Archive of articles - April 2011, page 7
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Funeral of Judge Majchrák set to take place in Bratislava on April 21
The funeral of former Supreme Court vice-chairman Juraj Majchrák, who apparently committed suicide on April 14, will take place at the Bratislava crematorium on April 21, the TASR newswire was told by Ľudmila Babjaková from the 'For an Open Judiciary' initiative on April 16. Majchrák, 55, apparently hanged himself in the garage of his house in the Koliba neigbourhood on the afternoon of April 14. "It was with inexpressible grief that we heard about the death of our friend, signatory of the 'For an Open Judiciary' initiative and Supreme Court judge Juraj Majchrák. Judge Majchrák made a significant contribution to all important changes in the Slovak judiciary. In his own special style he encouraged judges to take action, and with dignity represented the judicial profession abroad and in the everyday exercise of justice," reads a statement released by the initiative.
Slovakia loses two match points and playoff against Serbia in FedCup tennis
The Slovak FedCup team lost 2-3 in a thrilling World Group playoff clash with Serbia on a clay surface at the National Tennis Centre in Bratislava on Sunday, April 17, the TASR newswire reported.
Well-rooted musicians can stretch their styles
NORTHERN Indian classical music is a very specific genre that is not widespread even in its home country as it is quite difficult to learn and requires a specific approach and unusual instruments. But musicians playing this kind of music often join together with other performers to stretch the limits of the music world, experimenting with new combinations and rhythms, finding new audiences and bringing more people to appreciate Indian classical music. In March, members of the Abhijit Banerjee Trio accepted an invitation from Slovak jazz drummer Martin Valihora and the Shiraz agency to participate in the One Day Jazz Festival in Bratislava.
Slovak Telekom on strike alert
TRADE union members working for the biggest telecom operator in Slovakia, Slovak Telekom (ST), went on strike alert on April 11, the financial daily Hospodárske Noviny reported on April 14. The action was in protest at a company plan to lay off as many as 730 workers, a steep rise from the 280 originally planned. According to the SITA newswire, the company employed 4,650 people as of the end of 2010.
Telecom companies in Slovakia
Mobile operators:
Spišiak pleased with police work
POLICE Corps President Jaroslav Spišiak voiced his satisfaction with the performance of the police force in the first quarter of 2011 at a press conference on April 11, the TASR newswire wrote.
Nothing to do? Build a castle!
ONE STONE to kill two birds: that is the basic idea behind the Culture Ministry’s heritage-protection-meets-labour-market-needs plan, under which some of the country’s long-term unemployed will be put to work restoring Slovakia’s castles. The ministry said castle restoration could be speeded up because of lower labour costs and at the same time jobless persons would get the chance to re-establish working habits that might have deteriorated during long-term unemployment. But not everyone may fully share the enthusiasm of the ministry: similar projects in the recent past, paying minimum wage, have hardly been embraced by those seeking work.
Cargo and passenger ships collide
TWO ships collided on the Danube river canal near Šamorín in the early morning hours of April 13. A pleasure boat carrying 100 passengers from Passau, Germany to Esztergom in Hungary collided with a cargo ship transporting maize. The cargo ship was severely damaged but rescue workers managed to seal cracks to prevent the ship from totally sinking and later managed to remove its fuel and load the maize onto another boat.
Quote of the week
“I would sign a contract like this even with the brother of Smer’s chairman.”
Competition is intense
LAST year, Slovak telecommunications operators continued to fight for customers and searched for ways to overcome decreasing revenues that they said were caused by both the economic crisis as well as government regulations. Market watchers expect that the launch in June of a large 3G network by Slovakia’s newest telecom operator may further sharpen competition this year, and say the growing popularity of smart phones and similar devices will require all the major operators to roll out more sophisticated and faster services.
Alternative model for third operator
SLOVAKIA’S smallest mobile operator, Telefónica O2 Slovakia, is sticking to a model whereby its services differ from the two other operators, Slovak Telekom, which provides mobile services under its T-Mobile brand, and Orange Slovensko. These two offer subsidised mobile devices to clients who sign a fixed-term contract for a specific package of services. O2, in contrast, does not offer such subsidised devices.
Ján Cikker remembered
SLOVAKIA has just a few classical-music composers who are internationally renowned, and Ján Cikker is one of them. Apart from his own works, he also adapted and arranged folk songs (including the Slovak national anthem, which was originally a popular folk tune with neutral lyrics), worked as a repertory advisor to the Slovak National Theatre, and taught at the Conservatory and Music Academy in Bratislava. This year, the country commemorates his 100th anniversary with a host of events and programmes.
Licence extension will be not free
MOBILE operators Orange Slovensko and T-Mobile (Slovak Telekom) will now have to pay to extend their GSM licences following a decision by parliament on April 5, made via an expedited legislative procedure, to amend the Electronic Communications Act. The change means that the national regulator, the Telecommunications Office, will set and collect fees for extension of mobile operators’ licences to use specific frequencies. The office should do so after public consultations that citizens and experts can comment on, the SITA newswire wrote.
Trial over Deaflympics fraud begins
THE OPENING of the trial of the head of the Slovak Deaflympic Committee, Jaromír Ruda, and Košice-based notary public Stanislav Furda began on April 13 before a senate of the District Court in Banská Bystrica and was scheduled to resume on June 1, the SITA newswire reported. Both defendants are charged with fraud involving funds that were to be used to stage the Winter Deaflympics in Slovakia in February 2011.
Tender watchdog boss quits
ROMAN Šipoš had a rather short career as boss of Slovakia’s procurement authority. He resigned on April 11, after less than a year in the job, following withering criticism from Prime Minister Iveta Radičová of the operation of the Public Procurement Authority (ÚVO).
Coke is not the same everywhere
THE WORLD’S best-known soft drink, Coca-Cola, is not exactly the same in Slovakia as it is in Germany or in the Czech Republic, recent tests by Slovakia’s Consumer Association have revealed.
Rich but still not free
THE ORIGINS of Banská Hodruša are connected with Kerling Hill, where once a medieval mining settlement stood. From there, dwellers moved to lower altitudes, where they founded Hodruša. In the 14th century the settlement grew thanks to new residents from Germany.
Peugeot to bring 900 jobs to Trnava
AN INVESTMENT by carmaker PSA Peugeot Citroen worth more than €120 million, to produce a new model in Slovakia, will result in about 900 new jobs, the president of PSA Peugeot Citroen, Philippe Varin, announced after a meeting with Prime Minister Iveta Radičová and Education Minister Eugen Jurzyca in Trnava on April 11, the TASR newswire reported.
O2 Moja Firma Is a Partner for Your Business!
Maximum call cap of € 55Businesses and sole traders had never such security in calling expenses as with O2 Moja Firma. The price cap brings them comfortable calling to all networks in Slovakia and to Czech Republic, Austria, Hungary, Poland, Ireland and United Kingdom at the maximum price of EUR 55.
Regulation: Elixir or poison?
TWO of Slovakia’s mobile operators complain that government regulation is to blame for their lower revenues and poorer financial results. But the most recent operator to arrive in Slovakia’s relatively saturated mobile market believes that appropriate government regulation is a precondition for a healthy, competitive environment. And an expert on the telecoms market says government regulation of the mobile business is important because the market cannot always adequately affect prices and service conditions.
- The law changed. Our family papers were ready. Now my kids are Slovak citizens
- Slovakia loses another EV model to Spain as Stellantis chooses Zaragoza over Trnava
- Weekend: Celebration of fun comes to Malacky Photo
- Slovak female triathlete shatters barriers with historic win at Himalayan event
- Top 10 events in Bratislava for foreigners
- Convicted of multiple murders, Slovakia’s mafia boss seeks release from prison
- News digest: Prosecutor seeks jail for NBS Governor Kažimír as his political support wanes
- No more photos or bank statements? Slovakia moves to ease residence process
- Top 10 events in Bratislava for foreigners
- 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
- Slovak female triathlete shatters barriers with historic win at Himalayan event
- Weekend: Celebration of fun comes to Malacky Photo
- Convicted of multiple murders, Slovakia’s mafia boss seeks release from prison
- News digest: Prosecutor seeks jail for NBS Governor Kažimír as his political support wanes
- The law changed. Our family papers were ready. Now my kids are Slovak citizens
- Maria Theresa on the banks of Bratislava
- No more photos or bank statements? Slovakia moves to ease residence process
- Weekend: Celebration of fun comes to Malacky Photo
- 3 free things to do in Bratislava in the next seven days
- Top 10 events in Bratislava for foreigners
- Digital Jarvis is real now. He is coming for your to-do list
- Convicted of multiple murders, Slovakia’s mafia boss seeks release from prison
- The disinformation scene has become a tool of media capture
- 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
- Weekend: Celebration of fun comes to Malacky Photo
- The law changed. Our family papers were ready. Now my kids are Slovak citizens
- 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 More articles ›
