Archive of articles - September 2011, page 4
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Jobless rate falls slightly
THE UNEMPLOYMENT rate in August was calculated at 13.12 percent, representing a month-on-month drop of 0.03 percentage points. In August 2010 the jobless rate stood at 12.19 percent, the TASR newswire reported.
Talking to the taxman online
THE TAX administration has registered an increase in the number of electronically-submitted documents this year. According to the Tax Directorate of the Slovak Republic, this positive development is the result of improved accessibility to its internet portal as well as a new application, eTax, which has been installed by more than 97,000 users since March this year, the SITA newswire wrote in May.
Tax-related institutions in Slovakia
Finance Ministry
Parliament approves legislation to unify revenue collection via UNITAS
UNITAS, the long-awaited system that will bring the collection of taxes, customs duties and mandatory payroll levies under one state administrative body has made a recent leap forward. Slovakia’s parliament adopted a trio of laws in mid September, prepared by the Finance Ministry, that authorise necessary steps in the implementation of UNITAS. The overall idea is to make this aspect of public administration less bureaucratic and more efficient. UNITAS was unveiled during the government of Robert Fico and Prime Minister Iveta Radičová’s government continues to move its implementation forward.
Harabin can work from home
SUPREME Court President Štefan Harabin will now spend only three days a week in the office, after the Judicial Council on September 19 approved his request to work from home on Mondays and Fridays, the Sme daily reported.
State seeks to block online gambling sites
BETTING enthusiasts might soon find it harder to win or lose money by playing online games that are not licensed in Slovakia. The Finance Ministry is trying to push through an amendment to the law on gambling that would block such content from the internet for Slovak users, arguing its wants to protect local consumers. But exponents of a free internet see it as an attempt to introduce censorship of the internet in Slovakia.
Works by LaChapelle come to Slovakia
SOME people call him the Fellini of the photographic world, admiring his style and saying his works are moving the art of photography into the future. Others only see very colourful collages which look chaotic. But American photographer David LaChappelle has said that the goal of his photographs is to make a clear statement, without hidden connotations.
Harabin’s ‘hydra’
PEOPLE opt to work from home when they need to balance their parenting and working duties when they have small children. Institutions or businesses ask their employees to work from home when they need to save money on office rental by creating shared workstations. Of course, people choose to work from the comfort – or discomfort – of their own homes voluntarily or involuntarily for various reasons, and doubtless Supreme Court president Štefan Harabin has his own list of reasons for wanting to run the country’s key judicial institution from home.
Dancing in the streets
THERE ARE several regular dance events and festivals in Slovakia, but few carry their performances into the audience. The Bratislava v pohybe (Bratislava in Movement) festival not only takes dance onto the streets of the Slovak capital, but also strives to spread it beyond professionals, to interested and curious audiences in the form of lectures, workshops, laboratories, screenings, panel discussions and exhibitions.
Roma protest poor living conditions
NEARLY 200 Roma demonstrated in front of the Presidential Palace on Hodžovo Square to protest against their bad social situation and the inaction of the government. The main organiser of the September 21 demonstration, Alojz Hlina, also proposed solutions to Roma problems, the TASR newswire reported.
Radičová meets Obama
TRANSPARENCY is a key principle in governing a country, Slovak Prime Minister Iveta Radičová and US President Barack Obama agreed during a personal meeting between the two leaders in New York City on September 20.
City of culture undergoes changes
2013, the year when Košice is to become a European City of Culture (ECOC), is soon approaching, and residents of the city claim that in the past two years, since the city was so designated by the EU, significant changes have occurred that are making Košice a cultural centre for the whole country. But the winds of change have also been swirling within Košice 2013, the non-governmental organisation that is responsible for managing the city’s ECOC efforts.
Slovakia objects to EU tax harmonisation plan
THE THEME of harmonisation of taxes across the European Union has surfaced regularly, but as yet without any obvious success. Now the European Commission has arrived at a proposal for a common system for calculating the tax base of businesses operating in the EU. Even though some have expressed qualified support for aspects of the plan, the general stance in Slovakia is negative.
Opening of R1 section postponed
THOUGH the new dual carriageway between Nitra and Tekovské Nemce, built through a public-private partnership (PPP) project, has been finished, cars are not yet allowed to use it, and the Ministry of Transport has announced the date of opening has had to be postponed, the Sme daily reported.
Draught horses compete in Cerov
TEAMSTERS and their draught horses have been an important part of Slovak history and even though they have mostly been pushed aside by motorised vehicles, they are not totally forgotten as horse-drawn wagons are still needed in poor terrain. In addition, there are multiple competitions staged across Slovakia to test the skills of the horses and their handlers.
Doctors have started filing resignations
One of the largest protests in the history of the Slovak health-care sector, which started in hospitals all over Slovakia and is being led by trade unions, has now resulted in the announced resignations of 200 hospital doctors in Banská Bystrica, over 150 in Prešov, and further warning signals from Košice and Žilina, the Hospodárske Noviny and Sme dailies wrote. The doctors' departure would seriously threaten the operation of the hospitals in question.
Larry King addresses future of media in discussion with Jan Kraus
US broadcasting legend Larry King was in Slovakia on Thursday, September 22, at the invitation of a local TV station. During his visit he set out what he sees as the role of a journalist: to every day bring the kind of information that helps people know more than they did the day before.
Police catch ring of arsonists
The Office for the Fight Against Organised Crime has pressed charges of property damage against four people over allegedly setting a car and several buildings on fire, the TASR newswire reported on Thursday, September 22, citing Police Corps Presidium spokesman Michal Slivka.
Slovaks not meeting employers' English-language requirements
Slovak jobseekers were required to speak a foreign language for most jobs in the first half of 2011, with English dominating the list as the most sought-after foreign language and German following a distant second, the employment website profesia.sk reported on Thursday, September 22.
SaS translates controversial pamphlet into German; English and Hungarian to follow
The coalition Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) party, which recently issued a pamphlet lambasting the European Financial Stability Facility (EFSF) and the European Stability Mechanism (ESM) – a move that outraged its ruling coalition partners the Slovak Democratic and Christian Union (SDKÚ), the Christian Democratic Movement (KDH) and Most-Híd – has translated the publication into German, the TASR newswire reported on Thursday, September 22.
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- Maria Theresa on the banks of Bratislava
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- 3 free things to do in Bratislava in the next seven days
- Weekend: Celebration of fun comes to Malacky Photo
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- 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 ›
