Archive of articles - April 2012, page 4
If you desire to read an old article, use the search bar or select the publication date.
MP Pollák says his party supports all-day education for Roma
Placing Roma children in boarding schools to boost their education is not a good idea and an all-day education system should be launched instead, said MP Peter Pollák from the Ordinary People and Independent Personalities (OĽaNO) party at a press conference on April 23, the TASR newswire wrote. Pollák said that education is the key to resolving Roma issues and it should be projected in the government manifesto, saying that unlike Prime Minister Robert Fico, he does not agree with a proposal to set up boarding schools for Roma children. He said OĽaNO’s proposal would not only be cheaper but would also ensure that Roma children are not cut off from their parents. "It's a system that allows a child to come to school at half past seven in the morning and go home again at five in the afternoon," stated Pollák, as quoted by the TASR newswire.
PM Fico to meet EU and NATO leaders in Brussels today
Prime Minister Robert Fico will inform the European Commission about the economic goals of the Slovak government, including its budget consolidation plans, during a working visit to Brussels on April 24, the Government Office announced. The TASR newswire reported that Finance Minister Peter Kažimír and Foreign Affairs Minister Miroslav Lajčák will be part of the Slovak delegation. During his one-day trip, Fico will meet with European Commission chairman Jose Manuel Barroso, European Parliamentary Speaker Martin Schulz, NATO General Secretary Anders Fogh Rasmussen and European Commission vice-chair Maroš Šefčovič (from Slovakia).
Finance Ministry to launch audit of UNITAS information system
The Finance Ministry has decided to launch a comprehensive analysis and audit of all contractual relationships pertaining to implementation of the KONS information system that was to support the unified collection of tax, customs and payroll levies under the UNITAS project, said Finance Ministry state secretary Peter Pellegrini, as reported by the TASR newswire. Pellegrini said the reasons behind the audit are the relatively high numbers of invoices received.
Viliam Novotný announces candidacy for SDKÚ party chair
Viliam Novotný, an MP for the Slovak Democratic and Christian (SDKÚ), wrote on his Facebook page that he will be a candidate for the post of SDKÚ chair, the TASR newswire reported. Novotný joins his party colleagues Lucia Žitňanská and Pavol Frešo as candidates to replace Mikuláš Dzurinda as chair of the party. Novotný has the support of Košice party structures, TASR wrote, while adding that there are rumours that he is supposed to withdraw his candidacy at the last minute in favour of Frešo. This has been denied by Freso, who described it as politicking.
Newly-appointed construction ministry official steps down
Michal Santai, the head of the Central Coordination Body (CKO) at the Construction Ministry, stepped down from his post on April 23 in reaction to an article published by the Sme daily earlier that day, the TASR newswire reported. The daily wrote that in 2009 Santai had defended the notorious 'bulletin-board tender' at the Construction Ministry. Santai was recently selected by new Transport Minister Ján Počiatek (Smer) to oversee the use of EU funds through this CKO office. Santai told the media about his decision to leave the post, stating that he did not want to jeopardise Počiatek's activities aimed at effective use of EU funds.
Police officers apparently fail test of honesty
Several police officers apparently failed honesty tests conducted by the Sme daily in the first half of April after they did not return three of four purses to the original owners which representatives of the daily had delivered to police, saying they had been found.
Justice minister and judges discuss withdrawal of salary discrimination lawsuits
Justice Minister Tomáš Borec said he is ready to apologise to judges who complained about salary discrimination if they withdraw their lawsuits, according to an interview with the Sme daily.
MP Štefanec charges Swiss quotas violate EU agreement
The decision of Switzerland to impose limits on the number of immigrants from eight European Union member states, including Slovakia, violates the EU agreement on free movement of people, Ivan Štefanec, deputy chair of the parliamentary committee for European affairs, told the TASR newswire.
Slovakia receives another group of Afghani refugees
An aeroplane with 44 Afghan refugees who fled into Iran landed at Košice airport on Thursday, April 19 and it is the second group of Afghan mothers and children that Slovakia has offered international protection based on an agreement concluded between the Slovak government, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) for refugees in need of international protection, the SITA newswire reported.
Scale-model Tatras buildings go on display
THE SOLISKO Hotel in Štrbské Pleso, a holiday resort in the High Tatras, offers visitors an opportunity to admire miniature paper models of seven buildings replicating the original architecture of significant structures in the Tatras in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The miniatures were carefully constructed by Oto Jalčovik from Trebišov over a six-year period. They can be seen at the hotel until the end of June.
Book Review: Dispatches from the Republic of Otherness, Laura Kelly
THE QUOTES chosen to adorn the back cover of Dispatches from the Republic of Otherness, Laura Kelly’s collection of vignettes chronicling her experiences teaching journalism in post-communist countries, are immediately off-putting. “Excuse me please, but you are adventure,” says Tirana resident Bashkim Gjergji. “The generous and the bold have the best lives,” proclaims a Norwegian proverb. Travel writing always risks slipping into self-indulgence, and the prospect of following this “part-time bon vivant” from Miami on her self-congratulatory adventures isn’t too enticing. Fortunately, it quickly becomes clear that the trumpet-blows of the blurb are misrepresentative.
New migration agreement signed
IN MID February Slovakia’s then interior minister Daniel Lipšic and his Austrian counterpart Johanna Mikl-Leitner sealed a new readmission agreement as part of an effort to prevent illegal immigration and ensure cooperation between the Slovak and Austrian authorities in this area, the SITA newswire reported.
SDKÚ and SaS lick their wounds
THE GOVERNMENT of Prime Minister Robert Fico is moving toward full speed while two of the centre-right parties in the previous four-party governing coalition are still licking their wounds from the election on March 10 and deciding how to revamp their leadership and lay out better political prescriptions that connect better with voters in the future.
Inflation rate unchanged in March
THE INFLATION rate in Slovakia in March was unchanged from February, remaining at the level of 3.8 percent year-on-year. Consumer prices rose by 0.3 percent month-on-month, the SITA newswire reported.
Reinsurance pact to support exports
EXIMBANKA, Slovakia's state-owned export-import bank, signed a reinsurance agreement with Oesterreichische Kontrollbank Aktiengesellschaft (OeKB), Austria’s main provider of financial and information services to the export industry and the capital market.
Miškov suspects he was bugged
JURAJ Miškov, a deputy chair of opposition party Freedom and Solidarity (SaS), has filed a complaint with police on suspicion that he was illegally bugged while serving as economy minister, the TASR newswire reported. He left the post earlier this month.
Quote of the week
“Enjoying a little ‘joint’ at dinner and then making a decision is easy peasy – that’s what I reject.”
IMF predicts 2.4-percent GDP growth
SLOVAKIA’S economy will grow by only 2.4 percent this year, according to a prognosis published by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) as part of its latest global economic outlook. Last year GDP grew by 3.3 percent, the SITA newswire reported.
Writer alleges attack by Fico adviser
WELL-KNOWN Slovak writer Tomáš Janovic and his wife have reported being assaulted by a former adviser of Prime Minister Robert Fico, Drahoslav Machala. The writer immediately reported the alleged attack to the police and said he is prepared to give evidence, the Sme.sk website reported on April 19.
Fico targets health insurers again
PRIME Minister Robert Fico will again seek to ban private health insurance companies from retaining or distributing profits and has asked Health Minister Zuzana Zvolenská to find a way to do this without violating the constitution.
- The law changed. Our family papers were ready. Now my kids are Slovak citizens
- Maria Theresa on the banks of Bratislava
- 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
- 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
- Iconic Slovak barn still draws crowds. Without donors, it might have been lost Photo
- No more photos or bank statements? Slovakia moves to ease residence process
- The law changed. Our family papers were ready. Now my kids are Slovak citizens
- 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
- 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
- No more photos or bank statements? Slovakia moves to ease residence process
- 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
- No more photos or bank statements? Slovakia moves to ease residence process
- Weekend: Celebration of fun comes to Malacky Photo
- Top 10 events in Bratislava for foreigners
- 3 free things to do in Bratislava in the next seven days
- The Kremlin’s security agency has a Russian contractor in Slovakia - no one has noticed
- Digital Jarvis is real now. He is coming for your to-do list
- 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 ›
