Archive of articles - March 2010
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Budapest to take Sólyom's banned trip to European Court of Justice
The case involving Hungarian President László Sólyom being prohibited from entering Slovakia on August 21 last year will continue to be pursued by Hungary via a motion against Slovakia before EU institutions, the Hungarian Government Office confirmed for the TASR newswire on Tuesday, March 30. Hungary wants to find out whether Slovakia violated EU legal norms when it decided to stop Sólyom's limousine on the border as he was heading to Komárno where he planned to unveil the statue of Hungarian King (Saint) Stephen. The ban came after Slovak political authorities decided the Hungarian president had picked an unsuitable day to make the trip, as August 21 in Slovak history was the day when the country was invaded in 1968 by Warsaw Pact armies, including Hungarian troops.
US military dogs understand Slovak
The web portal e-profit wrote on March 29 that former US soldier Alex Dunbar has been training dogs for the American army and police for almost thirty years. Dunbar, 47, says he has trained more than 200 animals for both police and army and the most curious thing – one that people hardly believe – is that he trained them to obey orders in Slovak.
Slovak Foreign Minister meets with Indonesian officials
Slovak Foreign Affairs Minister Miroslav Lajčák met Indonesian Economy Minister Hatta Rajasa and Defence Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro on Tuesday, March 30, in Jakarta to discuss possible economic cooperation between Slovakia and Indonesia, the TASR newswire was told by the Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesman, Peter Stano, on the same day. Lajčák stressed that Slovakia is interested in intensifying trade and commerce, a prospect to be discussed also by the Slovak-Indonesian intergovernmental commission, a session of which is due to be held in Bratislava in late April. Slovakia sees potential for cooperation in the fields of energy, construction, agriculture, military equipment and the establishment of joint ventures.
Multi-functional complex worth €330 million set for Košice
An investment worth €330 million is set to land in Slovakia's second largest city of Kosice in the years ahead, it was reported by the TASR newswire on March 30. When complete, the Abovia Retail Park should be the largest multi-functional and retail complex in eastern Slovakia. The developer is a Slovak company called Fordin, which is currently finishing the preparation phase of the project. The company expects to shortly close a €16.6-million contract with the municipality on the purchase of a 50-hectare piece of land near the local borough of Ťahanovce, according to the project’s communications manager Matej Pavlík. The project should be up and running in 2014 and one of its goals is to attract not only Slovak visitors but also people from Hungary, Poland and Ukraine. According to Pavlik, it is hoped that the project will breathe new life into Slovakia’s eastern metropolis. Fordin plans to build the retail park on 30 hectares and use another 20-hectare site for a multi-functional zone, featuring hotels, restaurants, cinemas, cafes, and wellness and relaxation facilities. The park should also include office and residential premises. The project should yield a total 5,500 jobs directly and indirectly.
Labsi loses appeal at Slovak Supreme Court
The Supreme Court on Tuesday, March 30, dismissed the appeal of Algerian national Mustafa Labsi against the decision last year by a lower appellate court to refuse to grant him asylum in Slovakia. It affirmed the Bratislava Regional Court's view that Labsi, who has been sentenced to death on terrorism charges in his home country, poses a threat to Slovakia's security, the TASR newswire wrote.
Slovak central bank forecasts 3.2-percent GDP growth in 2010
According to the latest medium-term estimate by the National Bank of Slovakia (NBS), the country's central bank, the Slovak economy will grow by 3.2 percent this year, NBS governor Jozef Makúch told the TASR newswire on March 30. The NBS's previous estimate in December stated that the Slovak economy would grow by 3.1 percent after a contraction of almost 5 percent in 2009.
Rainbow PRIDE gay and lesbian parade to take place in Bratislava in May
Everyone should be proud of their sexual orientation and gender identity, said the project manager of Bratislava's Rainbow PRIDE parade of gays and lesbians, Robert Furiel, at a press conference on March 30.
President: Slovakia wants to develop nuclear reactors with Kazakhstan
Slovakia wants to develop fourth-generation nuclear reactors in co-operation with Kazakhstan and Japan, Slovak President Ivan Gašparovič said after discussions with his Kazakh counterpart Nursultan Nazarbayev in Astana on March 30.
Ministry tells judges to prove their allegations, leave politics out
The Slovak Justice Ministry has issued a sharply worded statement in response to an independent initiative calling for higher standards in the judiciary which was launched this week by judges.
Bratislava Airport expands flight schedules
According to reports in several Slovak dailies, including Hospodárske Noviny and Nový Čas, the number of flights operating from Bratislava Airport has increased.
Gazprom and SPP agree compensation for gas supply disruption
The Russian energy giant Gazprom, which has a monopoly on the export of Russian natural gas to Europe, and the Slovak gas utility SPP have agreed an out-of-court settlement for damages that SPP suffered during a suspension of gas supplies in January last year, a Russian newspaper has reported. The so-called ‘gas war’ between Russia and Ukraine in January 2009 left Europe without Russian natural gas for about two weeks.
Slovak president vetoes Smer's revision to University Act
On March 29, Slovak President Ivan Gašparovič has returned to parliament the amended University Act drafted by Smer party MP Mojmír Mamojka, which lawmakers approved on March 9.
Slovak president returns Bankruptcy Act amendment
On March 29, Slovak President Ivan Gašparovič returned to parliament unsigned the amendment to the Bankruptcy Act that it had passed earlier this month.
Interblue Group Europe gets new chief
Natalie Gough has become the new chief executive of the Swiss company Interblue Group Europe, which maintains it is the legal successor of the US-based Interblue Group, which bought Slovakia's surplus CO2 emissions quotas in 2008.
Group of judges launches campaign to tackle justice issues
A group of judges unhappy with the state of justice in Slovakia have launched an independent initiative entitled 'For Open Justice' in order to highlight and tackle the sector's problems, the TASR newswire wrote.
Slovaks score low on EU physical activity ranking
Slovaks are not very fond of sports and the country is among the bottom half of EU countries when it comes to the ratio of people taking part in sport, according to a Eurobarometer survey of physical activity and sport published by the European Commission on March 29.
Economic confidence grew in March
Confidence in the Slovak economy improved for the tenth month in a row in March, with the Index of Economic Sentiment (IES) increasing by 1.9 points during the month to 89 points. This represents a year-on-year increase of 15.9 points, but is still 11.3 points lower than the long-term average, the Statistic Office reported on Monday, March 29.
The week in Slovakia
Content of programme: The man behind the emissions scandal steps forward; Secrets of the secret service revealed; Campaign season opens with political broadsides; And… helping the toads of spring
SkyToll: Over €23 million collected from road tolls to-date
More than €23 million has been collected in road tolls within the period of nearly three months during which the toll system has been running, the TASR newswire was told on March 28 by Lenka Lendacká from SkyToll, the company that operates the system. Electronic tolls on Slovak motorways, highways and first-class roads were introduced for vehicles weighing more than 3.5 tons on January 1. According to SkyToll and the National Highway Company (NDS), higher amounts have been collected especially in recent weeks on first-class roads, which were excluded from toll-duty on January 14 for 47 days because shortcomings in the system had to be dealt with. NDS director Igor Choma said that more money has been collected over the past week than at any other time since the tolls were introduced.
Slovak President vetoes revised Thermal Energy Bill
Slovak President Ivan Gašparovič vetoed and returned the amended Thermal Energy Bill back to parliament. The president objects to the fact that the amended bill is to change the obligation of the Regulatory Office for Network Industries (ÚRSO) to cancel the license of an entity to do business in the heating sector in cases stipulated by law into a mere possibility of the Office to decide on cancellation of the license, omitting thedefinition of specific cases.
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- A mayor resigns over €2.7 million fraud scandal at town hall
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- He designed Gatwick. But this is his masterpiece
- Fico praises China and Vietnam as models, says liberal democracy has failed
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- The compass points to Kúty, and people are starting to follow
- 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
- Maria Theresa on the banks of Bratislava More articles ›
