Archive of articles - May 2010, page 3
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A vibrant book about nothingness
THE READER of the English edition of Julian Barnes's Nothing To Be Frightened Of is immediately presented with what seems to be a massive contradiction. Beneath an endorsement from The Daily Telegraph that this is Barnes's “funniest and frankest work to date”, a cover illustration depicts a cloaked skeleton visiting an unsuspecting gentleman and scaring him to death. Various other blurbs describe the book as a dissection of the “inevitability of death”, a “meditation on mortality and the fear of death”, “an extended reflection on the fear of death” and a “bible of elegant despair”. Funny? Are you sure?
Operative leasing begins to catch on in Slovakia
CRISIS-HIT companies are currently faced with the challenge of how to secure the means of production they need to do business in a flexible way that does not over-burden their budgets. In the present situation, when companies are often unable to make long-term plans, operative leasing, an approach until now used much less in Slovakia than abroad, is one way to do this.
Blessing masquerading as a curse
A BLESSING masquerading as a curse is how small, export-oriented economies within the eurozone should assess the recent weighty devaluation of the common European currency, according to economic experts.
May poll shows Smer would win Slovakia’s parliamentary elections next month
The strongest ruling coalition party, Smer, would have won the parliamentary elections with 33.7 percent if it had been held in May, shows an opinion poll conducted by the Agency for Public Opinion Research among 1,118 respondents from May 10 to May 19, the SITA newswire wrote.
EU states that it cannot intervene in Slovak-Hungarian citizenship dispute
The European Union said on Thursday, May 27, that it will not intervene in the dispute between its two members, Slovakia and Hungary, after the latter earlier this week passed an amendment easing the conditions for persons living outside of Hungary to acquire Hungarian citizenship, the TASR newswire reported. According to European Commission spokesman Matthew Newman, the EU lacks powers that could settle the issue in any way, saying that the EC does not have the power to shape policy vis-a-vis granting, altering or annulling of citizenship and therefore cannot intervene. This area is solely within the legal powers of EU member countries.
Constitutional Court rules that civil activist’s right to assembly was breached
The Slovak Constitutional Court ruled on a case involving civil activists who gathered in front of the Presidential Palace in protest against the visit of Chinese President Hu Jintao on June 18 of last year, and supported a previous ruling by the Bratislava Regional Court that the rights of civil activist Ondrej Dostál to attend a peaceful gathering were violated, the TASR newswire wrote, based on information on the Constitutional Court's website on May 27. The protest gathering, which led to clashes with Hu Jintao’s supporters was banned, which – following a complaint filed by Dostál – was later confirmed in the regional court’s verdict, TASR wrote.
Hanzel withdraws criminal complaint concerning threatening e-mail
Businessman and former Smer MP Bohumil Hanzel, who has stated that the Smer party traded official state posts in return for sponsorship money, has withdrawn a criminal complaint that he filed on May 25 concerning a threatening email sent to him, the TASR newswire reported.
Slovakia’s current account deficit deepened to €70 million in March
Slovakia's current account in its balance of payments continued posting deficits in March following the February gap of €35.3 million, the SITA newswire wrote. Preliminary data from the National Bank of Slovakia (NBS) show that the deficit in the balance of payments was €70.1 million in March. However, in annual terms, the deficit narrowed from €215.2 million a year ago.
Bratislava initiates ‘Neighbours’ Day’ on Friday, May 28
Shared barbecues, sport activities and walks in nature can mark the first Neighbours’ Day celebration in Bratislava which will be held at the Partizánska lúka forest park on Friday, May 28, the TASR newswire wrote, quoting Beatrice Szabóová, the spokesperson for the mayor of Bratislava. The initiative aims at bringing neighbours closer together and creating an air of friendliness and togetherness.
Rainbow Pride organisers slam Minister Kaliňák and Deputy PM Čaplovič
Organisers of the first Gay Pride Parade in Slovakia strongly disagree with the statements of Deputy Prime Minister for Human Rights and Minorities Dušan Čaplovič, who said on May 26 that topics of high social sensitivity like homosexuals’ rights require tolerance on both sides, the SITA newswire wrote.
Slovak politicians speak about new Slovak and Hungarian citizenship amendments
By adopting an amendment to legislation concerning dual-citizenship status for ethnic Hungarians living outside Hungary, Hungary has clearly breached the principles of the agreement on good neighbourly relations and friendly co-operation between Slovakia and Hungary, said Richard Sulík, the chairman of the Freedom and Solidarity party (SaS) on May 26, as reported by the TASR newswire.
Mixed views from analysts on new Slovak, Hungarian laws
Political analyst Michal Horský on May 26 described as “appropriate” the reaction of the Slovak Government and Parliament to the Hungarian amendment on dual citizenship for ethnic Hungarians living outside Hungary.
Slovak Parliament adopts state citizenship amendment
As of July 17, Slovak citizens will lose their citizenship if they willingly decide to give it up or if they apply for the citizenship of another country, according to an amendment to the State Citizenship Act approved by parliament on Wednesday, May 26, with 90 MPs out of the 115 present voting in favour.
Bratislava visitor numbers fell 8% in 2009
The number of local and foreign visitors to the Slovak capital, Bratislava, dropped in 2009 by almost 8 percent compared with the record year of 2008, Deputy Mayor Anna Dyttertová announced at a news conference on Wednesday, May 26.
Czech president expresses concern over dual citizenship issue
In a discussion with the Slovak ambassador to Prague, Peter Brno, on Tuesday, May 25, Czech President Václav Klaus expressed serious concerns about the development caused by the Hungarian Parliament's decision to adopt its amendment on dual citizenship.
Slovak households are optimistic about future finances in spite of current reality
Around 37 percent of Slovak households assess their current financial situation as worse than it was last year, according to a survey carried out by the GfK agency for MasterCard and published on May 25, the TASR newswire wrote. But more optimistic expectations prevail as 72 percent of the surveyed households think that their financial situation will be the same or better in the near future.
Slovak cabinet approves legislation in response to Hungary's Citizenship Act
In reaction to the amended Citizenship Act passed by the Hungarian Parliament on the morning of May 26, Slovakia’s cabinet endorsed a draft amendment to Slovakia's Citizenship Act, the SITA newswire wrote. Cabinet ministers also supported the proposal to ask parliament to approve the legislation in a fast-track procedure.
Slovak construction companies object to exclusion from R4 highway procurement
Two construction companies – Váhostav-SK from Žilina and Strabag from Bratislava – filed an objection with Slovakia’s Public Procurement Office because of their joint exclusion from the tender for construction of the R4 dual carriageway section from Košice to Milhošť, leading to the Slovak-Hungarian border, the SITA newswire wrote.
Slovakia’s central bank said economy performed better than expected in 1Q10
Developments in Slovakia’s economy in the first quarter of 2010 were slightly more favourable than the country's central bank (NBS) had expected but, in turn, a year-on-year drop in the employment rate was greater than NBS had foreseen, according to NBS’s latest monthly report on the Slovak economy released on May 25 and reported by the SITA newswire.
Hanzel files criminal complaint after threatening e-mail
Businessman and former Smer MP Bohumil Hanzel, who recently went public with allegations of shady financing practices in the past by the now-governing Smer party, on May 25 filed a criminal complaint with the Prosecutor's Office relating to a death threat which he says he has received by e-mail.
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- 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
- 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
- Top 10 events in Bratislava for foreigners More articles ›
