Archive of articles - April 2011
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Hockey fever in Bratislava
Atmosphere during the first game (involving the Slovak national team) of the 2011 Men's Ice Hockey World Championship in one of the fan zones in Bratislava. Slovakia won over Slovenia 3:1.
Hockey takes over in Slovakia
SLOVAK flags filled the country in the days leading up to the start of the biggest international sporting event in the history of independent Slovakia, the 2011 Men’s Ice Hockey World Championship. As The Slovak Spectator went to print (on April 28), Slovakia was counting down the hours until the tournament’s first face-offs.
Miškov: Deutsche Telekom refused to pay out dividends to Slovakia
The majority shareholder of Slovak Telekom – German company Deutsche Telekom, which owns a 51-percent stake in the country's dominant landline operator – outvoted Slovakia at the company's general meeting on Thursday, April 28, and refused to pay out undivided retained earnings and dividends worth €258 million. It did not explain its decision.
Government approves amendment to Labour Code
The cabinet approved changes to the Labour Code after a lengthy discussion at its regular policy meeting on Wednesday, April 27. Ministers changed only one provision in the original proposal, taking out a paragraph concerning minimum salaries. The amendment will be further discussed in parliament, with many lawmakers indicating they will try to insert additional changes to the bill.
Slota: I'm ready to support KDH's attempt to quash Mečiar amnesties
Slovak National Party (SNS) chairman Ján Slota announced on Thursday, April 28, that he is ready to support a proposed constitutional law to quash the so-called Mečiar amnesties that the Christian Democratic Movement (KDH) intends to submit to parliament today, Friday, April 29.
ICE HOCKEY: Bratislava Airport staff to wear hockey jerseys during Championship
Milan Rastislav Štefánik International Airport in Bratislava (BTS) has prepared for the Ice Hockey World Championship in Slovakia – which begins later today, Friday, April 29 – not only by putting up special decorations and information panels, but also by dressing its employees in hockey jerseys, BTS business director Tomáš Kika announced on Thursday, April 28, as reported by the TASR newswire.
Pizzeria in Sereď belonging to girlfriend of alleged 'cashpoint mafia' boss burnt down
A pizzeria in Sereď (Trnava Region) that was burnt down early on Thursday, April 28, belongs to the girlfriend of Ján G., a man recently detained by police and alleged to be the boss of the so-called cashpoint mafia, the TASR newswire reported.
Festival of Contemporary Circus - Cirkul’art 2011
Nouveau cirque, or contemporary circus, belongs to the newest genres of the performing arts. It was born in 1970s in France out of independent theatre’s need to search for new forms by reviving and using long forgotten rituals, dramatic traditions, circus and street theatre skills.
Smer wants parliament to amend Slovakia's constitution, PM is opposed
Opposition party Smer wants the Slovak Constitution to be changed so that it recognises the individual but not collective rights of national minorities. "European legislation does not recognise collective rights, but this concept is incorporated in the new Hungarian constitution," said Smer vice-chairman Marek Maďarič on Wednesday, April 27, after a meeting of the shadow cabinet, as quoted by the SITA newswire.
ICE HOCKEY: Bondra invites Slovak players in beaten NHL teams to join national team
Former Slovak national team player Peter Bondra is following the NHL Stanley Cup playoffs and calling Slovak players in teams that have lost in order to recruit them to play for Slovakia in the Ice Hockey World Championship, due to start tomorrow. Some of Slovakia’s top players play in the NHL and are contracted to their teams as long as they remain in the Stanley Cup which, in North America at least, outranks the World Championship.
Unions protest against planned changes to Labour Code
About 2,000 trade union members brought in by bus from all over Slovakia gathered in front of the Government Office in Bratislava on Wednesday, April 27, to protest against proposed changes to the Labour Code, the SITA newswire wrote.
Supreme Court rules in its own favour
The Finance Ministry is not authorised to carry out an audit at the Supreme Court of the Slovak Republic, according to an appellate verdict of the Supreme Court itself, the SITA newswire reported. The Supreme Court thus confirmed the first-instance verdict of the Bratislava Regional Court from January 18 which the Finance Ministry had contested.
Belousovová founds new party, Pučík and Ďuračka to join
The former vice-chair of the Slovak national party (SNS) Anna Belousovová has founded her own party, she told the TA3 news TV channel. Former members of the SNS leadership Rudolf Pučík and Jozef Ďuračka will reportedly join her.
ICE HOCKEY: Car of official partner of championship stolen in Bratislava
A second crime connected with the Ice Hockey World Championship forthcoming in Bratislava and Košice on April 29 was reported, as someone in Bratislava stole a car belonging to an official tournament partner, the Čas.sk website reported on April 27. The car, a Volkswagen Multivan, was used by a Swiss partner of the championship called Ochsner Hockey, which produces and sells hockey souvenirs. The information was confirmed by spokesman of the Swiss national team Lukas Hammer.
Police commander Spišiak says December operation halted to save a life
The interruption of a police operation that led to the detention of a Czech lorry driver in Turkey in December 2010 was necessary in order to save the life of a man held by an international gang from Slovenia, Police Corps President Jaroslav Spišiak said at a press conference on Wednesday, April 27, the TASR newswire reported. The person who was responsible for securing the delivery of acetic anhydride, a heroin precursor, was in danger of being killed by the people who had ordered his services.
Parliament to debate scrapping misdemeanour immunity for MPs
Slovakia’s parliament will debate a proposal to scrap MPs' immunity for misdemeanours at its May session, Speaker of Parliament Richard Sulík (Freedom and Solidarity party) said after a Coalition Council meeting on April 26, the TASR newswire reported. Sulík stated that the proposal does not envisage cancelling criminal immunity as a three fifths constitutional majority (90 votes), with opposition support, would be needed to change this provision. Sulík said he is not counting on any backing from the opposition.
Figeľ says election of General Prosecutor will be by secret ballot
The repeat voting to select a new General Prosecutor will take place at the regular 17th parliamentary session in May, the chairman of the Christian Democratic Movement, Ján Figeľ, said after the Coalition Council session on April 26, the TASR newswire reported. Figeľ, who hosted the meeting, said that the election of a new General Prosecutor will be scheduled for the beginning of the parliamentary session.
Week of New Minorities - programme
NEW MINORITIES WEEKBratislava, April 28th – May 4th 2011
ICE HOCKEY: 550 yellow-clad volunteers to assist during World Championship
A total of 550 volunteers clad in yellow jackets and wearing caps of the same colour will help with press accreditation, accommodation, manning a help-desk, and logistics during the upcoming Ice Hockey World Championship, the TASR newswire reported on Tuesday, April 26.
First functional online Slovak course launched
First functional online Slovak course launched
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- Weekend: Celebration of fun comes to Malacky Photo
- News digest: Fico’s bloc wants to save money by restricting electoral access
- The disinformation scene has become a tool of media capture
- Slovakia plans to restrict access to new medicines amid funding shortfall
- Maria Theresa on the banks of Bratislava
- No more photos or bank statements? Slovakia moves to ease residence process
- 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
- Digital Jarvis is real now. He is coming for your to-do list
- Weekend: Celebration of fun comes to Malacky Photo
- The disinformation scene has become a tool of media capture
- Maria Theresa on the banks of Bratislava
- A mayor resigns over €2.7 million fraud scandal at town hall
- Show me your moves! Slovak hockey stars share their best pick-up lines
- No more photos or bank statements? Slovakia moves to ease residence process
- 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 compass points to Kúty, and people are starting to follow
- 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 ›
