Archive of articles - May 2010, page 10
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Greek crisis raises doubts over deficit
THE EUROPEAN Union is facing an unprecedented metamorphosis and is heading towards stricter monitoring of the budgetary policies of its member states, say observers reflecting upon efforts in Brussels to prevent default by the eurozone’s weakest member, Greece, and avert a similar fate among other heavily indebted European countries. Brussels could even acquire a new authority to review the budgets of eurozone member states before they are passed by national parliaments.
Trade surplus of €176.3 million in March
PRELIMINARY numbers by the Slovak Statistics Office show a foreign trade surplus in March of €176.3 million, which is €152.9 million more than in March 2009, the SITA newswire reported.
GDP figures show marked upswing
THE LATEST statistics have not disappointed those who expected some positive numbers for the first three months of 2010 after the contraction of Slovakia’s economy last year. The country’s GDP not only returned to growth but also blessed the market with better-than-expected numbers. While market watchers do not predict any spectacular jumps ahead, they say that the country’s relatively small, export-oriented economy is set to grow for the rest of the year and even beyond.
Institutions and organisations in the banking sector in Slovakia
Ministry of Finance
Housing savings banks in Slovakia
Three banks, called housing construction savings banks, specialise in support for purchase of housing in Slovakia:
Lecavalier: I trust someone who is more efficient than bureaucrats
FRANÇOIS Lecavalier believes that private financing should be used for building national infrastructure and, in general, for other kinds of services traditionally in the hands of governments. The institution he manages across four central European countries has assisted in developing public-private partnerships to build and operate airports, build a waste water treatment plant, and engage in rail transport in addition to various highway projects.
Brussels approves loan, with strings
SLOVAKIA can now stop biting its nails over securing the needed financing for parts of its mega-highway expansion to be built through private-public partnership (PPP) projects – but only if it can quickly handle some significant environmental challenges in line with the expectations of Brussels.
Slovak banks weathered a tough year in 2009
LOWER profit levels, a decrease in the volume of new loans, and creation of higher reserves for loan losses were the banking sector’s main characteristics in Slovakia in 2009. In addition to the impacts flowing from the global financial and economic crisis, Slovak banks were affected by the launch of the European single currency in 2009. Even though profits shrank significantly, Slovakia’s banking sector remained stable and bankers are looking to the future with optimism based on an expected revival of the country’s economy in the near future.
Some banks active in Slovakia
Banque Privée Edmond de Rothschild Europe, Slovakia,
Slovaks filmmakers compete in Cannes
THE SLOVAK film industry appears to be blooming. Over the past few years, very few Slovak films have made it to the screens of the big film festivals. But if the reception of Slovak productions at the Cannes International Film Festival is any indication, things are looking up for Slovak filmmakers.
Jack Kerouac surprises – even 40 years after his death
FOLLOWING the recent publication of a new, uncensored version of Jack Kerouac’s On the Road, his previously unknown first work, Sea is My Brother, will be published this year – but in Slovakia before anywhere elsewhere in the world.
Longing for a real reform
A DESIRE for a broad reform in academia that would make Slovak universities perform better in both research and teaching has been voiced by critics and some luminaries of academia for many years. Although several legislative changes have been passed during the term of the Robert Fico-led government, as proposed by Education Minister Ján Mikolaj, and a comprehensive accreditation of public universities has been brought nearly to its end, education experts say reform is really not finished and that much more needs to be done.
Prosecutor General says his office has successfully defended against ‘Ducký’s IOUs’
Holders of the so-called Ducký's promissory notes (sometimes called bills of exchange) signed by former state-run gas utility SPP director Ján Ducký in the 1990s will not get any money from the state, Prosecutor General Dobroslav Trnka said at a press conference on May 13, the TASR newswire reported. Trnka reported that the Prosecutor General’s Office successfully defended an appeal before the Supreme Court in one case involving a billion Slovak crowns (€33.2 million) that had been claimed by a Czech company called DRAFT-OVA.
Salzburg Forum in Bratislava discusses enlargement of Schengen Area
The Schengen area will be enlarged to include Romania and Bulgaria in March 2011, Slovak Interior Minister Robert Kaliňák said at a news conference after the meeting of the Salzburg Forum in Bratislava on May 13, the TASR newswire wrote.
Slovakia’s ice hockey team advances to the next round of World Championship
At the 74th IceHockey World Championship in the German city of Cologne, the Slovak team beat Kazakhstan 5:1 in the Lanxess Arena and will advance to the next round as the second team in its group.
Slovak parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee to discuss Hungarian dual citizenship bill
The Slovak parliament’s foreign affairs committee said on May 13 that it will discuss a bill on dual citizenship that the Hungarian Parliament plans to begin debating on Friday morning, the TASR newswire wrote. Committee member Pavol Hrušovský from the Christian Democratic Movement (KDH) asked the committee chairman, Juraj Horváth (Smer), earlier in the day to call an immediate meeting of the committee with Slovak Foreign Minister Miroslav Lajčák and Ambassador to Hungary Peter Weiss in attendance in order to clarify the situation regarding the adoption process of the dual-citizenship bill.
NGO report is critical of current government’s record
The current government has made the socio-economic situation in Slovakia worse since it was sworn in four years ago, according to a Summary Report on the State of Society in Slovakia 2009 presented by the Institute for Public Affairs (IVO) on May 13, the TASR newswire reported. “It was the rule of non-liberal populists in conditions of liberal democracy which influenced the quality of the democratic environment in drafting legislation,” said IVO president Grigorij Mesežnikov to TASR. Over the past four years, Slovakia has not moved forward, he added, claiming that overall the period has been more about sustained problems from the past.
Year-on-year inflation reached 1.3% in April
Growth in consumer prices in Slovakia accelerated in April. Year-on-year inflation reached 1.3 percent last month, up 0.5 percentage points from March, the SITA newswire wrote.
Slovak finance minister declares readiness for spending cuts
The Finance Ministry is ready for fluctuations in the collection of taxes and has prepared a reserve in the budget to cope with this scenario, Finance Minister Ján Počiatek announced on May 12.
Bratislava’s Old Bridge to be closed from Saturday
The Old Bridge in Bratislava will be closed to public transport vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians from Saturday, May 15, due to its poor technical condition. It was closed to private motor vehicles at the end of 2008, the SITA newswire wrote.
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- Maria Theresa on the banks of Bratislava
- 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
- 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
- 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
- Top 10 events in Bratislava for foreigners
- 3 free things to do in Bratislava in the next seven days
- 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 ›
