Archive of articles - July 2011, page 2
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Aptech Europe partners with AV
APTECH Europe, the computer education centre that Aptech Limited of India launched in Bratislava, clinched a partnership with Akadémia Vzdelávania (AV), the largest and the oldest lifelong learning organisation in Slovakia in March, Aptech Europe wrote on its website. By doing so Akadémia Vzdelávania has extended its training programmes by adding a two-year ACCP (Aptech Certified Computer Professional) course. ACCP’s graduates can continue their studies at City University of Seattle’s campus in Bratislava and obtain a bachelor's degree.
Taiwanese offices and organisations in Slovakia
Taipei Representative Office
Trade with China is growing fast
SLOVAKIA regards China as a promising destination for Slovak exports.
Slovakia's democracy marks improve
ALTHOUGH the overall standard of democracy in Slovakia might be improving, the authors of a project that evaluates it – who come from the non-governmental Institute of Public Affairs (IVO) – say there are several areas which can still be regarded as neuralgic. The Roma issue stands out as the most obvious example of these, they say.
The Mantáks of Medzev
THE TOWN of Nižný Medzev lies in eastern Slovakia, not far from Košice. It was founded by Germans who were invited there in 1241 by King Belo IV after the Tatar invasions.
Police chief caught speeding
POLICE CORPS president Jaroslav Spišiak was caught driving at 33 kilometres per hour over the speed limit between the municipalities of Bajč and Pribeta in Komárno district on July 19. He was spotted speeding by a police patrol.
Zámena
WHY DO police officers always come in pairs? So that there is one who can read and one who can write. The old Slovak joke now needs revision – there should also be a third one, who can check your identity. The recent zámena (switch) which the justice system fell victim to is unique even by local standards. Sure, the country remembers attempts by criminals to pay someone to go and serve their sentence. But a criminal pretending to be his own brother and going to jail under the false name? That seems almost as surprising as the fact that in the age of fingerprints, DNA testing, and, not to forget, photography, a former convict can spend eight months in prison before anyone notices that he is not who he says he is.
More white-collar fraud detected
ENIOR executives are committing more fraud, a survey by global consulting company KPMG has found. A comparison of the results of surveys from 2007 and 2011 indicates an increase in fraud and fraudulent behaviour by senior managers. The global survey by KPMG shows that CEOs were involved in 26 percent of cases, up from just 11 percent in the previous survey. The survey was based on the findings of fraud investigations conducted by KPMG member firms. One finding, identified as alarming by KPMG, is that companies are continuing to ignore warning signs of fraud. This, and the fact that more than one half of the investigated frauds had run for more than three years before they were detected, suggests that more white-collar fraud may emerge in the future.
Quote of the week
“Nobody doubts what Ordinary People did with ordinary people. They wiped their behinds with them.”
Chinese institution in Slovakia
Embassy of the People’s Republic of China
EU banks' stress-test results released
MOST European banking groups that have affiliate operations in Slovakia are sufficiently capitalised to withstand macroeconomic turmoil, according to the results of EU stress tests that were released on July 15 by the European Banking Authority (EBA), the SITA newswire reported.
Countrywide Events
Western SLOVAKIA
Enjoying India with all one’s senses
QUITE different but still with some essential similarities: the cultures and traditions of India and Slovakia reveal some common points and several interesting facets that are attractive to people of both countries. Traditional genres that attract Slovak audiences are Indian classical and folk dances, classical-folk and pop music and movies, especially the renowned “Bollywood-style” production. But other aspects are popular as well: traditional yoga and Ayurveda and, of course, Indian cuisine, well-appreciated by many Slovaks.
Attracting Asian funds
THERE IS now a global economy and neither large nor small countries can avoid this reality. Transportation systems of the 21st century have shortened distances, opening more and more global business opportunities and offering opportunities for intensive business contacts between even distant countries like China or Taiwan in Asia with Slovakia in Europe. These growing global interrelationships are attested to by the arrival of several major Taiwanese companies in Slovakia, by the establishment of a new Slovak-Taiwanese Chamber of Commerce as well as by plans to build a Chinese business centre in western Slovakia for the country to gain better access to Europe.
Castle work starts
THE CULTURE Ministry and the Central Office of Labour, Social Affairs and Family (ÚPSVaR) have come up with a plan that will put some unemployed people back to work and at the same time help preserve some of Slovakia’s rich cultural history. Since June, twenty unemployed people from the Bánovce nad Bebravou district have been at work helping in the reconstruction of Uhrovec Castle in central Slovakia.
Police resume search for Mello
THE SPECIAL Task Force Department of the General Prosecutor’s Office was granted an international arrest warrant for Karol Mello, an alleged mafia boss, by the Nitra District Court on July 15, the SITA newswire reported.
Bear warnings in Slovak forests
THE SLOVAK Environment Ministry has put up warning signs in Slovak forests where brown bears (Ursus arctos) are known to roam. The ministry informed the ČTK newswire that these measures are aimed at preventing clashes between bears and humans. Environmentalists have welcomed the initiative. British wildlife expert Robin Rigg said that protectionists have long advocated the need for such steps.
Prospects for cooperation
INDIA has approximately 200 times more inhabitants and is about 60 times larger than Slovakia. But in spite of this Goliath-David ratio, Slovakia could be an interesting partner for India. While it is one of the most populous countries in the world and is the fourth most important trading partner of Slovakia in Asia, both sides see a lot of as-yet untapped opportunities for further development of economic cooperation.
Evaluation system proposed for judges
CHANGES in how Slovakia’s judiciary operates will continue to be pursued by Justice Minister Lucia Žitňanská. After she was successful in getting amendments to the laws governing judges and prosecutors’ offices passed by parliament, she announced in early July that she will seek to amend Slovakia’s constitution to assure that one person cannot simultaneously fill the position of Supreme Court president and the chair of the country’s Judicial Council. Both posts are currently held by Štefan Harabin. In addition she proposed that judges should receive regular evaluations of their work, conducted by three different evaluators.
Indian institution in Slovakia
Embassy of India
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- 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
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- He designed Gatwick. But this is his masterpiece
- Fico praises China and Vietnam as models, says liberal democracy has failed
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- 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 ›
