Archive of articles - The Slovak Spectator

Slovak cabinet finalises 2011 state budget draft

The cabinet of Iveta Radičová has finished preparing its first state budget bill, the SITA newswire wrote on September 30.

Slovak Supreme Court acquits former Rača mayor of soliciting a bribe

The former mayor of the Rača district of Bratislava, Pavol Bielik, made no concrete steps that would show that he had demanded a bribe for his “surplus labour”, a senate of the Slovak Supreme Court ruled on September 30, the SITA newswire reported.

Scientists discover more Bronze Age bones near Bratislava

Archaeologists have uncovered more remains from a settlement dating back to the Bronze Age near Budmerice village in Bratislava region – with a well-preserved human skeleton and two thigh bones being added to the artefacts, local archaeologists reported on September 29, according to the SITA newswire. The site was discovered in the 1950s during agricultural work and has been the subject of archaeological research ever since. According to the archaeologists, relative to the overall size of the population during the Bronze Age, the size of the fortified village makes it comparable to modern-day New York.

The state says it cannot help Roma sisters who have not found teacher jobs

Sisters Viera and Andrea Samková, two Roma women, have been seeking jobs as teachers or teacher assistants for four years but so far in vain, the Sme daily wrote on September 30. Their disadvantage, according to Sme, is that they are university graduates and some schools where they applied for jobs preferred to hire less qualified people in order to save money while other potential employers claimed that the sisters’ education was not sufficient.

The Slovak National Gallery participates in BLAF too.

BLAF opens galleries for people and people to galleries

GALLERIES should not be places solely for small, close communities of artists to meet and display their works to one another, but rather attractive venues for all people – children, students, workers, managers, pensioners – to spend their spare time surrounded by contemporary works of fine art. This is the initiative imagined by the organisers of BLAF – the Bratislava Art Festival – which is the city’s first contemporary visual arts festival, taking place from October 1 to 6.

Michaela Terenzani

Parliament Speaker Sulík to discuss social inclusion of Roma at V4

Social inclusion of the Roma minority will be the topic of Slovak Parliamentary Chairman Richard Sulík's speech at the meetings with his counterparts from Visegrad Four (V4) countries taking place at Častá-Papiernička in Bratislava region and at Červený Kameň in Trnava region on Thursday and Friday, September 30 and October 1, the TASR newswire wrote. “One of the proposals is to constantly include this issue in the agenda of the rotating V4 presidency, because it calls for an extremely sensitive approach,” Sulík's spokesperson, Tatiana Tóthová, told TASR.

OSCE Representative recommends no fines in amendment to Language Act

OSCE High Representative Knut Vollebaek said that abolishing fines in the amendment to the State Language Act is appropriate.

New general director named for state-owned lottery

Miloš Ronec has been appointed the new general director of Tipos, the state-owned national lottery, by Finance Minister Ivan Mikloš (SDKÚ) on September 29, the TASR newswire was told by the Finance Ministry spokesman Martin Jaroš. Former director Stanislav Žiačik resigned from the post on Tuesday for unspecified personal reasons. According to the media, Žiačik had purchased advertising from VYV agency, a firm he had co-owned in the past, without a tender shortly after being appointed the general director in August this year. He was under criticism by opposition Smer chairman Robert Fico.

Government orders Economy Minister to shut down agency for small business

The National Agency for the Development of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (NADSME) – along with all its funds – will be shut down, the government decided on Wednesday, September 29, delegating Economy Minister Juraj Miškov (SaS) to prepare its closure, the TASR newswire wrote. “The shutdown can be carried out [easily] ... one letter from the Economy Minister is enough and, at the moment, the agency ceases to exist,” said Prime Minister Iveta Radičová to TASR. The government had asked Miškov to recall all ministry representatives in the management and administrative boards and the collegium of NADSME. Miškov was also asked to replace all members of the agency's bodies, section directors and all members of the bodies in the related company Fond Fondov. The economy minister should then report to the government about the current situation and all the replacements in NADSME, including reports on ongoing inspections and criminal investigations. Subsequently, Miškov should submit to government a proposal on the shutdown. Meanwhile, all its projects will be transferred to other institutions.

General prosecutor to brief MPs on Malinová case

General Prosecutor Dobroslav Trnka will inform parliament’s committee for human rights and ethnic minorities about the progress of the Hedviga Malinová case, which dates back to 2006. Peter Zajac from Most-Híd requested that Trnka be invited to address the committee. According to Zajac, the case of Hedviga Malinová is very important and members of the committee should be informed about the state of the investigation.

Head of TV Markíza resigns

Václav Mika handed in his resignation as chief executive of Slovakia’s largest private TV company, Markíza, on Tuesday, September 28.

Slovak deputy prime minister receives German ambassador

Rudolf Chmel, Slovakia’s deputy prime minister for human rights and ethnic minorities, met Germany’s ambassador to Slovakia, Axel Hartmann, on Tuesday, September 28. The two discussed the amendment to the State Language Law and other legislative proposals.

Cabinet debates withdrawal of Slovak troops from Kosovo, e-government

Prime Minister Iveta Radičová, who cancelled her Tuesday work schedule due to flu, is to take part in a government session on Wednesday, September 29. Ministers will discuss a proposal to terminate the participation of Slovak soldiers in the KFOR military mission in Kosovo, the SITA newswire wrote.

Trial adjourned in libel suit of Archbishop Sokol vs Týždeň weekly

The main trial in the libel lawsuit filed by Archbishop Emeritus Ján Sokol against the Slovak news weekly Týždeň, which was supposed to have been held at Trnava District Court on September 28, did not take place due to the judge’s illness. The trial should have heard testimony from a key witness, Štefan Náhlik, the SITA newswire wrote. The new date for the trial was set for November 9.

Judges have no immunity in most European countries, British justice officials say

Senior British judge Lord Justice (John) Thomas, president of the European Network of Councils for the Judiciary, visited Slovakia on Tuesday, September 28, and met Slovakia’s Supreme Court Chief Justice and Judicial Council Chairman Štefan Harabin.

Supreme Court President Štefan Harabin (left) and Lord Justice John Thomas.

No need for immunity, British experts say

“NOBODY in Britain would dream of people being given immunity,” said Britain’s Secretary of State (i.e. minister) for Justice and Lord Chancellor Kenneth Clarke during a visit to Bratislava on September 28, addressing one of the most-discussed issues in Slovak politics today.

Compiled by Spectator staff

SaS plans new caucus leader

The Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) party is planning changes to its parliamentary caucus, the TASR newswire reported on Tuesday, September 28, citing Tatiana Tóthová, spokesperson for party leader Richard Sulík.

Economic sentiment indicator sank in September

The mood in the Slovak economy worsened during September. The economic sentiment indicator fell by 0.9 to 92.7 percentage points this month, the Statistics Office of the Slovak Republic stated.

Slovak unions take part in Brussels protest

Representatives of Slovakia’s Trade Union Confederation (KOZ) are in Brussels to take part in a European demonstration set for Wednesday, September 29. It is being held to protest against cuts in national budgets.

Barnier: Slovakia could face lawsuit in two months over e-toll tender

Slovakia is to get a two-month-long opportunity to avoid possible court action by the European Commission over a controversial tender. The EC is about to file reservations concerning the tender, which resulted in a contract to provide an electronic highway tolling system being granted to the most expensive bidder. Slovakia will then have two months to respond, the TASR newswire reported on Tuesday, September 28.

Archive of articles - September 2010