Archive of articles - May 2012, page 12
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Rare Mednyánszkys return home
A COLLECTION of 140 works by painter Ladislav (or László, in Hungarian) Mednyánszky, one of the most sought-after Slovak-born artists – individual works of his have attracted the highest prices of any Slovak artist at auction – is currently being exhibited at Bratislava’s SOGA auction house prior to being auctioned on May 29.
Government considers a hike in bank levy
A SPECIAL levy on banks was originally a pet project of Robert Fico and his Smer party. But it was the centreright cabinet of Iveta Radičová that actually ended up introducing the special levy on domestic banks and local subsidiaries of international banks, a measure which started to bite earlier this year. Fico, now prime minister, is toying with the idea of increasing this levy in some way to help patch holes in the state budget. Some experts warn that such a measure would endanger the international position of the Slovak banking sector and could have a negative impact on the whole economy.
Institutions and organisations in the banking and leasing sectors
Ministry of Financewww.finance.gov.skMinister: Peter Kažimír
New passenger car registrations rose 2.1 percent in April
In April, 5,794 new passenger cars were registered in Slovakia, a rise of 2.1 percent year-on-year. By contrast, sales of small utility vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes dropped by 11.09 percent from a year ago to 409, the SITA newswire wrote. Over the first four months of this year, 22,392 passenger cars were registered in Slovakia, an increase of 4.77 percent year-on-year, Pavol Prepiak, the vice-president of the Association of Slovak Automotive Industry (ZAP), reported.
Court to decide on permit to complete Mochovce nuclear power plant
The Regional Court in Bratislava is due to rule today (Friday, May 11) in the case of the contested construction permit for completion of the third and fourth units of the Mochovce Nuclear Power Plant, the SITA newswire reported, citing Greenpeace Slovakia spokesperson Lucia Szabová.
Slovakia to sell 10-year dollar-denominated bond in the US
As indicated by Slovak Finance Minister Peter Kažimír last week, Slovakia is to float a dollar-denominated government bond overseas.
Former police officers sue their boss for €300,000
Police President Jaroslav Spišiak reportedly was charged last week with libel by the General Prosecutor’s Office and faces either a fine or other punishment, the Pravda daily wrote on May 10, based on an unnamed source. The TASR newswire wrote on the same day that Interior Minister Robert Kaliňák announced that Tibor Gašpar will become the new head of Slovakia’s Police Corps and will take office as early as next week, replacing Spišiak.
Foreign Minister Lajčák visiting Germany
Slovakia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Miroslav Lajčák, is in Germany today, May 10, for a working visit and will hold discussions with German Foreign Affairs Minister Guido Westerwelle and Christoph Heusgen, Foreign Policy Advisor to the Chancellor, the SITA newswire reported.
SaS might withdraw its bill ending parliamentary immunity
If Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico publicly vows that MPs' immunity from prosecution for any crimes they commit will be scrapped by September 1, Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) party will withdraw its legislative proposal to this effect from the current parliamentary session, SaS chairman Richard Sulík told a press conference on May 9, as reported by the TASR newswire. SaS's statement follows a request by Speaker of Parliament Pavol Paška (Smer) for SaS, with 11 MPs, to withdraw its proposal as abolishing parliamentary immunity requires the support of at least 90 MPs – a constitutional majority. Smer announced that it would not support SaS's bill and if the draft is defeated it could not return to parliament for at least six months, TASR wrote. MPs’ immunity from prosecution for misdemeanour offences as well as the immunity of other public officials was scrapped by a vote of parliament in early February, TASR noted. Sulík stated that MPs' immunity for misdemeanours would never have been abolished had it not been for SaS and rejected the suggestion that SaS is only aiming to score political points from its initiative. He said his party is ultimately ready to vote for Smer's proposal.
Slovakia’s industrial output hits double-digit growth in March
Growth in Slovakia’s industrial sector continued to gain momentum and in March it returned to double-digit figures on an annual basis as it grew by 12.1 percent compared to March 2011. The growth rate was 8.4 percent in February, the SITA newswire reported.
Slovak ice hockey team takes second victory in championship
On May 9 the Slovak national ice hockey team won 4:2 over the team from Kazakhstan at the 76th Ice Hockey World Championship held in Hartwall Arena in Helsinki with the TASR newswire writing that the Slovaks first scored in the 2nd minute but nevertheless the match was thrilling and the score was tied 2:2 at one time.
Igor Furdík to head Office for Slovaks Living Abroad
The Slovak government dismissed Milan Vetrák as the head of the Office for Slovaks Living Abroad (ÚSŽZ) on May 9 and replaced him with Igor Furdík, who will take up his new post immediately, the TASR newswire reported. Vetrák was appointed by Iveta Radičová's former government in February 2011. A Government Office press statement said the reason for replacing Vetrák was his poor performance and a lack of confidence expressed by organisations of Slovaks living abroad about his leadership.
Kažimír appoints new president of Finance Administration
Finance Minister Peter Kažimír appointed František Imrecze as the new Finance Administration head on May 9, replacing Mária Machová, a former minister of privatisation (1998-2002), the TASR newswire reported. Imrecze is a graduate of the University of Economics' Commerce Faculty in Bratislava and has worked for both Oracle Slovensko and T-Mobile Slovensko in various posts, TASR wrote.
Gašpar appointed as top cop
THE HOT favourite to become Slovakia’s new police chief has not, after all, made it to the top job. Former police vice-president Stanislav Jankovič, who was previously tipped for the post by Interior Minister Robert Kaliňák, was ultimately edged aside in favour of Tibor Gašpar, who presently leads the Office for the Fight Against Corruption. Kaliňák, who made the appointment, said he still considers Jankovič to be a good police officer, but added that if he had been picked for the post both he and the police force would have been showered with what he called unjustified media criticism, a reference to a case in which Jankovič faced criminal investigation.
Intelektuálna bezpečnosť
ONE OF the promises the new government makes in its manifesto is to “pay increased attention to the intellectual security of the state”. Yes, feeling unsafe in your own head is dreadful. But after reading the cabinet programme one feels as though the administration is in fact itself attempting an attack on common sense. Here are some excerpts from the document:
Government to focus on vocational schools
A LACK of quality labour to work in some industrial areas, an overly complicated system of financing public schools and too many young people studying humanities: these are three main problems that Slovakia’s new education minister has identified in the country’s education system. The government’s programme document and the minister's public statements provide some ideas about the direction of the new government. There have been critical comments from some education experts, as well as some praise.
February foreign trade surplus revised down to €341.2 million
Slovakia's foreign trade surplus reached €341.2 million in February 2012, the Statistics Office (ŠÚ) announced, revising downwards its preliminary figure of €347.7 million.
Justice Ministry prepares home detention as sentencing option
The Justice Ministry is preparing the conditions for home detention for convicted prisoners, the Hospodárske Noviny daily has reported, citing the head of the department of criminal law at the Justice Ministry, Lucia Kurilovská.
ÚPSVaR: 6.7% of Slovakia's population dependent on social benefits
A total of 185,445 people received social benefits for the poor in March, an increase of around 200 since the beginning of 2012, the Labour, Social Affairs and the Family Centre (ÚPSVaR) announced on Monday, May 7.
Hradecký: Current crisis is encouraging Europe's extremists and neo-Nazis
The movements that unleashed World War II are growing amidst the current economic crisis, which is also strengthening extremist and neo-Nazi groups in Europe, secretary of the Slovak Anti-Fascist Fighters Association (SZPB) Roman Hradecký remarked on May 8, the day marking victory over fascism, the TASR newswire reported. Consequently, along with the celebrations and remembrances of WWII soldiers, SZPB aims to draw attention to the need to face fresh risks, he added.
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- The Kremlin’s security agency has a Russian contractor in Slovakia - no one has noticed
- No more photos or bank statements? Slovakia moves to ease residence process
- Slovakia loses another EV model to Spain as Stellantis chooses Zaragoza over Trnava
- Liberal MP's boxing challenge backfires as far-right MEP seizes the moment
- From eight to thousands of runners. How Košice marathon rose to prominence Photo
- 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
- Slovakia loses another EV model to Spain as Stellantis chooses Zaragoza over Trnava
- 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
- 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
- Top 10 events in Bratislava for foreigners
- Legendary captain Zdeno Chára inducted into IIHF Hall of Fame Video
- Liberal MP's boxing challenge backfires as far-right MEP seizes the moment
- 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 More articles ›
