Archive of articles - May 2010, page 9
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Summer events at Strečno Castle
THE CENTRAL Slovak castle of Strečno has promised several new attractions for this summer’s Gastronomy Days. The culture manager of the Považie Museum in Žilina, Adriana Brziaková, who also administers Strečno told the TASR newswire that several events, including those for children, have been added. “Specialties this year will be ghost tours, medieval games, jousting and the like.”
Licensing council censures Lampa
THE LICENSING council has censured private TV channel JOJ for a broadcast of its regular TV discussion programme Lampa on November 16, 2009 which had as its topic the events of November 1989.
Inaccessible assistance?
FIVE MONTHS after a state programme designed to aid people who are unable to pay their mortgages was launched, it seems that not one person has been helped by it. Spokespersons for four banks confirmed for The Slovak Spectator that even though some mortgage holders have shown interest, they have failed to qualify for the aid and thus the banks report absolutely no one is using the programme.
OECD calls Slovak consolidation reliable
SLOVAKIA’s public finance consolidation plan is trustworthy, according to Pier Carlo Padoan, the chief economist for the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) who met Prime Minister Robert Fico in Bratislava on May 11, the TASR newswire reported.
Mortgage loans begin returning to life
BETTER prospects for a revival in Slovakia’s economy and low real estate prices have injected new energy into the domestic mortgage market. Banks are luring new clients with interest rates below 4 percent and hope that 2010 will be a much better year than 2009, when the volume of new mortgages fell by as much as 60 percent.
Koalícia
THE BRITISH election has given Slovaks a rare opportunity to feel superior in social evolution. Because if there is one thing local politicians excel at, it’s building coalitions. It’s no wonder – every single of the nine governments Slovakia has had since the fall of communism was a mixture of different, sometimes even antagonistic, parties.
New law requires shops to police their customers
DISCIPLINED, hygiene-aware customers – with shop workers looking over their shoulders to keep them from straying – could be one effect of a recent package of laws affecting retailers which the government says will protect consumers who use food shops.
Quote of the week
"It's necessary to point out the egotistical, arrogant and dangerous steps of the Fidesz party in such a sensitive issue."
Slovakia's new election issue: Greece
GREECE has now become a leading issue in Slovakia’s election campaign: but some of the parties seem loath to discuss it. “Buffoonery” is how Prime Minister Robert Fico dismissed the efforts of opposition parties to hold a parliamentary debate on Slovakia’s participation in the multi-billion-euro EU financial rescue package for Greece. His Smer party led ruling coalition efforts to repeatedly block debate, several times preventing the session, called by opposition parties, from achieving a quorum. The opposition described the tactics as “arrogance”.
Komárno’s military casino
THIS postcard from 1918 shows an interesting architectural monument – the Officers’ Pavilion in Komárno. It was built between 1858 and 1863 and originally contained flats for officers of the Imperial and Royal Army and their families. The ground floor was used as a casino for the officers’ entertainment.
'Basic banking product' is defined
THE FINANCE Ministry published a draft regulation in late April defining the final terms of what has been called the ‘basic banking product’. This is a package of services which all banks must offer in an identical form. The document is now undergoing internal approval procedures and may become effective on July 1, the SITA newswire wrote.
US judge issues anti- corruption warning
“CORRUPTION is anything that affects a judge and sways them in a direction that they would not otherwise have gone,” said renowned American lawyer Judge Stuart T. Waldrip, during a recent lecture to law students at the Bratislava School of Law (BVSP). He visited Slovakia in mid-May and spoke to students about identifying and fighting corruption in the justice system and the role of judicial ethics in building an independent judiciary. Waldrip formerly worked as a judge of the Orange County Superior Court in California. He is familiar with the corruption problems faced by countries in central and eastern Europe thanks to his activities as the Bulgarian Justice Ministry’s special adviser on corruption, a post he has held since 2009.
Bridge to link Devínska Nová Ves with Austria
THE BRATISLAVA regional government has released plans to construct a bridge for cyclists and hikers that will connect Devínska Nová Ves with the popular Austrian tourist attraction Castle Schloss Hof. The head of Bratislava Region, Pavol Frešo, presented the plan, which calls for construction to be complete by the summer 2011. It will be co-financed by Slovakia, Austria, and the European Union.
Bank employment shrank last year
THE BANKING sector in Slovakia employed 19,836 people at the end of 2009, with a gradual decrease occurring in every quarter since the end of 2008. The number of employees in the banking sector has fallen by 8.6 percent, or by 1,862 people, since the end of December 2008, the SITA newswire wrote, citing data from the National Bank of Slovakia (NBS).
Dual citizenship angers Fico
THE SLOVAK government is not pleased that the Hungarian parliament is planning to discuss a revision to its dual citizenship legislation at its first scheduled session on May 14.
Nuclear plant EIA is completed
SLOVAKIA’s largest energy producer, Slovenské Elektrárne, (SE) has received the final statement of approval from the Environment Ministry for the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for operation of the third and fourth units of its Mochovce nuclear power plant.
Monastery to undergo further reconstruction
THIS summer volunteers will continue to upgrade the ruins of the church and monastery of St Catherine in the Small Carpathians near the village of Dechtice. Peter Herceg, the chairman of the civic association Katarínka, told the SITA newswire that the 16th summer camp will concentrate on repairing the church’s tower.
Polls consistently show coalition slumping
THE UPCOMING election is stirring much discussion and analysis of public opinion polls which show Slovakia’s centre-right parties gaining support while voters preferences for the Smer party and its current coalition partners appear to be dropping. The Slovak Spectator spoke to Kevin Deegan-Krause, a political scientist from Wayne State University in the USA, about the recent poll results and his analysis of the current political setting. Professor Deegan-Krause carefully follows voter preferences and politics in Slovakia – topics about which he regularly blogs at www.pozorblog.com.
OSCE to monitor June 12 election
OBSERVERS from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) will arrive in Slovakia two weeks before the June 12 parliamentary election to monitor several aspects of the campaign and the balloting itself, the Sme daily reported.
€16m in investment incentives okayed
SLOVAKIA will provide investment incentives of €16 million to five companies. The cabinet approved incentives for Pasivhaus Modul Systeme, Monocrystalex, Sapa Profily, Stawi, and SKH Plastic at its session on May 12, the SITA newswire reported.
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- The law changed. Our family papers were ready. Now my kids are Slovak citizens
- Maria Theresa on the banks of Bratislava
- Slovak female triathlete shatters barriers with historic win at Himalayan event
- The Kremlin’s security agency has a Russian contractor in Slovakia - no one has noticed
- No more photos or bank statements? Slovakia moves to ease residence process
- Slovakia loses another EV model to Spain as Stellantis chooses Zaragoza over Trnava
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- Convicted of multiple murders, Slovakia’s mafia boss seeks release from prison
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- Maria Theresa on the banks of Bratislava
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- A mayor resigns over €2.7 million fraud scandal at town hall
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- Fico praises China and Vietnam as models, says liberal democracy has failed
- News digest: Violent gang in Bratislava is under arrest
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- News digest: Prosecutor seeks jail for NBS Governor Kažimír as his political support wanes
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- 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 ›
