Archive of articles - September 2011
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Subsidised food supplies to Partizánske reportedly suspended
The town of Partizánske, in Nitra Region, is reporting major problems with the supply of government-subsidised food. Despite the town authorities having fulfilled all the necessary requirements, supply of the food has been suspended, Mayor Jozef Božík said, as reported by the SITA newswire.
Production begins at new Kia engine plant
Kia Motors Slovakia launched production of petrol engines at its new plant in Teplička nad Váhom (Žilina Region) on Thursday, September 29, with Prime Minister Iveta Radičová in attendance at the official ceremony, the TASR newswire reported. The investment, worth €100 million, will boost production capacity from 300,000 to 450,000 engines per year, with 270 jobs being created.
Radičová attends Eastern Partnership Summit
Slovak Prime Minister Iveta Radičová left Bratislava on Thursday, September 29, for a two-day summit of the Eastern Partnership in Warsaw. Top representatives of 33 countries are due to take part in the session. Leading EU figures are also set to attend, including European Council President Herman van Rompuy, European Parliament Chairman Jerzy Buzek and European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso.
Court reverses censorship of watchdog’s website
Political openness watchdog Fair-Play Alliance will no longer have to censor its znasichdani.sk ('from our taxes') website, on which it publishes information about private companies that have won orders from the state. The site, which was launched in March this year, includes details of who owns, represents or controls the companies in question.
PM wants earlier bailout vote
A RAY of hope emerged for advocates of the European bailout schemes after a meeting between Prime Minister Iveta Radičová and Jozef Kollár, chairman of the parliamentary caucus of the coalition party Freedom and Solidarity (SaS), which has been a stern opponent of changes to the European Financial Stability Fund (EFSF) and the establishment of the European Stability Mechanism (ESM). Though, SaS was quick to release a statement following the September 28 meeting stressing that no agreement had been yet been reached, the party’s response to Radičová’s overture, at least as reported by local media, was not a definite ‘no’ this time.
Poll shows Smer remains dominant and SMK would return to parliament
If a parliamentary election had been held earlier this month, the Hungarian CoalitionParty (SMK) would return to parliament with eight seats after polling 5.3 percent in a survey conducted by the Focus polling agency among 1,004 respondents between September 6 and 13, the SITA newswire reported.
Slovakia reportedly will reach a settlement to end ECHR case
The Sme daily reported that Slovakia will officially apologise to Hedviga Malinová-Žáková, an ethnic-Hungarian Slovak who five years ago reported to the police that she was assaulted on her way to an exam at her university in Nitra and said it might have occurred because she was heard speaking Hungarian.
SaS says there is no agreement on its support for EU bailout mechanisms
No agreement exists, the Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) party wrote after a meeting between the chairman of its parliamentary caucus, Jozef Kollár, and Prime Minister Iveta Radičová from the Slovak Democratic and Christian Union (SDKÚ) that was held on the evening of September 28, the SITA newswire reported.
Doctors’ union says 2,411 physicians will submit notices on September 29
Over the course of the day on September 29, the head of the Doctors’ Unions Association (LOZ) said that 2,411 doctors from 34 Slovak hospitals will submit notices to their employers terminating their employment contracts that are dated October 1, the TASR newswire reported.
State contribution helps re-locate 43 people for work
Forty-three unemployed people have moved in order to find work during the first eight months of 2011 thanks to a contribution offered by Labour and Social Affairs Offices. These contributions cost the state almost €43,700 in total. The highest number of contributions was paid in Prešov and Žilina Regions, while the fewest were provided in Bratislava and Trnava Regions, the Central Office of Labour, Social Affairs and Family (ÚPSVAR) announced, as reported by the SITA newswire.
Government approves increase in Slovakia's EFSF guarantees to €7.727bn
The guarantees provided by Slovakia within the EFSF bailout mechanism should be increased from €4.371 billion to €7.727 billion, according to a proposal approved by the government on Wednesday, September 28. The Slovak government at the same time recommended that parliament deal with the change via fast-tracked legislative proceedings. However, the government still appears to lack enough votes in parliament to push the measure through, given the opposition of one of the coalition parties, Freedom and Solidarity (SaS).
Autosalón Nitra opens, Ferrari FF replaced by Ferrari California
As many as 25 carmakers are presenting their wares at the annual international car exhibition Autosalón Nitra 2011, which opened in Nitra's Agrokomplex exhibition halls on Wednesday, September 28, and will run until October 3. According to Agrokomplex director František Ďurkovič, there are 180 exhibitors from 10 countries in ten halls.
MP Ondrej Dostál ejected from Chinese embassy reception
The vice-chair of parliament’s human rights and minorities committee, Civic Conservative Party MP Ondrej Dostál (who sits as a member of the Most-Híd caucus), was forcibly ejected from a Chinese embassy function in Bratislava on Wednesday, September 28, after handing over a letter to Ambassador Gu Ziping calling for the release of Chinese lawyer Gao Zhisheng and other political prisoners. The reception, held at the Bôrik Hotel, was to mark the 62nd anniversary of the foundation of the People's Republic of China on Tuesday [September 27], the TASR newswire reported, citing Dostál.
TIS: Slovakia saved €30 million thanks to electronic auctions
Electronic auctions can increase the number of competitive bids and save up to 15 percent of the expenses, according to experts from Transparency International Slovensko (TIS). According to a TIS survey published on its website on Wednesday, September 28, if electronic auctions were used in one third of all procurements in Slovakia, they would achieve savings of €250 million a year.
Most entrepreneurs in Slovakia back the euro
Businesses in Slovakia say that adoption of the euro by Slovakia went smoothly in 2009 and believe that the introduction of the new currency was the right decision, according to a recent survey of 130 Slovak businesspeople by the Business Alliance of Slovakia (PAS). The findings were reported by the SITA newswire, citing PAS executive director Robert Kičina
Sentiment in Slovak economy sinks to 16-month low
Sentiment in the Slovak economy deteriorated further in September, continuing a decline that began in July. As the Statistics Office (ŠÚ) reported on Wednesday, September 28, the overall economic sentiment indicator (ESI) dropped 1.3 points from August to 90.5 points in September. It is at its lowest level in the last 16 months, the SITA newswire reported, citing the ŠÚ.
EC inspectors raid SPP over Gazprom suspicions
Investigators from the European Commission searched the offices of top managers of Slovak gas utility Slovenský Plynárenský Priemysel (SPP) on Tuesday, September 27.
CE human rights commissioner visits Slovakia
The Council of Europe (CE) commissioner for human rights, Thomas Hammarberg, visited Slovakia this week. On Monday, September 26, he met Slovak Foreign Minister Mikuláš Dzurinda.
Bratislava hosts international symposium of forensic experts
The tenth international symposium on forensic sciences takes place in Bratislava this week, from Wednesday, September 28, to Friday, September 30.
Harabin appeals to Strasbourg
The president of Slovakia’s Supreme Court, Štefan Harabin, has appealed to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in Strasbourg against the disciplinary action taken against him, the TASR newswire reported.
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- 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 ›
