turkish Ambassador Tunc Ugdul a Golden Medal for his contribution to the development of bilateral relations, TASR learned on February 24.
Visegrad Four summit on energy issues begins in Budapest
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico on February 24 travelled to Budapest for the summit of the Visegrad Four (V4) countries to discuss energy-security issues, the TASR newswire wrote. As well as the V4 (Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia) there are also prime ministers from Romania, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Serbia and Slovenia, as well as representatives from the European Commission, the United States and Sweden (which holds the EU presidency) that have been invited as guests. During the three-day session, the national representatives will discuss energy-security issues, the interconnection of electricity and gas networks, north-south energy-transmission links and nuclear engineering, with participants attempting to strengthen energy cooperation between the countries involved and the EU. TASR
Central bank says Slovak economy performed slightly better than expected in 2009
The performance of Slovakia's economy in the final quarter of 2009 was significantly better than expected, Slovakia's central bank (NBS) commented to the TASR newswire on February 24.
SDKÚ publishes list of what it calls Smer’s unfulfilled promises
The government led by Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer) has lost touch with reality in Slovakia, looking on passively as unemployment and corruption grow rapidly, and burdening Slovakia with heavy debts, said representatives of the main opposition party, the Slovak Democratic and Christian Union (SDKÚ) at a press conference on February 24, the TASR newswire wrote. “The prime minister is going round on his inspection days at the ministries ... back-slapping and talking about how everything is just fine,” said SDKÚ vice chair Iveta Radičová, as quoted by TASR, stressing that her party gained a totally different view when travelling around the country and talking to ordinary Slovaks.
Slovak Interior Minister says crime rate has fallen
The crime rate in Slovakia between 2007 and 2009 dropped by 13 percent, or 46,501 criminal offences, compared to the figures for 2003 to 2005, Interior Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Robert Kaliňák told a press conference on February 24, the TASR newswire reported. The average rate of crime resolution went up by 3 percent in 2007-09, compared to 2003-05. The highest resolution rate, 54percent, was recorded in 2009, Kaliňák said. The statistics include three entire years under Kaliňák’s remit over the ministry and are compared to three entire years under former minister Vladimír Palko, TASR wrote. The figures also revealed that recorded property crime fell by 18 percent between the two periods, the number of violent offences dropped by 35 percent and the number of thefts went down by 19 percent, while burglaries dropped by 31 percent. According to Police Corps President Ján Packa, positive developments in statistics are partly the result of deployment of 1,600 new police officers on the streets.
Economy Minister says energy production from renewable sources will be toned down
The production of energy from renewable sources should be toned down, as a large amount of such energy is destabilising the distribution network, Economy Minister Ľubomír Jahnátek said at a session of the parliamentary committee for economic policy on February 23, as reported by TASR.
Protest in Komárno against State Language Act ends without incidents
A protest demonstration organised by Komárno University students promoting “the free use of the Hungarian mother language” ended on February 23 without any incident. More than 200 people attended the demonstration, the TASR newswire wrote.
President Gašparovič visits Vancouver to support Slovak athletes at Olympics
Slovak President Ivan Gašparovič left for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver on February 22, his office reported on the same day, the TASR newswire wrote. Gašparovič, is visiting Canada on the invitation of the International Olympic Committee and its Slovak branch. The president is scheduled to return on March 1. TASR
Opposition MP says Fico’s inspection at Health Ministry is only election marketing
Viliam Novotný, from the opposition Slovak Democratic and Christian Union (SDKÚ) and head of parliament's healthcare committee slammed Prime Minister Robert Fico's inspection at the Health Ministry as “election marketing, as though actual problems didn't exist,” TASR was told on February 23. Novotný pointed to the government’s manifesto, which, he claimed, includes promises not kept. He said nothing has been done to support health care funding via multiple sources and in the area of annual health-care insurance payment declarations.
Activists ask that proposed oil pipeline cross Small Carpathians, not Žitný Ostrov
Activists grouped within a civil initiative called 'No to The Oil Pipeline Through Žitný Ostrov', who oppose the planned construction of an oil pipeline between Slovakia and Austria across Žitný ostrov, an area in south-east Slovakia that includes important drinking-water reservoirs, have met with Economy Minister Ľubomír Jahnátek to discuss possible alternatives for the project, the TASR newswire reported. According to the leader of the initiative, Miroslav Dragun, it would be less harmful to the environment if the so-called northern corridor were used, with the pipeline crossing the Small Carpathians north of Bratislava.
Constitutional amendment on origin of property turned down by parliamentary committee
Prime Minister Robert Fico failed to convince a sufficient number of MPs on the parliamentary committee for constitutional law on February 23 to recommend approval of his proposal for a constitutional amendment that is closely linked to his law on proving the origin of property, the TASR newswire wrote.
PM Fico wants to amend law to ensure Public Procurement Office’s functionality
Since the term of Public Procurement Office (ÚVO) head Béla Angyal is to expire soon, the functionality of the office should be ensured by an amendment to legislation, Prime Minister Robert Fico said on February 22, the SITA newswire wrote.
Bratislava Airport records 10% drop in passengers in January 2010
Bratislava's M.R. Štefánik Airport (BTS) handled 91,321 passengers in January 2010, a drop of 10 percent year-on-year, BTS spokesperson Dana Madunická told the TASR newswire on February 22. Lower figures were recorded for both international and domestic air transport. The drop in domestic passengers is in line with a long-term trend at the airport, despite an increase in the number of flights and destinations. Conversely, the amount of freight transported went up from 651 tonnes in January 2009 to 1,085 tonnes in January 2010, a 67 percent increase.
One-third of Slovaks think their living standards have dropped since 2006
One-third of all Slovaks said their living standards have worsened over the past four years while one in five Slovaks have seen an improvement, according to a survey carried out by the Polis Slovakia agency, the TASR newswire wrote.
Interior Ministry says Interpol suspect does not have Slovak citizenship
The Slovak Interior Ministry has said that the Slovak Republic has not awarded citizenship to Zoran Kostic, wanted by Interpol, the SITA newswire wrote. However, Kostic is featured on the Interpol website as a citizen of Montenegro, Serbia and Slovakia, which means he could possess passports from all three countries. However, ministry spokeswoman Alena Koišová told SITA that Kostic is neither among applicants for Slovak citizenship nor has a Slovak passport.
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