Archive of articles - February 2011, page 8
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Preliminary estimate: Slovak economy grew by 4 percent in 2010
The Slovak economy grew by 4 percent year-on-year in 2010, according to a preliminary estimate published by the Statistics Office on Tuesday, February 15. In 2009, Slovakia's economy contracted by 4.7 percent.
Activists congest MPs’ e-mail-boxes with 180,000 e-mails in a single day
Around 1,200 people joined an ‘electronic protest’ in which they sought to remind legislators of their vow to curtail MPs’ immunity from prosecution, Robert Mihály of the civic initiative UM! (Sense!) told the TASR newswire on Tuesday, February 15.
V4 prime ministers concerned about global increase in food prices
Prime ministers of Visegrad Four countries, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland, are concerned about the global rise in food prices, raw materials and energy, which represent an enormous burden for people, according to a joint communiqué of the prime ministers presented by Slovak Prime Minister Iveta Radičová after the seven-nation summit on February 15 marking the 20th anniversary of this grouping.
Unknown substance explodes near Rusovce, a suburb of Bratislava
On a back road near Rusovce, a suburb of Bratislava, an unknown substance exploded on February 14, the SITA newswire was told by Bratislava Police spokesperson Petra Hrášková.
Slovakia’s passenger rail company may cancel seventy trains on eight lines
Slovakia’s state-run passenger rail company, Železničná Spoločnosť Slovensko (ŽSSK), is considering cancelling passenger transport on eight lines which would involve the termination of 70 train connections, the SITA newswire wrote, adding that an additional 150 train connections on continuing lines could be cancelled.
Ministry blames organisers for cancelled Deaflympics Games and takes no responsibility
The organising of the 2011 Winter Deaflympic Games was under the control of non-governmental entities and private individuals who planned the event without receiving consent from the Education, Science and Sports Ministry, states a release from the ministry provided to the media on February 14, the TASR newswire reported. The Slovak Association of Deaf Athletes (SZNS) expressed interest in Slovakia hosting the event as early as 2005 but the ministry issued its disapproval of the country's candidacy because of high costs and did not pledge backing for it, the ministry wrote.
ÚRSO Council proposes new head and deputy for Slovakia’s energy regulator
The governing council of Slovakia’s Office for the Regulation of Network Industries (ÚRSO) on February 14 tabled proposals along with the Government Office on appointing the authority's head and vice-chairman, ÚRSO spokesman Miroslav Lupták told the TASR newswire. The proposals, which will be discussed by the government this Wednesday, are for Dušan Bernáth to become ÚRSO's new chairman with Vladimír Čepko becoming his deputy.
Ordinary People MP Jurinová comments on internal SaS discussions
The Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) party, a member of Slovakia’s four party ruling coalition, is making efforts to keep the three remaining members of the 'Ordinary People' faction in its caucus after their leader Igor Matovič was expelled by SaS chief Richard Sulík late last week, said Erika Jurinová, an Ordinary People MP, the TASR newswire reported. "There isn't any pressure, it's rather about effort," said Jurinová, adding that the issue should be resolved at a caucus session of SaS on February 16.
Bugár and Sulík release joint statement on good relations
The chairmen of Most-Híd and Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) parties, Béla Bugár and Richard Sulík, released a joint statement on February 14 regarding their parties’ relationship and recent statements by former SaS caucus member Igor Matovič, the TASR newswire reported. "It isn't true that the Most-Híd chairman has cast doubt on SaS's or Richards Sulík's trustworthiness, nor is it true that the situation involving Matovič's dismissal from the SaS caucus would have damaged relations between the coalition partners," said Bugár and Sulík, as quoted by TASR.
Justice Minister’s decision involving Judge Paluda is supported by Supreme Court
Within her legal powers, Justice Minister Lucia Žitňanská decided on an appeal by Judge Peter Paluda which, according to the ministry, the previous two ministers had failed to decide and Žitňanská overturned a decision by former justice minister Štefan Harabin from July 2007 that removed Paluda from his post as the Slovak representative to Eurojust, an EU office for police cooperation, the SITA newswire reported. Her action was challenged but it has now been supported by Slovakia’s Supreme Court. "The Supreme Court has confirmed, that the decision on withdrawing PeterPaluda is an individual administrative act, against which it is possible to lodge an appeal, on which the Minister of Justice is obligated to decide," says the statement released by the ministry on February 14.
Slovakia’s Finance Ministry says inflation comes from global markets
Recent increases in prices in Slovakia have been caused primarily by prices on global markets, particularly oil and food prices, said the Finance Ministry’s Deputy Minister, Vladimír Tvaroška, at a press conference on February 14, the TASR newswire reported. "The government isn't happy about the rising prices," said Tvaroška, at the same time admitting that the government's austerity measures have contributed partially to the trend. He stated that the increase in VAT from 19 to 20 percent has affected prices by 0.56 percentage points. Prices in Slovakia were 3 percent higher in January 2011 than a year earlier.
Slovaks have lost citizenship after receiving citizenship in other countries
Thirty-two people have lost their Slovak citizenship, said the Interior Ministry’s spokesperson Alena Koišová to the SITA newswire on February 14, saying that 12 of these individuals had acquired German citizenship.
This week in Slovakia
Content of programme: Coalition loses another MP; State media get new director; VW announces huge investment; Hockey team christens new stadium
Anti-Monopoly Office okays Penta deal
SLOVAKIA’s Anti-Monopoly Office (PMÚ) approved Penta investment group’s purchase of Dexia Banka Slovensko effective February 2.
Bugár of Most-Hid says Sulík of SaS misled him and Matovič
The Speaker of Parliament and chairman of Freedom and Solidarity party (SaS), Richard Sulík, misled Most-Híd chairman Béla Bugár and independent MP Igor Matovič (formerly from SaS) during the vote on the State Citizenship Act amendment, Bugár and Matovič stated after they had a recent chat in which they settled their differences, the TASR newswire wrote. "We were misused," Bugár told TASR on Sunday, February 13, adding that Sulík misled Matovič when he told him that the Coalition Council agreed with his proposal, according to which the four MPs of the Ordinary People SaS faction would vote in favour of Matovič's amending proposal to the State Citizenship Act and the coalition would subsequently withdraw its own proposal.
SaS caucus chairman Kollár says other Ordinary People MPs will stay in caucus
The proposal to expel the three remaining MPs from the Ordinary People faction of the Freedom and Solidarity party (SaS), Erika Jurinová, Martin Fečko, and Jozef Viskupič, from the party’s parliamentary caucus did not receive any support from other SaS members, SaS caucus chairman Jozef Kollár said on Slovak Radio's weekly politics debate show 'Sobotné Dialógy' (Saturday Dialogues) on February 12, the TASR newswire reported. "They will stay in our caucus," he said, as quoted by TASR. Even though the governing coalition currently has only 78 votes, when the vote of independent MP Andrej Ďurkovsky is included, Kollar said he is confident that the coalition will be able to count votes from Igor Matovič who was expelled from the caucus last week.
Galanta businessman shot dead by unknown assailant on February 12
On Saturday evening, February 12, at 22:00 a businessman from Galanta was shot dead near the stadium in Galanta, the Trnava Regional Police spokesperson, Martina Kredatusová, told the TASR newswire saying the victim, age 43, was killed by an unknown assailant whose identity is being investigated.
Nigerian drug smuggler sentenced to ten years in prison by Bratislava court
Nigerian citizen John Castro O., who was arrested at Bratislava airport in late 2009 after attempting to smuggle nearly 300 grams of cocaine in his stomach, was sentenced to ten years in prison on February 11, the TASR newswire reported. On completing his sentence he will be deported from Slovakia and will be unable to return to the country for 15 years, a Bratislava court ruled. The verdict has not become effective as the prosecutor’s office said that it would appeal the ruling.
Bratislava to see second pride parade
SLOVAKIA’s gay pride parade, Rainbow Pride Bratislava, will again be held in the capital city in 2011.
PM lays out changes in prosecutors' offices
SLOVAKIA’S state and district offices that are charged with prosecuting those who violate the law are next on the government’s agenda for what the prime minister and justice minister call more public control and transparency.
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