Archive of articles - November 2011, page 14
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Empress wins votes
A PETITION among Bratislavans and visitors to indicate if they want a statue of Ľudovít Śtúr that now stands in the square that bears his name replaced by a full-sized statue of Empress Maria Theresa mounted on a horse, as originally stood there at the beginning of the 20th century, ended in mid-October with the empress attracting several thousand votes.
New road cuts journey times
AFTER years of politically-charged debate over highway construction, a new 46-kilometre dual carriageway, dubbed Pribina after a historical Slav, has now been added to Slovakia’s highway network, which over the past two decades both foreign investors and Slovak travellers have sorely hoped to see expand across the country. The stretch of the R1 road connecting Nitra with Tekovské Nemce is the first tangible product of a public-private partnership (PPP) project. It was constructed over 26 months and carries a price tag of €800 million.
Radičová to leave SDKÚ
IVETA Radičová will leave her current political party after the early elections next March. Even though by doing so she appears to be completely exiting politics, some observers say she could still one day become the country’s president.
Budget deficit declines year-on-year
THE CUMULATIVE budget deficit for 2011 rose from €2.159 billion in September to €2.341 billion in October. Compared to last year, the deficit is now 30.6 percent lower, as the budget gap stood at €3.373 billion in October 2010, the TASR newswire reported. For the whole year of 2011 the deficit is projected to reach €3.8 billion, compared to €4.4 billion in 2010.
Breeding creepy-crawlies in Košice
MOST people cannot imagine breeding amphibians, insects and big spiders in a city-centre flat but doing so is a long-term passion for 25-year-old Marcel Bodnár, a cook from Košice.
Slovak banks shed staff
FIVE foreign banks have launched operations in Slovakia since mid-2010, bringing the total number of foreign bank branches operating in the country to 15 at the end of June this year, the TASR newswire reported based on information released by the National Bank of Slovakia. AXA-Bank Europe and BKS Bank were among the newcomers, while Komerční Banka and Fio Savings Cooperative changed their legal status to become branches of foreign banks. The number of employees working for foreign banks increased from 518 in March 2009 to 779 in June 2011.
Economic indicator falls again
THE ECONOMIC mood in Slovakia continued to sour in October as the Index of Economic Sentiment (IES) dropped by 0.7 points month-to-month to a level of 89.7 points, its lowest point since April 2010, the Statistics Office announced on October 28.
Teachers will not stage protest
TRADE unions representing teachers and other school employees seeking better salaries will not take part in a strike. The reason for their decision is that the current interim government does not have the mandate to fulfil their requirements, the TASR newswire reported.
School dates back to 1626
IN 1526 THE Ottoman army crushed the military forces of the Kingdom of Hungary at the Battle of Mohács and soon afterwards Buda, then the kingdom’s capital, fell. This is how the Bratislava secondary grammar school currently known as Gymnázium Grösslingova began.
Yaroslavl plane crash inquiry ends
THE INVESTIGATION into the September plane crash near Yaroslavl Airport in Russia that killed 44 people, including Slovak ice hockey star Pavol Demitra, has ended. The investigators announced that the main causes of the tragedy, which devastated the Lokomotiv Yaroslavl ice hockey team, were multiple pilot errors, sedatives in the blood of one of the pilots, inadequate training and a crucial instrument mix-up, The Moscow Times reported on November 3.
A hedge fund opportunity in Slovakia
SINCE the beginning of July professional investors in Slovakia have been able to invest in Polaris Alpha, a hedge fund created by the investment company Polaris Finance SICAV plc. Its exclusive distribution partner is Across Wealth Management, the latter informed The Slovak Spectator in a press release.
A card for the chosen few
EARLIER this year UniCredit Bank became the first bank in Slovakia to offer chosen private clients the prestigious international VISA Infinite card.
November belongs to photos
THE 21ST EDITION of Bratislava’s Month of Photography brings together different genres, photographers and countries in a total of 26 exhibitions. The exhibitions opened at the beginning of November and are spread throughout the city at big galleries like the Slovak National Gallery (SNG), the Bratislava City Gallery (GMB), the Central European House of Photography (SEDF) – the organiser of this month’s events – and the House of Art (Dom umenia) on SNP Square, as well as at several smaller venues.
Radičová: Slovak budget to fall short by another €450 million in 2012
The shortfall in state incomes will grow by another €450 million because of the forecast deceleration in economic growth in 2012, said Prime Minister Iveta Radičová at a session of the parliamentary committee for EU affairs on Thursday, November 3.
Education sector trade unions abandon threats to strike
Trade unions in the education sector have decided to give up plans to go on strike as the current government lacks a sufficient mandate to comply with their requests, representatives of the trade unions agreed at an extraordinary session of their council on Thursday, November 3.
Higher salaries for nurses leads to split among medical workers
After protests by nurses earlier this year, the Slovak government decided to increase their minimum wage rate and enshrine a new term via a legal amendment: minimum wage for a medical worker. It also decided last week to increase their salaries.
Doctors' Chamber asks president to halt transformation of hospitals
The president of the Slovak Doctors' Chamber (SLK), Milan Dragula, on Thursday, November 3, requested that Slovak President Ivan Gašparovič halt the transformation of hospitals into joint-stock companies.
Over 157,000 policyholders will switch their health insurer in 2012
As of the beginning of next year, 157,331 policyholders will switch to another public health insurance company, an increase of 94 percent compared to last year. Head of the Healthcare Surveillance Authority (ÚDZS) Ján Gajdoš, said on Thursday, November 3, that the office registered a total of 162,399 applications to switch insurance providers but later declined around 5,000 because of various flaws.
Contract signed by Doprastav-Strabag for another D1 highway stretch
A contract between the National Highway Company (NDS) and the Doprastav-Strabag consortium for construction of an 11.2-kilometre stretch of the D1 highway between Fričovce and Svinia in Prešov Region was signed on November 2, the TASR newswire reported. Transport, Construction and Regional Development Minister Ján Figeľ attended the signing along with representatives of the construction industry, citizens and motorists who will benefit from this project.
MP Šebej to run directly on Most-Híd's slate in March election
MP Frantisek Šebej, a former member of the Civil Conservative Party (OKS) that was part of the Most-Híd slate in 2010, will be directly listed on the Most-Híd slate in the early election on March 10, Most-Hid chairman Béla Bugár and Šebej jointly announced at a press conference on November 3, the TASR newswire reported.
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