Archive of articles - December 2011, page 5
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July: The top business stories of 2011
Government announces sale of heating plants. The Slovak government approves the privatisation of six state-owned central heating plants in Bratislava, Trnava, Žilina, Martin, Zvolen and Košice, with 5 percent of the shares to be transferred to the municipalities. The privatisation is halted after the fall of the Radičová government in October.
Slovak non-material cultural heritage list inaugurated
The Slovak shepherd's long pipe, the fujara; the services of Aušusník miners (members of the Herrengrund mining brotherhood, who wear their own uniforms when performing their rituals) from Špania Dolina (Banská Bystrica Region); Radvaň fair (also in Banská Bystrica Region); the music of Terchová (a village in Žilina Region); and traditional hand-held bells: all of these were placed on the nation's first ever Non-Material Cultural Heritage List on Thursday, December 15, the TASR reported, citing Culture Ministry spokesperson Eva Chudinová.
Doctors: Lack of vaccinations is putting children at risk
Representatives of several health associations have sent an open letter to Health Minister Ivan Uhliarik stating that the current lack of vaccinations might be putting young children in particular at risk.
Doctors keep strike alert in place, demand Uhliarik's dismissal
It's premature to talk about calling off the strike alert, as the legislation passed in parliament hasn't yet come into effect, Doctors Trade Unions' Association (LOZ) vice-chair Peter Visolajský said on Thursday, December 15.
U.S. Steel cuts working week to four days
U.S. Steel Košice, one of the biggest industrial employees in eastern Slovakia, will operate according to a limited working regime from January. The company's management and the trade union representing workers have agreed on a four-day working week, the TASR newswire reported on Thursday, December 15, citing company spokesman Ján Bača.
Group of seven charged with attempt to traffic in nuclear substances
Seven people, referred to by Police Corps president Jaroslav Spišiak as a 'pensioners' club' in view of the age of their 71-year-old leader, have been charged with attempting to traffic in nuclear substances in both Slovakia and the Czech Republic, Slovak and Czech officials announced at a press conference on Thursday, December 15.
Slovakia’s inflation rate measured at 4.8% in November
The growth rate of consumer prices in Slovakia as measured by EU methodology continues to accelerate with the SITA newswire reporting that the country’s Statistics Office released data showing that the harmonised index of consumer prices (HICP) had a rate of 4.8 percent in November, an acceleration of 0.2 percentage points compared with the October rate. The November inflation rate was the highest since August 2008, SITA added.
Constitutional Court suspends a disciplinary action involving Harabin
A plenum of Slovakia’s Constitutional Court led by its president, Ivetta Macejková, suspended a disciplinary proceeding involving Supreme Court President Štefan Harabin in a closed session on December 14, the court’s spokeswoman, Anna Pančurová, told the SITA newswire. She added that the proposal to suspend the proceedings had been submitted by Harabin.
Ordinary People and Independent Personalities party releases its election slate
The Ordinary People and Independent Personalities party introduced its election slate on December 14, headed by physicist and Týždeň weekly journalist Martin Mojžiš, followed by the head of the Slovak National Theatre drama section, Štefan Bučko, and with university professor and paediatrician Eva Horváthová in third position, the TASR newswire reported.
Parliament approves doctors’ issues in memorandum signed by the government
Doctors will get two scheduled salary increases, termination of the process of transforming state-run hospitals into joint-stock companies and changes in the Labour Code, as Slovakia’s parliament passed a proposal on December 14 that fulfils the agreements in the memorandum signed between the government and the Medical Trade Unions’ Association (LOZ) in early December, the TASR newswire reported. The amending proposal submitted by Richard Raši (Smer) that terminated the transformation of hospitals was supported by MPs from Smer as well as four MPs from the Ordinary People faction and two MPs from the Slovak National Party (SNS). MPs from Smer, Most-Híd, two from SNS and two independent MPs voted for the overall proposal submitted by parliament’s health-care committee. The outcome of the vote was indirectly assured after MPs from the Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) party did not vote, reducing the quorum during the voting, the Sme daily wrote in its December 15 issue. The head of the doctors’ union, Marián Kollár, expressed satisfaction with the outcome of the vote, saying the doctors are satisfied even though the approved amendment guarantees only two pay rises next year while the third that was promised to take place at the beginning of 2013 was dropped from the amendment.
Ambassadors watch as disciplinary case against Banská Bystrica judge ends
Disciplinary action against Judge Juraj Babjak was halted in a case that was open for two years. But the judge said he did not get full satisfaction, the Sme daily wrote on December 15.
ÚRSO says household gas prices will increase 5.53% in 2012
Gas prices for Slovak households will rise by an average of 5.53 percent in 2012, Jozef Holjenčík, the head of the Office for Regulation of the Network Industries (ÚRSO), told the TASR newswire on December 14. "For the tariff group of consumers using gas for cooking only, this represents an increase of €1.60 per year. For the group of consumers who use gas also for heating water, the annual payment will go up by €29.40 and for those who use gas also for heating, the increase represents growth of €66 per year," Holjenčík stated, as quoted by TASR.
Slovak internet advertising market grew 12 percent in Q3
Growth in Slovak internet advertising eased off in the third quarter of 2011. With revenues of €9.6 million, the market grew 12 percent year-on-year, compared to an annual increase in Q2 of more than 22 percent. Interactive Advertising Bureau Slovakia (IAB Slovakia) sees the slowdown as indicative of future trends, and predicts a further deceleration or even a slump in upcoming quarters.
99% slate features a manager, a reporter and a former police investigator
Alena Dušatková, Pavol Pavlík and Peter Vačok will lead 99% – Civic Voice, a new party on the Slovak political scene, into the general election on March 10. Dušatková is a manager while Pavlík is former reporter who has worked for public broadcaster Slovak Radio, private radio station Twist and TV Markíza. Vačok led the investigation into the kidnapping of Michal Kováč Jr, the son of the then-president, back in the 1990s. He later quit the police and is now a lawyer, the SITA newswire wrote on December 12.
Parliament fails to elect members of judicial selection committee
The Slovak Parliament failed again on December 13 to elect members of the newly established committee that will select new judges based on a transparent application process.
Manpower: Employment outlook stable
One in ten Slovak employers are thinking about hiring some new employees during the first quarter of 2012, while 9 percent of companies expect a reduction in their labour force, according to the Manpower Index published by the recruitment firm of the same name on Monday, December 12.
NBS predicts slower economic growth for Slovakia
The National Bank of Slovakia (NBS), Slovakia’s central bank, has heavily revised its prediction for the country’s economic growth next year. While the previous prediction foresaw a rise of 3.8 percent, the latest prognosis predicts growth of 2.3 percent, the SITA newswire reported.
MP and former judge Dubovcová becomes national ombudsman
MP for the Slovak Democratic and Christian Union (SDKÚ) Jana Dubovcová is to replace Slovakia’s current national ombudsman Pavol Kandráč. She was backed by 76 out of 140 MPs present in a parliamentary vote for the job held on Tuesday, December 13. Kandráč’s mandate will expire on March 27, 2012, the TASR newswire reported.
Alleged NBÚ hackers acquitted
The Bratislava Regional Court has ruled that two youngsters charged with infiltrating the computer network of the National Security Authority (NBÚ), are not guilty, the TASR newswire reported.
Doctors’ settlement to be addressed via fast-tracked legislative process
Parliament will discuss measures prepared by the health parliamentary committee to implement the settlement agreed with Slovak hospital doctors after an industrial dispute earlier this month. The measure, to increase doctors’ salaries and amend the Labour Code, will proceed via a fast-tracked legislative process. Earlier this week the trade unions warned that the current version of the draft law was unacceptable and declared a strike alert, the TASR newswire reported.
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