Archive of articles - February 2011, page 6
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A very eventful January unfolds at Košice Zoo
KOŠICE Zoo has chosen a winning blueprint for reconstruction and new use of Košice’s Old Indoor Pool which will soon become part of a new Water World (Vodný svet) at the zoo complex. The design was prepared by the team of Juraj Furdík, Ivor Mečiar, Peter Lovich and Kristína Šťastná, and not only preserves the original purpose of the pool, for people, but combines it with another, detached water world for zoo animals. The jury evaluated 18 proposals altogether but chose the winning plan because it keeps the existing building and its original use while adding an entirely new element.
Countrywide Events
Western SLOVAKIA
Deputy minister steps down unexpectedly
IN A SURPRISE move, Martin Chren, the state secretary – i.e. deputy minister – at Slovakia’s Ministry of Economy, announced on February 17 that he would quit his post and take up a seat in parliament.
Slovakia records 339 HIV cases
IN THE last 25 years of HIV monitoring in Slovakia, 339 cases of HIV-positive people were recorded, with 20 cases being added to the statistics in 2010. Clinical symptoms of AIDS developed in 57 of those infected and 37 people died of AIDS in Slovakia.
Galko alleges manipulation of report
DEFENCE Minister Ľubomír Galko, a Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) nominee, has alleged that the former management of the ministry manipulated what is known as an annual complex evaluation report. The evaluation report for the election year of 2010 was altered, Galko told journalists on February 15, as reported by the SITA newswire.
This week in Slovakia
Content of programme: NATO criticizes Slovak military; Government crisis temporarily averted; Local cop becomes media star
Innovative ideas from behind bars
SOME prisoners in Slovakia’s jails are spending their free time inventing. Examples of their activities are being exhibited until the end of March in Banská Bystrica at a display called What Is In Us.
74, 75
“I WAS the one who let you know, I was your sorry-ever-after. Seventy-four, seventy-five.”
Starting at the rootlets
A PROVERB has it that it is better to teach those in need how to fish than to just give them fish. The first approach helps them forever while the second approach lasts for just a short while. It is likewise true that it is best to start every project at its rootlets, its smallest part.The Divé maky (Wild Poppies) idea was born from these tenets six years ago to help young Roma children from ostracised or socially handicapped families to further develop their talents. The project recently expanded to a tough Roma settlement called Jarovnice - one of the biggest Roma settlements in central Europe - where young people, determined to learn new things, were chosen, trained and prepared to join their peers from across Slovakia.
Slovak institutions and organisations with innovation in their portfolios
Ministry of Economy
Seven PMs meet in Bratislava
BELARUS, energy security and food prices were the leading topics of a summit of Visegrad Group (V4) prime ministers which took place in Bratislava on February 15 – exactly 20 years after the grouping was established in the northern Hungarian town of Visegrad. Slovakia currently holds the presidency of the organisation. German chancellor Angela Merkel was among other regional leaders who attended the summit and congratulated the four V4 members.
Banská Štiavnica’s Belá Gate
IN THIS precious postcard from 1909 we see the Belá or Belianska Gate (Belianska Brána) in Banská Štiavnica. It was among the main town gates and, as its name suggests, it faced towards Banská Belá, a nearby town.
President undergoes hip surgery
PRESIDENT Ivan Gašparovič underwent hip surgery on February 14. The operation was a standard procedure without any complications.
Innovation – a path to economic growth
INNOVATION is seen as one of the main driving forces of economic growth and prosperity. Innovations, not only in terms of technologies, but also in marketing, service delivery, management, design and other factors, increase firms’ competitiveness and provide a much better chance to succeed in global markets. More innovation is also viewed as a way to more quickly heal the crisis-hit global economy. Even though the Slovak government says that it shares these tenets, its support for innovation has thus far been mostly in the form of lofty declarations with only a few tangible initiatives. Some observers hope that new faces in the government might bring some real changes in this field as well.
SMEs must innovate to succeed
AWARENESS about the importance of innovation is very low among small and medium-sized enterprises in Slovakia. Only one quarter of Slovak companies are actively involved in pursuing innovations, either in technologies, processes or services according to available statistics. More than half of these active firms are larger companies with over 250 employees. Among the group of small companies (up to 50 employees) only 19.2 percent are active in pursuing innovations while the proportion of medium-sized companies (up to 250 employees) that are active in innovation is only 34.4 percent.
Coalition keeps its majority, for now
THE HATCHET has been buried for now and the centre-right ruling coalition will keep its fragile majority in parliament. The government’s stability was put in doubt after Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) party expelled Igor Matovič, the informal leader of the Ordinary People faction, from the SaS caucus for voting in line with the opposition Smer party on February 10.
VW to invest €1 billion in Slovakia
VOLKSWAGEN Slovakia is planning to invest €1 billion over the next five years into the production of its cars as well as components, the SITA newswire reported.
Head of Office for Slovaks Living Abroad pledges to be impartial
Milan Vetrák, the new chairman of the Office for Slovaks Living Abroad, says he will not be biased against the World Association of Slovaks Living Abroad (SZSZ), although the association protested against him being named for the post.
Matovič to start collecting signatures to found new party in summer
Independent MP Igor Matovič is likely to start collecting the required 10,000 signatures to form a new political party this summer, he told a press conference on Thursday, February 17. He explained the delay by saying that he does not feel like walking the streets in winter.
'Devín Massacre' film in production
A new film entitled 'Devín Massacre' reconstructing the shooting rampage by a lone gunman which took place in the Bratislava borough of Devínska Nová Ves last year is being dramatised as a film which will be shown at Slovak cinemas, the TASR newswire reported on Thursday, February 17.
- Weekend: Celebration of fun comes to Malacky Photo
- Convicted of multiple murders, Slovakia’s mafia boss seeks release from prison
- 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
- Top 10 events in Bratislava for foreigners
- News digest: Prosecutor seeks jail for NBS Governor Kažimír as his political support wanes
- Slovak female triathlete shatters barriers with historic win at Himalayan event
- News digest: Fico’s bloc wants to save money by restricting electoral access
- Top 10 events in Bratislava for foreigners
- No more photos or bank statements? Slovakia moves to ease residence process
- Weekend: Celebration of fun comes to Malacky Photo
- Slovakia loses another EV model to Spain as Stellantis chooses Zaragoza over Trnava
- News digest: Prosecutor seeks jail for NBS Governor Kažimír as his political support wanes
- Convicted of multiple murders, Slovakia’s mafia boss seeks release from prison
- Slovak female triathlete shatters barriers with historic win at Himalayan event
- 3 free things to do in Bratislava in the next seven days
- Maria Theresa on the banks of Bratislava
- No more photos or bank statements? Slovakia moves to ease residence process
- 3 free things to do in Bratislava in the next seven days
- Weekend: Celebration of fun comes to Malacky Photo
- Top 10 events in Bratislava for foreigners
- Digital Jarvis is real now. He is coming for your to-do list
- Paris leads, Bratislava trails: European cities ranked on safe travel for children
- Convicted of multiple murders, Slovakia’s mafia boss seeks release from prison
- 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
- He designed Gatwick. But this is his masterpiece
- Fico praises China and Vietnam as models, says liberal democracy has failed
- News digest: Violent gang in Bratislava is under arrest
- The Kremlin’s security agency has a Russian contractor in Slovakia - no one has noticed
- 3 free things to do in Bratislava in the next seven days
- 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
- Top 10 events in Bratislava for foreigners More articles ›
