Archive of articles - April 2012, page 6
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Is Slovakia losing its focus on human rights?
HUMAN rights and minority issues will no longer be the exclusive focus of a deputy prime minister in the new government and responsibilities for these issues will now be divided among several ministries. The government of Robert Fico and representatives of his Smer party view this approach as an improvement, but activists in NGOs say it will detract from the importance that should be given to dealing with such issues in Slovakia.
Car production in Slovakia rises
A TOTAL of 639,000 cars were produced by auto assembly plants in Slovakia last year. The figure topped the pre-crisis output of 575,000 recorded in 2008, the TASR newswire reported.
Countrywide Events
Western SLOVAKIA
Church attic freed of bat excrement
THE ATTIC of the church in the village of Ratková in south-eastern Slovakia accumulated almost one and a half tons of bat excrement, zoologist Jerguš Tesák told the TASR newswire, adding that employees of the Muránska Planina National Park chose the first half of March as the most opportune time to clean and seal the attic – before the bats could return to the church from their winter hibernation in caves.
NATO’s air exercise in Slovakia
AIRCRAFT from 12 NATO member states joined an international air training exercise, MACE XIII, based at Sliač airbase near Banská Bystrica on Monday, April 16. The exercise will continue until April 27, the TASR newswire reported.
Jobless rate down slightly to 13.69 percent in March
The official number of jobless Slovaks dropped by 0.07 percentage points month-on-month in March to 13.69 percent, the Labour, Social Affairs and the Family Office (ÚPSVaR) announced on Thursday, April 19.
Slovak charity delivers sonography device to Baghdad health centre
Representatives of the Slovak Embassy in Iraq in March handed over sonography apparatus to a charity organisation called Caritas Iraq, the Slovak Catholic Charity said on Thursday, April 19, the TASR newswire reported.
Fico’s former adviser Machala involved in scuffle with writer Janovic
A former adviser of Prime Minister Robert Fico, Drahoslav Machala, 64, reportedly attacked, both verbally and physically, writer Tomáš Janovic, 76, and his wife on Wednesday, April 18. Janovic reported the incident to police; a witness, Ľuboš Holič, confirmed his account. According to Holič, Machala attacked Janovic in Bratislava's central SNP Square.
Fico to meet President Klaus in Prague
The first official foreign visit by recently-appointed Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico will, as is traditional, take him to the Czech Republic today (Friday, April 20) for a one-day visit. In Prague, he will have meetings with the two highest constitutional officials of that country: President Václav Klaus and Prime Minister Petr Nečas.
SIS candidate vetted
THE NAME of Ján Valko has been circulating in the political airstream ever since Robert Fico started considering nominees for government posts. At first the former head of the state-owned Nuclear and Decommissioning Company (JAVYS) was mentioned in the media as a candidate for economy minister but the post eventually went to Tomáš Malatinský from one of Slovakia’s employers’ associations. Now it is widely expected that Valko will be nominated to lead the country’s main spy agency, the Slovak Information Service (SIS). Prime Minister Fico announced on April 16 that he had requested the SIS to conduct a security screening of a potential candidate, without specifying anyone’s name. Fico said he would release his nominee’s name by May 2.
Pamír
THE PAMIR Mountains, known as the ‘Roof of the World’, are getting some unexpected attention, and not thanks to any mountaineer. Instead it is to journalist and speechwriter Drahoslav Machala that they owe their current prominence.
Slovak and Hungarian foreign ministers meet in Brussels
Slovakia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Miroslav Lajčák, held bilateral talks with his Hungarian counterpart, János Martonyi, on April l9 in Brussels with the SITA newswire reporting that each minister emphasised their country’s interest in developing good neighbourly relations and continuing a constructive dialogue between the two capitals.
Slovak Land Fund and State Material Reserves get new heads
The cabinet of Prime Minister Robert Fico appointed new heads of the Slovak Land Fund (SPF) and the State Material Reserves Administration on April 18 with the land fund to be led by Gabriela Matečná, who replaces Eva Šimková, the SITA newswire reported.
Cabinet appoints deputy education minister; other posts
The cabinet appointed Štefan Chudoba, the former head of the Automobile Cluster-Western Slovakia, to the post of deputy education minister on April 18. Chudoba had been active in consulting services, spurring innovation, education and use of EU funds, the SITA newswire wrote.
Cabinet considers creating post of plenipotentiary for minorities
The cabinet of Prime Minister Robert Fico is considering creating a government post responsible for minorities and their culture, the SITA newswire reported.
‘Bratislava for All’ starts in the capital
The capital city opened its annual city-wide event called Bratislava for All on April 19 and until Sunday, April 22, all city residents and visitors will have open doors to the city council, museums, libraries, galleries, the zoo, playgrounds and city parks.
Miškov alleges bugging device was found in his former car
The vice-chairman of Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) party, Juraj Miškov, announced on April 18 that earlier in the day he had filed a criminal complaint with the police regarding his suspicion that he had been illegally wiretapped while he served as economy minister. Miškov told a press conference that a driver for the Economy Ministry found a device that could have been used for eavesdropping in the ministry car used by Miškov for private purposes during his term in office.
Indonesian students learning how to grow wheat at Nitra university
Five Indonesian students are learning how to grow wheat at the Slovak Agriculture University in Nitra, the TASR newswire reported. The visit by Indonesian students that started this week is the result of cooperation between Nitra University, two agricultural supply companies, Osivo Zvolen and Solary Istropolis, and Andalas University in Indonesia. According to Peter Bielik, the university rector, Indonesian students will take part in a basic programme on growing wheat, conducted in English. The programme is designed to provide know-how in growing special types of grains suitable for Indonesia. The Indonesian Ambassador to Slovakia, Harsh Edwan Joesoef, said the need to grow wheat in Indonesia stems from globalisation.
Several candidates emerge to vie for SDKU chairperson
The president of the Bratislava Self-Governing Region, Pavol Frešo, announced on his Facebook page on April 18 that he will seek to become the chair of the Slovak Democratic and Christian Union (SDKÚ) at its party congress in Banská Bystrica next month, the TASR newswire reported. "At a press conference tomorrow (April 19), I'll announce my decision to accept the candidacy for the SDKÚ chair along with my basic vision of the party's future," Frešo's message states. He had previously announced his interest in seeking the post if he received sufficient support from SDKÚ's regional structures. Over 20 SDKU regional associations have supported him so far which makes Freso the front-runner in receiving endorsements to lead the party that has formed three previous Slovak coalition governments in 1998-2002, 2002-06 and 2010-12, all while the party was chaired by Mikuláš Dzurinda. Frešo said on his posting that SDKU has lost touch with citizens and that he wants the party to go back to its Christian, democratic and people's party roots.
Interior minister delays in announcing head of Slovak police
Interior Minister Robert Kaliňák does not yet want to confirm media reports that the post of the president of Slovakia’s Police Corps will be filled by its former vice-president Stanislav Jankovič, the TASR reported after a cabinet meeting on April 18. Kaliňák said he is waiting for the outcome of an investigation in which Jankovič is accused of abuse of public office while holding the vice-president's post.
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- Maria Theresa on the banks of Bratislava
- No more photos or bank statements? Slovakia moves to ease residence process
- 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
- A mayor resigns over €2.7 million fraud scandal at town hall
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- News digest: Prosecutor seeks jail for NBS Governor Kažimír as his political support wanes
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- 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 More articles ›
