Archive of articles - July 2010, page 9
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Former Slovak president Michal Kováč is hospitalised
Former Slovak president Michal Kováč has been hospitalised at the Military Hospital in Bratislava on Monday, July 12, due to nausea and dizziness. Kováč confirmed for the TASR newswire that he was to stay in hospital until Tuesday for further tests.
Slovak Foreign Ministry to aid tourists stranded by tour operator’s bankruptcy
The Slovak Foreign Affairs Ministry began to act as soon as it was contacted by Slovak tourists stranded in Turkey after travel agency Karya Tours announced that it was going bankrupt, the TASR newswire was told on July 10. The ministry looked into the situation and also called on Turkish hotel managers to be lenient with the Slovak tourists, who did not cause their own problems. More than one thousand Slovak tourists have been stranded abroad and another four thousand have not yet made it to their holiday destinations after Karya Tours, which specialised in trips to Turkey and Egypt, went bankrupt on July 10. Karya Tour's clients are being forced to end their holidays, with hotel managers at the holiday destinations refusing to accommodate them, claiming that services have not been paid for.
Slovakia’s Hungarian Coalition Party elects Berényi as new party chairman
An extraordinary congress of the Hungarian Coalition Party (SMK) held in Dunajská Streda on Saturday, July 10, elected József Berényi as its new chairman to lead the party until its general congress next year, the TASR newswire wrote. Berényi previously served as an SMK vice-chairman and he replaced Pál Csáky as leader of the party. SMK suffered a debacle in the general election in June, gaining only 4.33 percent, and did not make it to parliament but Berényi said the party has a good chance of returning in four years, pointing to the party's presence in the European Parliament and regional and local governments.
Police Corps leadership to leave as Lipšic takes over Interior Ministry
Police President Ján Packa and his deputies Stanislav Jankovič and Michal Kopčík are leaving their posts, new Interior Minister Daniel Lipšic (KDH) announced, as reported by TASR. “All three have expressed interest in leaving, the date of (Packa's) departure is, I think, as early as July 17,” said the new minister, adding that he will attempt to resolve personnel issues quickly, “so that there's no chaos in the Police Corps”.
Nitra regional councillor murdered, police arrest suspect
Interior Minister Daniel Lipšic (KDH) said on July 10 that he will insist on a thorough investigation into police activities regarding an attack on Nitra regional councilor László Basternak (an ethnic-Hungarian) in March and his murder in Hurbanovo in Nitra region on the evening of Friday, July 9, the TASR newswire reported.
Ministers in the new Slovak cabinet
Prime Minister: Iveta Radičová(SDKÚ)
The economic picture begins to brighten
ECONOMIC cooperation between Ireland and Slovakia was not immune to the harsh gales unleashed by he global financial and economic crisis. The volume of trade between the countries dropped ubstantially and there were no major direct investments from Ireland into Slovakia throughout 2009. However, when looking closely at the most recently published economic statistics, the picture begins to brighten. Moreover, Irish investors have not lost interest in investing in Slovakia and representatives of Irish business associations foresee opportunities for more cooperation in the areas of research and development, education, environmental projects and tourism.
8.4 percent of EU funds drawn as of June
THE PROPORTION of available EU funds drawn by Slovakia from the second programming period (2007-2013) grew modestly in June. Slovakia had drawn 8.39 percent of the overall allocation of €11.361 billion, or €953.46 million. This was 0.72 percentage points more than in late May, the SITA newswire reported.
VW Slovakia to hire 1,000 new workers
THE BRATISLAVA plant of the German carmaker Volkswagen will resume round-the-clock production due to continued high demand for its cars, requiring the hiring of about 1,000 workers, Vladimír Machalík, Volkswagen Slovakia spokesman said on June 30.
A breath of fresh air in Roma policy?
THE PROBLEMS of marginalised Roma communities living in often substandard conditions in so-called settlements across Slovakia have been recognised as among the most sensitive issues that the incoming centre-right government will have to deal with. That is one way to interpret the fact that Roma issues have been placed near the very top of the government’s programme statement. Roma rights watchdogs have praised some of the suggested measures but are warning against excessive optimism.
Ex-Gitmo detainees end hunger strike
NINE days after three former Guantanamo prisoners who had been relocated to Slovakia launched a hunger strike to protest the conditions in which they are being held here, local media reported that they have agreed to begin eating again after discussions with Slovak officials resolved some of theirs concerns.
Council turns to a long-term approach
SOME years ago the British Council, the UK’s leading cultural relations organisation, changed its approach to the activities it carries out alongside its English-language teaching and examinations business. From the traditional, one-off-event approach it moved to a long-term approach. Under this new model it started projects some of which last as long as three years, enabling it to further develop and incorporate the experience gleaned into subsequent projects.
€17 million to improve Roma education
THE MINISTRY of Education, Science, Research and Sport has announced the first round of a call for projects to improve education in marginalised Roma communities within the Operational Programme Education. The ministry’s agency for EU structural funds will allocate €17 million to the programme.
Esperanto devotees flock to Slovakia
THIS YEAR’S Summer Study of Esperanto (Somera Esperanto Studado, SES) took place between July 2 and July 9 in the western Slovak town of Piešťany. It was the fourth time that devotees and learners of this global language have met in Slovakia. Participants had the opportunity – apart from everyday lessons in Esperanto – to take part in creative workshops, to listen to lectures and concerts, and to interact with other users of the web portal that teaches Esperanto, www.lernu.net, which has attracted fans from 30 countries.
Počiatek predicts tax hikes
SLOVAKIA’S outgoing finance minister, Ján Počiatek (Smer), has expressed scepticism about the fulfilment of comitments made by the new centre-right coalition before the general election.
Keep it up! says departing US diplomat
IN CELEBRATING Independence Day, Americans honor our founders who met in 1776 to assert their right to self-governance. For me, as for most US citizens, the Fourth of July is therefore a celebration of freedom and democracy.
Ireland: General facts
Political system: parliamentary democracy
Countrywide Events
Western SLOVAKIA
Košice Zoo welcomes new baby penguin
A BABY penguin was born in Košice Zoo on June 6, the first ever. It weighed 78 grams at birth. The zoo became home to 12 penguins in 2008 but the original flock has had a series of health problems and tragic accidents that culminated in May when the former head of the zoo forged an autopsy report and accused a group of young visitors of having killed one of the three remaining penguins. A subsequent police investigation found no external marks on the dead penguin and concluded that the penguin probably died from eating a toad. After the scandal hit the media the zoo’s director, Štefan Kollár, resigned and Erich Kočner became the new director, the ČTK newswire wrote.
Labsi case back to Constitutional Court
THE CONSTITUTIONAL Court will deal with a motion filed by Mustafa Labsi, an Algerian who is suspected of cooperation with al-Qaeda and who was extradited to his homeland in April this year.
- 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
- From eight to thousands of runners. How Košice marathon rose to prominence Photo
- 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
- Slovakia loses another EV model to Spain as Stellantis chooses Zaragoza over Trnava
- 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
- From eight to thousands of runners. How Košice marathon rose to prominence Photo
- Convicted of multiple murders, Slovakia’s mafia boss seeks release from prison
- 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
- 3 free things to do in Bratislava in the next seven days
- Top 10 events in Bratislava for foreigners
- Digital Jarvis is real now. He is coming for your to-do list
- The Kremlin’s security agency has a Russian contractor in Slovakia - no one has noticed
- 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 ›
