Archive of articles - March 2012, page 4
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Mupi mup
AFTER WORLD War II, Czechoslovakia became a satellite of the Soviet Union. The Communist Party, which seized absolute power in 1948, obediently carried out the orders it received from Moscow.
Quote of the week
“This is not Gorilla, this is King Kong.”
Febiofest 2012 opens on March 29
FEBIOFEST 2012, the 19th version of this international film festival, will again offer a host of movies first in Bratislava and then in other Slovak towns and cities. The festival was first organised in 1993 by FEBIO, an independent movie and television production company, to show Czech and Slovak films and has grown into an international event. The festival’s remains focused on domestically-produced films but many foreign movies are screened as well. The festival currently is split into two nearly independent sections with a Czech version being held in Prague and touring that country and a Slovak version.
Corrupt behaviour still prevalent
ONE in five Slovaks have offered a bribe and half of those have done so because they have heard that others do it, according to a report prepared by Transparency International Slovensko (TIS) entitled Anti-Corruption Minimum 2012. Even though the report indicates that the number of Slovaks offering or accepting bribes has been falling, Slovakia remains among those countries whose citizens feel there is a high level of corruption in everyday dealings as well as in the public sector.
E-shops outperform shopping malls
SLOVAKS are most unhappy with the quality of services and customer care when shopping online. This is one of outcomes of a survey involving 3,000 respondents conducted by the Hej.sk shopping website last September. One-fifth of those surveyed also said the selection on offer at Slovak e-shops was insufficient, and 14 percent complained about the travelling distance to pick-up points, the SITA newswire wrote.
Child abduction attempts in capital
POLICE in Bratislava are investigating three attempted child abductions that were reported in different districts of the capital, the Sme.sk website reported.
Shopping in the virtual and physical worlds
SHOPPING over the internet has its pros as well as cons, as does using bricks-and-mortar shops. To satisfy the appetite of online shoppers as well as those who prefer to touch what they are buying, an increasing number of shops are extending their operations either into the virtual or real worlds. Apart from benefiting from synergies this expansion brings more channels to sell products, something that has become a necessity in the current globalised world.
UNITAS launch will be delayed
SLOVAKIA’s Financial Administration will have to decide whether it will return to its old information system, supplied by the Novitech company, or continue implementing its new KONS system since a representative of IBM [the new tax administration software provider] told a parliamentary oversight committee that it will not be possible to launch the UNITAS project, which is a plan to unify collection of taxes, custom duties and payroll levies, as originally scheduled on January 1, 2013, the SITA newswire reported.
New cabinet handed two big decisions
OUTGOING Prime Minister Iveta Radičová has wished her successor, Robert Fico, a successful term in office and says she hopes he will have to take only a few tough decisions. But Fico and his future team of ministers will have to deal with two issues that the Radičová cabinet left unresolved at its last session on March 21: whether to provide state aid to a Samsung manufacturing facility in Galanta, and whether to sign a software licence deal with Microsoft.
Covering Slovakia with broadband internet
THE NUMBER of internet users in Slovakia keeps increasing. But not everyone who is eager to access the internet can do so because internet providers do not view it as commercially viable to bring their services to villages in scarcely populated mountainous regions. The Slovak government has taken up the issue and is supporting the development of broadband infrastructure so that no parts of the country remain in a digital abyss, a goal of the European Union as well.
Piešťany asks for volunteers to demolish school building
A FORMER elementary school within the Adam Trajan housing complex in Piešťany is slated for demolition as the town failed to find any further use for the building and hopes to use the land for a new park for the 6,000 residents. The town asked for volunteers to help demolish the building.
Top regional-event tickets online
INTERSTORE.sk, an e-shop with an extensive variety of products, and Eventim.sk, the Slovak branch of one of the biggest ticket sellers in Europe, have jointly launched an e-shop that sells tickets for top events across the central Europe region, located at TicketStore.sk.
Online advertising growth slows
THE GROWTH in internet-based advertising in Slovakia slowed slightly during the third quarter of 2011. Online advertising amounted to €9.6 million, up 12 percent from the third quarter of 2010 but less than the 22-percent growth recorded between the second quarter of 2010 and 2011.
Influence of social media on elections
A PIONEER in online communications, Vincent Harris, the founder and CEO of Harris Media, has advised some of the most prominent elected officials and business leaders in the United States since 2004. The Slovak Spectator spoke to Harris about the growing importance of the use of the internet in political campaigns and in engaging potential voters through social media.
Lajčák confirms he will become Slovakia's new foreign minister
Slovak diplomat Miroslav Lajčák will be Slovakia's next foreign minister. Lajčák personally confirmed reports of his imminent appointment on Thursday, March 22, the SITA newswire reported.
Passengers threaten tram driver with gun in downtown Bratislava
Two passengers threatened a female tram driver with a gun in downtown Bratislava early on Thursday, March 22, reportedly because they were "unhappy with the tram's course", the TASR newswire reported, citing Bratislava Public Transport Company (DPB) spokesperson Agáta Staneková.
Cabinet issues statement on Auschwitz Transport anniversary
The Slovak cabinet voiced sharp disapproval of any displays of extremism, racism or xenophobia on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the first deportation of Slovak Jews from Poprad to the Auschwitz death camp in 1942. The event will be commemorated on Sunday, March 25.
Bratislava Airport to offer flights to 24 destinations this summer
The 2012 summer flight schedule effective from March 25 to October 27 at Bratislava's M.R. Štefánik Airport (BTS) will comprise regular flights to 24 destinations in 12 countries. Six airlines will offer scheduled services: Ryanair, Danube Wings, UTair Aviation, El Al, Travel Service and Norwegian Air Shuttle.
'Good Market' intended to bring community spirit back to Bratislava
A special event aimed at strengthening community ties in Bratislava, the so-called 'Good Market' (Dobrý trh) in Panenska Street, will take place for a second time on Saturday, March 24. The market provides an opportunity for local producers to sell locally-made food, wine, artistic goods, books, antiques and other products.
PM Radičová says no irregularities found in Land Fund's decisions
Documents that the board of the Slovak Land Fund (SPF) submitted to a government session last week contain no suspicious decisions as Smer chairman Robert Fico hinted might be the case last week, outgoing Prime Minister Iveta Radičová said after the government session on March 21, the TASR newswire reported. Radičová said that at the behest of President Ivan Gašparovič she urged the SPF's board, via Agriculture Minister Zsolt Simon, to submit documentation.
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- Maria Theresa on the banks of Bratislava
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- 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
- Top 10 events in Bratislava for foreigners More articles ›
