Archive of articles - November 2011, page 9
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Schools still not providing the skills required
Complaining about a lack of qualified labour might sound like a bad joke given the continuing high unemployment in almost all European countries, including Slovakia. But the reality is that businesses operating in Slovakia often experience difficulty finding people who have the right skills, both theoretical and practical, to fill their vacant positions.
Slovakia pursues energy security
Most investments in the energy sector, and certainly the building facilities to generate electricity, are long-term projects and that is why several significant investments are materialising now that were planned well before the global financial and economic crisis and even before the interruption of natural gas supplies in Slovakia in early 2009. Two of the most significant energy projects that are in the pipeline – and are nearing completion – are the building of additional natural gas storage facilities in western Slovakia and new gas transmission pipelines and the construction of two new nuclear reactors that will supplement two existing units at the power station owned by Slovenské Elektrárne (SE) in Mochovce.
Group praises Slovaks’ concern for animal welfare
SLOVAKIA’S national civic association for the protection of animals, Sloboda zvierat (Animal Freedom), which also operates animal shelters across the country, celebrated World Animal Day (WAD) at its Bratislava shelter on October 8.
ECHR rules sterilisation was illegal
A ROMA woman from Prešov will receive €31,000 in compensation after the European Court for Human Rights (ECHR) ruled that she had been forcibly sterilised 11 years ago, the SITA newswire reported on November 8.
T-Com and T-Mobile rebrand
SLOVAK Telekom, which operates both fixed-line and mobile services, launched a new joint brand name, ‘Telekom’, in October 2011 to replace T-Com and T-Mobile, the brands it had previously used. The rebranding is the final step in the integration of the company’s fixed-line and mobile telephone businesses that it launched in the summer of 2010, the SITA newswire reported.
Fourth mobile operator may enter Slovakia
MOBILE telephony in Slovakia recently passed a significant anniversary rather quietly – the first mobile telephone call in this country was made on the NMT analogue network in September 1991. That technology now looks like prehistoric times as Slovakia now has three mobile operators using 3G networks with further technological upgrades already in the pipeline. And even though penetration of mobile services, as measured by the number of active SIM cards, passed 100 percent in 2008 it looks like another mobile operator might be interested in the Slovak market.
Telecom companies in Slovakia
Mobile operators:
From bricks to smart phones to tablets
AT THE genesis of mobile telephones, users carried a big, heavy device that was fittingly nicknamed ‘tehla’ (the brick) in Slovak. Since then, mobile devices have lost a lot of weight and accumulated a lot of new features. Users of mobile services in Slovakia have not let this technological revolution pass them by and remain keen on getting their hands, eyes and ears connected to all kinds of new devices and applications. Smart phones now account for about one-half of all mobile phones sold in Slovakia and further market penetration is expected.
Deficit target slips as slowdown beckons
THE PROSPECT of a slowing economy has put Slovakia’s ambitions to reduce its public finance deficit for next year on thin ice, with the country’s governing politicians scratching their heads over how to mend a predicted deficit hole that could be as big as €600 million. The reduced powers of the government, now that many of its authorities have passed to the president in the run-up to next March’s earlier-than-planned general election, look set to complicate the situation.
The second summer after recession - but is Slovakia facing another?
While 2009 witnessed the most severe recession in Slovakia since the fall of the Iron Curtain, by as early as 2010 the country was back on track, with one of the strongest annual recoveries among EU members. Both the swing down as well as the subsequent recovery were functions of external demand, which makes and breaks the economic fate of the small and extremely open Slovak economy. The eurozone sovereign debt crisis of 2011, in which Slovakia played a notorious role as near-circuit-breaker, then set the whole European economy back on track for the deceleration of growth.
Slovak cartoon wins at Italian festival
A SLOVAK animated cartoon, Kamene (Stones) by director Katarína Kerekesová, was the winner at the Fano International Film Festival in Italy, which has focused on short and medium-length audiovisual works since 1989.
Employment relations in Slovakia
EMPLOYMENT CONTRACTWorking relations must always be based on a written employment contract with at least two signed copies – one for the employer and one for the employee.
The challenge: remaining flexible and focused
The wish list among business leaders who clamour for more government transparency, a level playing field for all competitors, a predictable investment environment, political stability and the availability of qualified labour has not changed much over the past couple years. But successful manoeuvring in the always choppy waters of business has been made even more difficult by recent challenges: sluggishness in global economic growth, the need to deal with public finance deficits in Europe and demands for business to meet targets in reducing ecological hazards.
Radičová rules out presidential bid
INTERIM Prime Minister Iveta Radičová would have been the most popular candidate if a presidential election had been held in late October, according to the results of a poll conducted by the MVK polling agency, the SITA newswire reported.
Jazz goes to schools - again
AN INTERACTIVE educational project called Jazz ide do školy (Jazz Goes to School) visited schools in five Slovak cities and towns in October for the fourth consecutive year.
Business sentiment worsens
PERCEPTIONS of the business environment in Slovakia worsened during the third quarter of 2011, according to a survey conducted by the Business Alliance of Slovakia (PAS).
Small parties to take their chances
THE NEXT general election may be taking place much sooner than originally expected but that does not appear to have deterred the usual wide array of smaller parties from entering the race. Their chances of getting into parliament, judging by past experience, are poor and some seem to have been caught unawares by the early date of the election. But others claim they are as ready as they can be to compete for seats.
Residential property in doldrums while logistics market heats up
The 2008-2009 economic crisis and more recent concerns about the future of the euro and the possibility of another downturn in the global economy have had a significant impact on Slovakia’s real estate market. The average price of residential real estate in most of the country has been decreasing since 2009 and is only now showing the first signs of stabilising, while the building of new warehouse and logistics facilities, after a two-year standstill which brought a record-low occupancy rate, is now clearly on the horizon.
Franchising
Starting up a business is usually associated with costs, insecurity and entrepreneurial risk. On the other hand, an intention to increase the sales of goods and services of an existing business may be linked with shortage of personnel and capital. A solution to both problems is called franchising.
Countrywide Events
Western SLOVAKIA BratislavaEXHIBITION: THE PREMENA industriálneho dedičstva Nemecka a Slovenska / Transformation of Industrial Heritage of Germany and Slovakia exhibition in the Design Factory, Bottova 2 in Bratislava, shows former factories, railway stations, docks, lighthouses and dams that have been turned into modern universities, theatres, hotels, etc. The exhibition, which runs until November 27 and is open on weekdays between 10:00 and 18:00, and at weekends between 13:00 and 18:00, portrays 34 successful examples of such changes in Germany, as well as presenting examples of the transformation of industrial monuments in Slovakia. Admission is free. For more information, please call 02/5020-1717 or visit www.designfactory.sk.
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- Maria Theresa on the banks of Bratislava
- The Kremlin’s security agency has a Russian contractor in Slovakia - no one has noticed
- Slovak female triathlete shatters barriers with historic win at Himalayan event
- From eight to thousands of runners. How Košice marathon rose to prominence Photo
- No more photos or bank statements? Slovakia moves to ease residence process
- Slovakia loses another EV model to Spain as Stellantis chooses Zaragoza over Trnava
- Iconic Slovak barn still draws crowds. Without donors, it might have been lost Photo
- The law changed. Our family papers were ready. Now my kids are Slovak citizens
- Maria Theresa on the banks of Bratislava
- Slovak female triathlete shatters barriers with historic win at Himalayan event
- The Kremlin’s security agency has a Russian contractor in Slovakia - no one has noticed
- No more photos or bank statements? Slovakia moves to ease residence process
- Slovakia loses another EV model to Spain as Stellantis chooses Zaragoza over Trnava
- From eight to thousands of runners. How Košice marathon rose to prominence Photo
- Convicted of multiple murders, Slovakia’s mafia boss seeks release from prison
- The law changed. Our family papers were ready. Now my kids are Slovak citizens
- Maria Theresa on the banks of Bratislava
- No more photos or bank statements? Slovakia moves to ease residence process
- Weekend: Celebration of fun comes to Malacky Photo
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- Top 10 events in Bratislava for foreigners
- Digital Jarvis is real now. He is coming for your to-do list
- The Kremlin’s security agency has a Russian contractor in Slovakia - no one has noticed
- The law changed. Our family papers were ready. Now my kids are Slovak citizens
- Maria Theresa on the banks of Bratislava
- No more photos or bank statements? Slovakia moves to ease residence process
- A mayor resigns over €2.7 million fraud scandal at town hall
- The Kremlin’s security agency has a Russian contractor in Slovakia - no one has noticed
- Fico praises China and Vietnam as models, says liberal democracy has failed
- News digest: Violent gang in Bratislava is under arrest
- He designed Gatwick. But this is his masterpiece
- The law changed. Our family papers were ready. Now my kids are Slovak citizens
- 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 More articles ›
