Archive of articles - April 2010, page 9
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NGO says the quality of democracy in Slovakia is not improving
The quality of democracy in Slovakia has not been improving, said Grigorij Mesežnikov the head of the Public Affairs Institute (IVO) at a presentation of the IVO Barometer project on April 15, the SITA newswire wrote.
Slovak judge is convicted on corruption charges
The Supreme Court of the Slovak Republic confirmed on April 15, the verdict of Slovakia’s Special Court from April 2009 which convicted Štefan Marták, a judge from Čadca, of accepting bribes and abuse of the position of a public official, the SITA newswire reported.
Environmental NGO files court motions related to National Park re-zoning
The Slovak NGO called VLK (Wolf)has submitted motions to the Žilina Regional Court and the Prešov Regional Court to initiate court proceedings charging inactivity by the regional environmental offices of state administrations in Prešov and Žilina, the SITA newswire wrote on April 15.
Bratislava airport scraps flights to Britain and Ireland
The eruption of a volcano in Iceland, which has caused a cloud of volcanic ashes, prevents airports on the British islands from continuing their usual operations and British and Irish authorities issued a ban on flights into the British airspace beginning April 15 at 13:00, the Sme daily wrote.
New industrial orders jump by one-third in Slovakia in February
The volume of new industrial orders in Slovakia continued to grow at a significant pace in February and the Slovak Statistics Office reported that new industrial orders swelled by 32.3 percent y-o-y to €2.561 billion, compared with an increase of 24.6 percent in January, the SITA newswire reported.
Foreign Affairs Minister Lajčák holds first talks with Ukraine’s new government
Slovak Foreign Affairs Minister Miroslav Lajčák is meeting with Ukraine’s top representatives during his visit to Kiev on Thursday, April 15, ministry spokesman Peter Stano told the TASR newswire. Lajčák’s trip is the first visit of a Slovak government representative since Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych assumed office in February. The visit is aimed at establishing dialogue with the new leadership of Slovakia’s eastern neighbour and confirming Slovakia’s interest in intense relations at all levels, said Stano.
European Commission says Slovakia’s e-toll tender was unfair
The European Commission has stated that the tender for an operator of Slovakia’s electronic-toll system organised by the Slovak government disqualified at least one qualified bidder without due reason. The Slovak committee assigned to evaluate offers had previously said it found technological flaws and a suspiciously low price in that company’s offer – it had bid about €200 million less than the winner of the tender. The Sme daily wrote on April 15 that Brussels refused both claims of the Slovak committee and that it required evidence that the government did not unduly prefer the winning SkyToll company. Transport Minister Ľubmír Vážny is supposed to answer the letter from the EC within one month. The ministry claims that the e-toll tender that cost the state €852 million might be expensive but it is also unique and of good quality. The list of things that put SkyToll at an advantage – according to the EC – is quite long, including the change of payment system from onboard units to tickets bought at borders. After Slovak ministry answers the letter, the Commission will decide whether it will take further steps against the country.
Labour minister reacts to central bank report on second pension pillar
The legislative changes made to the second (capitalisation) pension pillar in Slovakia introduced last year by the Labour, Social Affairs and the Family Ministry were aimed at making the second pillar more attractive, Labour Minister Viera Tomanová said after a government session on April 14, the TASR newswire reported. She was reacting to a central bank report on financial markets in 2009 released earlier this week which said that investments by pension fund management companies (DSSs) last year were shifted to more conservative portfolios.
Funding agreement signed for Bratislava ice hockey stadium
Education Minister Ján Mikolaj and the mayor of Bratislava, Andrej Ďurkovský, signed an agreement on allocating a state subsidy for the reconstruction works of Ondrej Nepela ice hockey stadium on April 14, the TASR newswire reported, based on an education ministry press release. According to the agreement, the Education Ministry will provide €26.555 million to Bratislava city in 2010 for the reconstruction. The ice hockey stadium needs to be ready for the Ice Hockey World Championship tournament to be held in Bratislava and Košice in 2011.
Transport Ministry says speed limit of 160 still possible on some motorways
Raising the allowed speed limits at selected sections of Slovak motorways to 160 km/hour is still realistic but it cannot be too expensive, Transport Minister Ľubomír Vážny said after a government session on April 14. “I still have a feeling that we could agree on the 160 km/h limit, but first I have to see the analysis. If it has some economic reason, we’ll try to change the speed limit or find another possibility,” said Vážny to the TASR newswire.
Employment in Slovakia falls in all sectors in February
Employment in Slovakia dropped in all measured sectors year-on-year in February, with wholesale trade recording as much as a 20-percent fall in its number of employees, the Slovak Statistics Office said on April 14, as reported by TASR Other sectors saw the following year-on-year decreases in employment levels for the month of February: restaurant and catering activities - 13.3 percent; IT and telecoms activities - 13 percent; and manufacturing and accommodation - 12 percent. In the first two months, the country’s employment fell on an annual basis in wholesale by close to 20 percent and in manufacturing by 13.5 percent, TASR wrote.
Labour minister comments on audits of social enterprises
If a social enterprise violates its agreement, Labour, Social Affairs and the Family Minister Viera Tomanová is ready to terminate cooperation with it, she said after a government session on April 14, the TASR newsier wrote.
Investment volume in Slovakia above EU average, but effectiveness questionable
The volume of private investment in Slovakia is reported to exceed the European Union average by some 5-7 percentage points, comprising a 25-percent share of Slovakia's GDP compared to an average GDP share among EU countries of 18 percent.
IT employees were paid most in early 2010, data show
Employees in the information and communications sector were paid the highest average nominal monthly wage, of €1,566, in the January-February period of this year according to data from the Slovak Statistics Office, the SITA newswire reported.
Sme: Slovak Labour Ministry could have detected social company failings earlier
Slovakia’s Labour, Family and Social Affairs Ministry could have detected failings in the pilot social enterprise Horehronie, which recently had its contract with the ministry cancelled, as early as August 2009, during an unscheduled inspection. By that time, the social company’s contract with businessman Ján Rosík, which led the ministry to terminate its relationship with Horehronie, already existed, the Sme daily reported on April 13.
Motor show opens in Bratislava, featuring over 30 car brands
Almost 130 exhibitors from the Czech Republic, France, Poland, Austria and Slovakia, representing more than 30 car brands, are showcasing their new models at the 20th annual Autosalón motor show, which opened at the Incheba exhibition centre in Bratislava on April 13. More than 60 models will get their Slovak debut at the car show, the TASR newswire wrote.
Slovak consumer prices rose by annualised 0.8 percent in March
Consumer prices in Slovakia rose by 0.8 percent in March year-on-year, according to data published by the Statistics Office on Monday, April 12.
MPs to decide fate of Patriotism Act this month
Speaker of Parliament Pavol Paška announced on Tuesday, April 13, that the next session of parliament would begin on April 27, rather than in May as had originally been expected.
Supreme Court Senate Chairman Kandera resigns
Supreme Court Senate Chairman Jozef Kandera, the presiding judge in the case of alleged organised crime boss Branislav Adamco and the so-called 'acid gang' that dissolved the corpses of its victims in acid, resigned from his post on Tuesday, April 13.
Dramatic heist in Bratislava shopping centre
Seven masked men broke into Bratislava's Aupark shopping centre early on Wednesday, April 14, before ransacking a jewellery store.
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- No more photos or bank statements? Slovakia moves to ease residence process More articles ›
