Archive of articles - November 2011, page 5
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Defence minister sacked over wiretapping of journalists
Only a day and a half after media reports were published about several journalists being wiretapped by the Military Defense Intelligence (VOS), Prime Minister Iveta Radičová moved to dismiss Ľubomír Galko as defence minister, the Sme daily reported on November 23.
External financing
Once again high on the agenda-Due to recent developments in the economic situation generating instability and potential stagnation in some European countries, pressure on production costs and pricing is currently high.
Defence Minister fired over wiretapping scandal
Ľubomír Galko, a nominee of the Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) party, has been fired as the country’s defence minister. Slovak Prime Minister Iveta Radičová asked President Ivan Gašparovič to dismiss Galko on the heels of a scandal over the Military Defence Intelligence (VOS), which operates under the Ministry of Defence, and its interception of the telephone calls of journalists. Announcing Galko’s dismissal on November 23, Radičová and Gašparovič said they did not know who would replace him as defence minister but stated they would meet soon to discuss the issue.
Parliamentary committee hears from Defence Minister over alleged wiretapping
The parliamentary committee that oversees the work of the Military Defense Intelligence (VOS) under the jurisdiction of Slovakia’s Defence Ministry heard testimony from Defence Minister Ľubomír Galko on Tuesday morning, November 22, a day after the alleged wiretapping of journalists from the Pravda daily and the head of the news channel TA3 was reported by two Slovak dailies, the SITA newswire wrote.
Activist Hlina's seeks review of police handling of destruction of his pub in 2004
An alleged member of the “Piťovci” criminal gang destroyed the pub belonging to Bratislava activist and businessman Alojz Hlina in 2004, the Sme daily reported. The pub belonging to Hlina was destroyed and Hlina was beaten.
Environment Ministry issues permits to shoot two brown bears
The northern regions of Liptov and Turiec in Slovakia share a problem with brown bears and residents in the Liptov village of Jakubany have repeatedly reported encounters with a bear that has caused damage to their harvest, beehives and orchards while another brown bear has reportedly been threatening citizens of the village of Podhradie in Turiec and has killed a dozen sheep at a local farm, the SITA newswire reported.
Talks between health minister and doctors end without agreement
Talks lasting for more than six hours on November 21 between union representatives of doctors and Health Minister Ivan Uhliarik failed to reach an agreement, with the union leaders saying that more than 2,000 doctors in state-run hospitals remain resolved to carry through with their resignation notices that take effect on December 1, the SITA newswire reported.
Slovak parliamentary committees to examine wiretapping allegations
The alleged wiretapping of journalists by Slovakia’s Military Defence Intelligence (VOS) agency will be examined on November 22 by the special parliamentary committee that monitors the activities of military intelligence as well as by the parliamentary defence and security committee, the TASR newswire was told by the respective committee heads: Peter Žiga (Smer) and Martin Fedor (Slovak Democratic and Christian Union (SDKÚ)). Defence Minister Ľubomír Galko from Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) party stated on his Facebook page that the military intelligence services do not have their own wiretapping devices while Žiga said that they do have access to police devices. Fedor said he also expects an explanation from Galko.
Health Minister Uhliarik holds another round of talks with doctors
Health Minister Ivan Uhliarik held another round of talks with representatives of doctors working at state-run hospitals on the evening of November 21 in an effort to avert the threat of about a third of them resigning from their hospitals at the beginning of December, the TASR newswire reported. Uhliarik publicly presented a proposal to increase the basic salaries of doctors by €300 per month in 2012. He was expected to present that proposal directly to the union representatives of the doctors at the meeting.
Slovakia’s unemployment rate falls slightly in October to 13.29 percent
The unemployment rate in Slovakia fell slightly in October to 13.29 percent, according to Ivan Juráš, the head of the Labour, Social Affairs and the Family Centre (ÚPSVaR) on November 21, as reported by the TASR newswire. "There's been a certain amount of stabilisation. The growth in unemployment has now stopped and we've even registered a slight drop of 0.08 percentage points [month-on-month]," Juráš said, as quoted by TASR.
Alleged wiretapping by the state provokes concern (updated November 22)
THE DAILIES Pravda and Nový Čas came out on November 21 with a story that provoked serious concerns within the media: Pravda’s reporters had been wiretapped by the Military Defence Intelligence (VOS). Nový Čas reported that the phone of the head of Slovakia’s news television channel TA3 had also been tapped, claiming that it has access to transcripts of the phone conversations made by VOS, which works within the Ministry of Defence. The alleged wiretapping was stopped after the fall of the right-wing government, according to Pravda.
Two bio-gas power stations to be constructed in Ožďany
A company called Lexus Bratislava plans to build and operate two biogas stations to generate electricity in Ožďany in Banská Bystrica Region, the TASR newswire reported.
Foreign Affairs Ministry reacts to criticism about boy allegedly kidnapped in Egypt
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Slovak Embassy in Cairo told the TASR newswire that they are both closely monitoring the case of Adam Azab, a boy with a Slovak mother who at the age of two was reportedly kidnapped in 2008 by his father while spending a holiday in Egypt. “[The boy’s mother] Mrs. Katarína Azab has been provided with temporary accommodation [in Cairo], with embassy employees at her disposal at all times to offer help,” announced the press department of the Foreign Affaires Ministry, as quoted by TASR, adding that the Slovak Ambassador in Cairo, Peter Zsoldos, and Consul Valér Franko initiated a number of meetings with representatives of relevant Egyptian authorities.
Four Slovak IT companies will visit Silicon Valley in California
Four Slovak companies will have the possibility to win recognition in the mecca of IT, Silicon Valley, as winners of a competition within the three-month project for new companies called Plug-and-Play, the Hospodárske Noviny daily reported.
'Journalism is becoming a more challenging career' (video included)
THE NATURE of journalism has changed tremendously over the time that Joshua Friedman, an American journalist, Pulitzer Prize laureate and teacher at one of the best journalism schools in the world at Columbia University, has been active in the profession.
EU to protest ambassador’s detention
A PROTEST note from the European Union will be sent to Ethiopia in response to the detention of Milan Dubček, Slovakia’s ambassador to that country, for two days in early November, the EU’s foreign policy chief, Catherine Ashton, assured Foreign Affairs Minister Mikuláš Dzurinda during a meeting on November 14, the TASR newswire reported.
Music Festival offers something for everybody
THE BRATISLAVA Music Festival (BMF), which for two weeks every year makes the capital a local mecca for lovers of classical music, is offering a full range of events and performers again in 2011. From intimate piano recitals to viola sonatas, and from operas to large orchestral performances, there is something for everyone. From November 25 to December 10, music fans can attend 27 concerts performed by artists from over 20 countries, Izabela Pažítková of the festival organising team told a press conference.
Hruštín’s timbered houses
THE SOMEWHAT hostile environment of the Orava region was settled later than other parts of Slovakia and the site where the village of Hruštín now stands was covered by dense forests as late as the mid 16th century. It was not until after the forests had been cleared that people built the first settlements here.
Quote of the week
“I buy real estate properly. This is a style of politics that I absolutely reject.”
Archaeologists to research Bronze Age settlement
SLOVAK and German archaeologists have started research at a unique fortified town from the early Bronze Age located in Vráble near Nitra that should continue for several years. The research project will be financed mostly by Germany and its results are viewed as important for all of Europe.
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- Top 10 events in Bratislava for foreigners More articles ›
