Archive of articles - August 2010, page 6
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Slovak GDP spikes in second quarter
SLOVAKS have grown tired of hearing bleak numbers and gloomy prospects about their country’s economic performance so there was a pleasant surprise for citizens and market watchers in the second quarter of this year as Slovakia’s economy posted the best GDP growth among all countries in the European Union.
Slovakia backs eurozone plan, rejects Greek bailout
THE RECOMMENDATION by Iveta Radičová’s government that Slovakia refuse to bear any share in the costs of the multi-billion European rescue loan to Greece found a sympathetic ear in the national parliament. Deputies rejected the additional codicils to the original agreement signed by the previous government that would have been required if Slovakia were to contribute any cash to the Greek loan programme.
Slovakia’s Deputy PM says he generally supports separation of church and state
Slovakia’s Deputy Prime Minister for Minorities, Rudolf Chmel (Most-Híd), has said that he generally supports the separation of church and state, but concedes that this is unlikely to take place for some time. “There's a long way to go until this happens,” he stated at a press conference on August 19 in Bratislava, as quoted by the TASR newswire, adding that neither his party, nor the governing coalition have dealt with this topic.
Almost 700 soldiers deployed to tackle flood effects in Handlová
A total of 698 soldiers have been sent to tackle the aftermath of the flood that hit Handlová in Trenčín Region on Sunday, said Armed Forces spokesman Milan Vanga to the TASR newswire on Thursday, August 19. The deployed soldiers have been working in shifts of 12 hours. On Thursday, 123 of them with the necessary equipment took part in clearing mud from the streets and other flooded areas.
Slovakia’s unemployment rate drops to 12.33 percent in July
Slovakia's unemployment rate dropped slightly by 0.01 percentage points month-on-month to 12.33 percent in July, the Labour, Social Affairs and the Family Office (ÚPSVaR) announced on Thursday, August 19, as reported by the TASR newswire. A total of 375,608 job-seekers were registered at job centres in July, TASR wrote. The average length of time that unemployed people were registered at labour offices reached 13.45 months in July, a year-on-year increase of 2.56 months.
Entrepreneur arrested for alleged embezzlement involving Defence Ministry tenders
Police have brought criminal charges against an entrepreneur – thus far unidentified – who allegedly engaged in embezzlement involving tenders worth €1.73 million at the Defence Ministry and enriched himself to the tune of at least €173,000 in the process, the TASR newswire reported. “The Special Prosecutor's Office has filed a motion before a pre-trial judge at the Specialised Criminal Court (in Pezinok) to remand the accused in custody because of the possibility of influencing witnesses” or marring the investigation in other ways, the spokesperson for the Prosecutor General, Jana Tokolyová, told TASR.
Bratislava’s Slovan loses first leg of Europa League's match against VfB Stuttgart
The Slovan Bratislava football club lost 1-0 to Germany's VfB Stuttgart in the first leg of a Europa League play-off match in Bratislava on Thursday, August 19. The second leg is scheduled to be played in Stuttgart on Thursday, August 26, with Slovan now facing tough prospects in its bid to progress to the group stage of the competition.
Slovakia in 42 days: Košice Region
Water is an important element of the Košice Region – this time unfortunately, it is its devastating power during floods... However, in spite of this, the hammering of iron in Medzev, frescoes in Svinica and a glass of Tokaj wine create a specific local colour.
SPP to hold first auction sale of natural gas for next year
The Slovak natural gas utility, Slovenský Plynárenský Podnik (SPP), will hold its first auction sale of natural gas between August 20 and September 8, 2010 at which the company will sell natural gas to be delivered in 2011 and possibly also for the following two years, the SITA newswire wrote.
Proposed law will make meetings of Slovakia’s Judicial Council open to the public
Meetings of Slovakia’s Judicial Council should be open to the public and the council will have to justify its decisions, especially in personnel matters, states a draft amendment to the Law on the Slovak Judicial Council which the government cabinet approved on Wednesday, August 18, the SITA newswire reported. Presidents and vice-presidents of district and county courts cannot also be members of the Judicial Council, according to this amendment submitted by the Justice Ministry. However, membership of the Supreme Court President in the Judicial Council will continue because this is specified in the Slovak Constitution, SITA wrote. Five members of the current Judicial Council, Igor Burger, Helena Kožíková, Richard Molnár, Gabriela Šimonová, and Mária Usacevová, would be in conflict with the proposed law. If these members did not eliminate the reasons for the conflict, the proposed law states that their membership in the Judicial Council would terminate as of January 1, 2011.
Slovak MPs are showing little enthusiasm for reduced salaries
At the moment, deputies in Slovakia’s parliament are not speaking very directly about how they will tighten their belts in response to a proposal by Prime Minister Iveta Radičová, approved by the governing Coalition Council, asking that both MPs and Cabinet ministers judge the issue of accepting lower salaries and act according to conscience, the SITA newswire wrote. Parliamentary caucuses have not spoken officially about the issue. The caucus head of the opposition Slovak National Party, Rafael Rafaj, told the SITA newswire that members of parliament have had their salaries frozen already for two years and the state saved over €8,800 per MP. He recommended that the current “marvellous” government activate its foreign friendships instead and attract investors who would increase employment. The Christian Democratic Movement (KDH) of the four-party ruling coalition said it supports the idea of saving funds but its deputy Mária Sabolová is not quite sure whether a reduction of MP’s salaries is the proper solution. She said that many directors of state companies have salaries many times higher but nobody is speaking about them taking salary cuts. Ruling coalition parties Most-Híd and the Slovak Democratic and Christian Union (SDKÚ) have not yet met to discuss the issue.
Mikloš files criminal complaint against Chief Justice Harabin for obstructing audit
Finance Minister Ivan Mikloš from the Slovak Democratic and Christian Union (SDKÚ) filed a criminal complaint against Chief Justice Štefan Harabin on August 18 for obstructing the ministry’s attempts to conduct an audit at the Supreme Court, the Finance Ministry told the TASR newswire.
Speaker of Parliament Sulík presents €640 invoice for his dinner flight to Salzburg
The Speaker of Slovak Parliament and leader of the Freedom and Solidarity party (SaS), Richard Sulík, presented an invoice for his recent controversial flight to Salzburg showing that he paid €640, the TASR newswire wrote. Sulík told journalists that he could imagine going on another such trip in the future. “We’ll see what the future brings. I didn’t do anything bad; it was on my own time from my own money. I don’t see any reason why, when the time is right, I shouldn’t be able to repeat it,” he said, as quoted by TASR.
Slovak government allocates €13.3 million for flood relief
The Slovak government on Wednesday, August 18, approved an allocation of €13.3 million from the treasury to finance flood relief measures, the TASR newswire reported.
President Gašparovič receives American and Iraqi ambassadors
Iraq’s new Ambassador to Slovakia, Matheel Dhayif Majeed Al-Sabti, presented his credentials to Slovak President Ivan Gašparovič on Wednesday, August 18, the TASR newswire was told by the President's Office.
Effectiveness of highway toll collection questioned
THE NATIONAL Highway Company (NDS), which commissioned Slovakia’s electronic toll collection system, is seeking a discount on operating costs from contractor SkyToll after it missed an agreed target for toll collection effectiveness, the SITA newswire wrote on August 11.
International sale of chemical company NCHZ launched
THE ADMINISTRATOR of bankrupt Slovak chemical plant Novácke Chemické Závody (NCHZ) has officially announced an international public tender for its sale, the TASR newswire reported. Advertisements announcing the tender will be published in the international magazines The Economist and Wirtschaftspress, and in the Czech financial daily Hospodářské Noviny. The administrator, Slovenská Správcovská a Reštrukturalizačná Spoločnosť, said it hopes that the winner will be known by the end of this year or early next. Potential applicants will have until September 2 to register.
From manor house to well-appointed hotel
SOME OF the smallest villages, even those on the very edges of Slovakia, often boast a historical manor house or an old mansion. Tourism entrepreneurs have discovered the potential many of these historical properties have for new lives and have started to convert them into hotels with a distinctive style, a charming character, and a historical atmosphere that a newly-built hotel cannot provide.
Slovakia's foreign trade develops positively
SLOVAKIA’S foreign trade continues to post positive results. According to preliminary figures released by the Slovak Statistics Office on August 11, foreign trade in June posted a surplus of €208.2 million, up €199.9 million from the same month a year ago. Compared with the revised May data, the surplus in June was €96 million higher. The aggregate trade surplus for the period from January to June was €838.4 million, the SITA newswire wrote.
Slovakia imported 4.8 percent of its energy consumption last year
AFTER Slovakia started closing one of its older nuclear power stations in Jaslovské Bohunice in 2006 to meet EU admission conditions, the country lost its position as an electricity exporter and in 2007 became an importer. In 2009, Slovakia imported 1,312 GWh, or 4.79 percent of its consumption, the TASR newswire reported, citing a report by the Nuclear Regulatory Authority of the Slovak Republic (ÚJD).
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