Archive of articles - page 5 - The Slovak Spectator

Tourism and gastronomy fairs in Bratislava draw 72,764 visitors

The four-day ITF Slovakiatour tourism fair and the accompanying Danubius Gastro gastronomy fair held at Bratislava's Incheba expo centre had over 72,700 visitors from Slovakia and abroad over the last weekend, the TASR newswire was told by Incheba spokesperson Martina Sekulová.

Bubeníková tells media she has never taken a bribe or kickback

The former head of Slovakia’s National Property Fund (FNM), Anna Bubeníková, provided a statement to the TASR newswire stating that she had never asked for or received a bribe or kickback while serving as the head of FNM. "I have never given or promised any bribes to anyone, either," stated Bubeníková, claiming that she had never discussed the issues contained in the so-called Gorilla file with any politician or businessman. "I met representatives of the financial group Penta in the past because of my official tasks at FNM. Never in my life have I been at any alleged safe house or private place," she stated, adding that she considers the Gorilla case to be politically motivated.

Slovak intelligence service says it has responded to Radičová on Gorilla file

Slovenská informačná služba (SIS), the country’s primary intelligence service, responded in writing on January 23 to the request from Prime Minister Iveta Radičová for more information on the so-called Gorilla file, according to a statement released by SIS, as reported by the TASR newswire. "The Slovak Intelligence Service has also sent a letter to President Ivan Gašparovič concerning the investigative team's request for him to remove the oath of secrecy from the SIS director [Karol Mitrík]," according to the statement, as quoted by TASR.

Slovak man charged in US in connection with Megaupload.com website

The US Department of Defence and the Federal Bureau of Investigation Bureau (FBI) charged two companies and seven individuals, including 35-year-old Slovak citizen Július Bencko, with operating an international organised criminal group allegedly involved in the wide-spread infringement of copyrights via the internet site Megaupload.com, the TASR newswire reported on January 20.

ThyssenKrupp reportedly will invest in eastern Slovakia

ThyssenKrup, a German steel-processing company, will probably invest €98 million in establishing new plants in eastern Slovakia. Its representatives have reportedly filed an application containing the investment plans that could bring about 1,200 jobs, the Hospodárske Noviny daily reported based on sources in the Economy Ministry.

Harabin’s court action with ECHR demands €150,000 from Slovakia

In a complaint filed with the European Court for Human Rights (ECHR), the president of Slovakia’s Supreme Court, Štefan Harabin, is demanding €150,000 as compensation for previous disciplinary action taken against him. Though the ECHR accepted Harabin’s complaint, no ruling has been made as yet, the TASR newswire reported.

Slovakia’s unemployment hits highest rate since July 2004

Slovakia’s unemployment rate reached the highest level since July 2004 as it rose to 13.59 percent in December 2011, up 0.26 percentage points month-on-month and up 0.68 percentage points compared to December 2010, the TASR newswire reported.

Four Brazilian companies are now based in the eastern Slovak town of Spišská Nová Ves.

Brazil and Slovakia seek ways to grow together

EVEN though Brazil and Slovakia differ in size and are separated by a wide ocean, economic cooperation between the two countries is not as scanty as one might think. Both countries, each with strong automotive industries, want to move their economies forward with new enterprises that have higher added value and this can be an opportunity for more economic cooperation. Currently, bilateral trade is the primary economic tie between the countries but four companies with Brazilian capital also operate manufacturing facilities in Slovakia.

Foxconn sacks up to 600 people

THE SECOND biggest producer of TV sets in Slovakia, Foxconn in Nitra, has announced it is dismissing up to 600 employees. The Hospodárske Noviny daily reported the company attributed its action to a decline in demand from its main customer, Sony.

This nativity scene in a Žilina shopping centre was sculpted in
sand rather than snow. It was created by two Czech artists,
Tomáš Bosambo (pictured) and Radovan Živný.

Nativity scene created from snow

AN EVENT at the oldest tourist cabin in the High Tatras that started as a small, family tradition has developed into one of the most visited winter attractions in the region. A nativity scene carefully sculpted from snow by Peter Petras, the caretaker of the Rainer cabin, draws hundreds of visitors each year.

Slovakia to apologise to Hedviga Malinová

THE STATE will officially apologise to one of its citizens, Hedviga Malinová, over her involvement in an unresolved criminal case that has traumatised Slovak society, particularly in the realm of Slovak-Hungarian relations, since 2006. The text of the apology is expected to be released to the Slovak media in the coming days.

Slovakia’s economic freedom drops

ECONOMIC freedom in Slovakia has worsened rapidly, according to a report released by the Heritage Foundation and the Wall Street Journal daily. The country fell in the ranking by 14 places to 51st, the SITA newswire reported.

Brazil's ambassador describes its ascent

MARÍLIA Sardenberg Zelner Gonçalves remembers the times as a diplomat in her country’s Foreign Affairs Ministry when she was fearful of talking to journalists because she would have risked losing her job. That was in the 1970s, when Brazil was in the grip of a dictatorship. But now, more than 20 years later, Zelner Gonçalves, the Brazilian Ambassador to Slovakia, speaks freely and very optimistically about her homeland – explaining that Brazil, often described in the past as a “sleeping giant in a cradle”, has now become an important player in the global economy and a strong partner among democratic nations.

Slovakia’s productivity highest in V4

ALTHOUGH industrial production in Slovakia has been growing since the end of the 2008-09 economic crisis, companies based in the country have not yet hired as many employees as they earlier dismissed. This has resulted in Slovakia having the highest unemployment rate among the Visegrad Group (V4) countries, according to UniCredit Bank analyst, Dávid Dereník. However, it also has the highest labour productivity in the V4 – a group which also includes the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland – the TASR newswire reported.

Quote of the week

“The proposal … arrived late yesterday after working hours, and to- day the president won’t have time to dedicate himself to this issue.”

Inflation rate jumped in 2011

CONSUMER prices in Slovakia rose last year by about 4 percent, pushed up by higher prices for energy and food as well as an increase in the country’s value added tax. Since the economic and financial crisis had kept price increases in check during 2009 and 2010, the higher inflation rate in 2011 was particularly noticeable. But economic analysts expect inflation to slow again in 2012. The rate of growth in consumer prices fell slightly at the end of 2011. The Slovak Statistics Office reported on January 13 that the year-on-year inflation rate measured by national methodology was 4.4 percent in December compared to November’s rate of 4.6 percent, which had been the highest inflation rate recorded since November 2008.

The Gorilla's deafening roar

ELECTION clichés, campaign promises endlessly repeated and catchy slogans on billboards are part of the game. The more disillusioned that society has become with its political elite, the more resistant people are to the campaign talk. If even a fraction of the promises that the parties are serving up to the electorate are fulfilled, Slovakia in four years will be a land of transparency and honesty where embarrassed public servants return bonuses they received in times of economic uncertainty and business reporters are able to erase the phrase ‘long-term unemployed’ from their lexicon and write only about green jobs and the country’s abundant surplus of skilled labour. Fat chance.

Banská Bystrica on the road to its first city marathon

THE CITY of Banská Bystrica in central Slovakia held an ‘Epiphany Run’ through the city centre on January 6 in preparation for its first marathon, due to be held this September.

Countrywide Events

Western SLOVAKIA

Capoeira spreads in Slovakia

ONE EXPRESSION of the mixture of cultures in Brazil is capoeira, a mixture of music, dance and martial arts. With roots in the African elements of Brazilian culture, it has been growing in popularity not only in Brazil but more recently in Slovakia too.

Archive of articles - January 2012, page 5