Archive of articles - August 2010, page 10
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Accused Nigerian drug smuggler tells court he does not understand English
John O. Castro, a Nigerian citizen who is on trial at the District Court in Bratislava I for allegedly smuggling five capsules of cocaine in his body cavities to Slovakia, said he had a language problem during his hearing, the SITA newswire reported.
Industrial sales in Slovakia grew by nearly 25 percent year-on-year in June
Industrial sales in Slovakia amounted to €5.662 billion in June which is 24.2 percent more than a year ago, according to data of the Statistics Office (ŠÚ) that were reported by the SITA newswire.
Employment in June in Slovakia drops in all economic sectors
Employment in Slovakia in June was lower than a year ago in all monitored economic sectors, the TASR newswire wrote. Slovakia’s Statistics Office reported that the number employed dropped the most in wholesale trade by 13.2 percent, in information and communication activities by 12 percent, in accommodation services by 8.1 percent, in restaurants and pubs by 9 percent and in sale and repair of motor vehicles by 7.7 percent.
Harabin requests European organisation to comment on proposed amendments
The chairman of Slovakia’s Judicial Council and Chief Justice, Štefan Harabin, has asked the President of the European Network of Judicial Councils, Lord Justice John Thomas, as an international authority, to offer his opinion on a proposed government amendment to the Constitution, as well as on an amendment to the Judicial Council Act, the Judicial Council Office stated on Monday, August 9, the TASR newswire reported.
Slovakia's industrial production grew by 23.5 percent y-o-y in June
Industrial production in Slovakia grew by 23.5 percent year-on-year in June, the Statistics Office announced on Monday, August 9 with the increase due mainly to 24.4-percent growth in supplies of electricity, gas, steam and cold air and a 24-percent rise in manufacturing, the TASR newswire wrote. Of all industrial spheres, the production of computers, electronics and optical products contributed most to overall growth – 89.5 percent y-o-y, followed by the production of machines with an increase of 52.1 percent. Conversely, the production of electric devices fell by around 5 percent y-o-y, while that of refined oil products dropped by 0.4 percent. Industrial production in Slovakia has been rising since November, although in June it did not change compared to May when seasonal effects are taken into account. “Year-on-year growth should be influenced by holidays in the summer months being timed differently than they were last year. Car manufacturing companies have shifted holidays to August, which should strengthen y-o-y growth in July, which we preliminarily estimate at 27 percent,” Slovenská Sporiteľňa analyst Michal Mušák told the TASR newswire, adding that y-o-y growth could be reduced by last-year's higher comparison basis, however.
SARIO director and heads of two other agencies to be dismissed by Economy Minister
Economy Minister Juraj Miškov (SaS) has decided to launch personnel changes in the top posts of three ministerial agencies. Miškov has given orders for the dismissal of Robert Šimončič, the head of the Slovak Agency for Investment and Trade Development (SARIO) as well as Martin Vavrinka, the Slovak Innovation and Energy Agency (SIEA) general director.
Slovakia’s Ombudsman says Finance Ministry has a right to audit Supreme Court
Slovak Ombudsman Pavel Kandráč said on Monday, August 9, that he is not sure whether his presence at a meeting between Finance Minister Ivan Mikloš and Supreme Court Chairman Štefan Harabin would be much help in settling the dispute between the two institutions over who is authorised to audit the Supreme Court, the TASR newswire wrote. According to Kandráč, auditing the Court is “the sovereign right” of the Finance Ministry. “My office isn't against being audited either, as I view it as part of the management rules,” the ombudsman told the TASR newswire in response to Harabin's claim that both the ombudsman and Prosecutor-General Dobroslav Trnka should be present at his meeting with Mikloš.
Two Serbian football fans get suspended sentences for rowdiness
Two Serbian fans of the football team Red Star Belgrade who attacked people with telescopic metal truncheons in the centre of Bratislava last week have been given suspended sentences of six months each by the Bratislava Regional Court. Bratislava Regional Court spokesman Pavol Adamčiak told the TASR newswire on Monday, August 9, that the Court on Saturday found Mark Ivkovic and Jovan Bulatovic guilty of having committed the crime of rowdiness. According to the prosecution, the fans attacked a man in Bratislava, beating him over the head with their truncheons and kicking him over his whole body.
Slovakia in 42 days: Banská Bystrica Region
Banská Bystrica, as well as the whole region, brings first surprises: from its hospitality, to a meeting with a herd of wild horses, to the shock of the sign “Urine Analysis”.
Right-wing extremists and opponents clash in Bratislava but police step in
Right-wing extremists on Saturday, August 7, attempted to march to the statue of 9th-century ruler Prince Svätopluk on the Bratislava Castle courtyard but were not allowed to enter the castle area by riot police and special police units, the TASR newswire reported.
Slovakia’s Minister of Defence charges misuse of Military Intelligence Service
There is a very serious suspicion that somebody has misused the Military Intelligence Service (VSS), Defence Minister Ľubomír Galko from Freedom and Solidarity party (SaS) said following a session of the parliamentary committee in charge of supervising military intelligence on Friday, August 6, the TASR newswire reported. The session had a discussion on security clearance for the newly-appointed chief of Military Intelligence Service (VSS), Milan Hudec, who has been suspended over suspicions concerning his clearance certificate. “Former premier Fico gave a statement to the media. There is a suspicion that he would only have been able to provide it if he himself or somebody else had become acquainted with the security file of the person being checked [Hudec], or that somebody has become acquainted with information from the ongoing clearance process,” Galko told the TASR newswire, adding that he does not suspect any particular person of such activities.
Corgoň Liga round 4 results
Five matches of the Slovak premier football league 'Corgoň Liga' Round 4 were played on Saturday, August 7, the TASR newswire wrote.Results:MFK Košice - MFK Ružomberok 0:1 (0:0)FK DAC 1904 Dunajská Streda - FK Senica 2:3 (0:1)MSK Žilina - FC Nitra 5:1 (3:0)MFK Dubnica - Spartak Trnava 0:4 (0:2)ViOn Zlaté Moravce - 1. FC Tatran Prešov 1:0 (0:0)
WW II-era grenades found under roof of Trnava town hall
Police and bomb-disposal technicians were called in and some staff evacuated on the morning of Friday, August 6, after workers refurbishing the roof of the Trnava town hall discovered two hand-grenades, the TASR newswire reported. The police and bomb-disposal experts took an hour to complete their work and the evacuated staff then returned to their desks.
SNS’s Slota is applauded in Slovak parliament for proposing shortened debate
Opposition Slovak National Party (SNS) chairman Ján Slota, taking the floor in the Slovak Parliament on Friday, August 6, during the pre-vote debate on the new government’s programme manifesto, proposed that lawmakers should cut the ongoing session short as everybody is just wasting their time. "We’re well aware that as long as you have a majority you’ll have your government programme approved, we’re just chattering away here,” he told the members of the ruling coalition, as quoted by the TASR newswire.
Interior Minister Lipšic praises police handling of high-risk football match
Interior Minister Daniel Lipšic on Friday, August 6, praised the Bratislava Police Corps for the way in which it handled the high-risk second leg of the UEFA Europa League third qualifying round match between Slovan Bratislava and Red Star Belgrade on Thursday, according to a statement that Lucia Garajová from the ministry's press department provided to TASR the next day. “The police are supposed to ensure security, order and protect decent people. I'm proud of them,” said Lipšic as quoted by the TASR newswire. More than one thousand of the Serbian team’s fans came to Bratislava to attend the match, with Slovak police drawing up a set of stringent security measures.
Hoteliers do not remember a worse season
IN SPITE of the prime tourism season, hotels across Slovakia are rather empty, the Pravda daily wrote in late July. Many hotels are fighting to survive by cutting of prices, but it is likely that some of them will close, nonetheless. After the last year’s drop in sales caused by the world financial crisis they are experiencing an even worse year. The hotels report a drop in sales by 20 to 40 percent compared with 2009.
English-speaking academics study Slovakia
THE DIVISION of Czechoslovakia nearly two decades ago into Slovakia and the Czech Republic has contributed to the publication of an increasing number of original English language academic books by authors that focus on Slovakia.
Visitors could mint their own Jánošík ducat
ON THE weekend of July 31-August 1, visitors to the international folklore festival Jánošíkove dni (Jánošík’s Days) in the exposition of the Považie Museum Jánošík and Terchová – in the Terchová Municipal Office – had the chance to mint their own Jánošík ducat.
Quote of the week
“I can assure Mr Mikloš that he will not threaten me like Hitler threatened Supreme Court judges in Norway.”
Ordinary People tussle with SaS
THE NEW ruling coalition suffered a minor crisis in late July, in the run-up to the parliamentary debate on the government’s programme statement. It erupted after a group of four MPs who call themselves Ordinary People and who sit within the parliamentary caucus of Freedom and Solidarity (SaS), one of the four coalition parties, complained that none of their proposals had been included in the government programme.
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- Fico praises China and Vietnam as models, says liberal democracy has failed
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- News digest: Prosecutor seeks jail for NBS Governor Kažimír as his political support wanes
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- 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 ›
