Archive of articles - May 2012, page 2
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A dozen things to remember when exploring Slovakia
1. Call for a taxi (in Bratislava many taxi firms have English-speaking staff); getting a taxi from a rank can be significantly more expensive. Either way, check if the meter is running and get out if it isn’t.
Slovak actresses star with Anthony Hopkins and Jude Law in new film
Two young Slovak actresses, Lucia Siposová and Gabriela Marcinková, are featured in an international romantic drama called 360, which will be screened at the Art Film Fest in Trenčianske Teplice, the TASR newswire reported. The movie, directed by Fernando Meirelles, tells the story of a series of interconnected relationships, TASR wrote, with the first concerning a Slovak prostitute played by Siposová. Siposová and Marcinková landed their roles after auditions before Meirelles, who insisted that the Slovak prostitutes in the film should be played by Slovak citizens.
Fico tells bankers his plans for higher bank levies
Prime Minister Robert Fico told bank representatives on May 28 that his government intends to introduce an extraordinary bank levy this year aimed at bringing in revenues of €50 million in 2012, the TASR newswire reported. "Apart from that, we informed them [the banks] that we're introducing a different bank-levy rate from the one approved by Iveta Radičová's government” stated Fico, as quoted by TASR, adding that this should bring €100 million more to the state in 2013.
Košice to demolish another apartment building in Lunik IX
The city of Košice has decided to demolish another apartment building in the Lunik IX neighbourhood that city officials said had been damaged beyond repair by some of its illegal Roma inhabitants, the TASR newswire was told by Linda Šnajdárová of Košice city hall’s press department on May 28. "The critical state of the apartment block, Hrebendova 14-16, has been worsening ... it has come to the point where the lives of people living in or around the building are endangered," TASR quoted Šnajdárová. She added than reconstruction would cost more than constructing a new building. "Overall, there are 30 apartments in the building with 225 inhabitants. Only two of these people have a valid rental agreement, all others are squatters who live at the premises illegally," stated Šnajdárová.
Economic sentiment improves in Slovakia for fifth straight month
The positive trend of Slovaks’ economic sentiment continued in May as the Slovak Statistics Office reported on May 29 that its economic sentiment indicator rose by one point to 92.7 points, according to the SITA newswire.
Growth of industrial prices slows to 1.8 percent in April
The growth rate of industrial prices in Slovakia slowed in April to 1.8 percent from 2.6 percent in March, the SITA newswire reported. For the four-month period, industrial prices rose by 2.3 percent. In a monthly comparison, prices were even slightly lower in April, by 0.1 percent, than in March, a month in which they increased by 1 percent from February, SITA wrote based on data released by the Slovak Statistics Office on May 28.
Štefan Adam named agriculture ministry’s second state secretary
Štefan Adam from the Slovak Agriculture and Food Chamber (SPPK) will become the second State Secretary (i.e. deputy minister) at the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development Ministry as of June 1, 2012, the TASR newswire reported. "The proposal for appointing Stefan Adam to the post of Agriculture Ministry’s State Secretary has been submitted with a view to giving the post to an expert on agricultural production," states the government’s proposal that is expected to be approved at the government’s upcoming session on May 31.
MP Procházka will not leave Christian Democrats but does not seek leadership post
MP Radoslav Procházka of the Christian Democratic Movement (KDH) told the TASR newswire on May 28 that he has no intention of running for the post of party vice-chair or any other leadership post at the upcoming KDH congress in June, adding that the decision of vice-chairman Daniel Lipšic to leave the party was not convincing for him even though he understands the reasons for the action. On May 27 Lipšic stated that the lack of vision within KDH, along with recent scandals in parties of the right, was his reason for resignation from the KDH.
Judicial Council’s Harabin says court chairs cannot change election times
Štefan Harabin, the head of Slovakia’s Judicial Council and president of the Supreme Court told the TASR newswire on May 28 that chairs of district and regional courts cannot independently change the time when they hold the election for members of the Judicial Council. Harabin was responding to a reported attempt by the Bratislava Regional Court's chairman, Marian Trenčan, to change the election time. "Chairman Trenčan wantonly changed the election hours to 11:00-14:00 – a change that would prevent presiding judges in Bratislava region from voting. Judges have a right to vote, however, but they're also busy with their duties and cases. Therefore, poll stations must remain open until midnight on the election day," stated Harabin, as quoted by the TASR newswire. Harabin said such an initiative was an attempt to lower the turnout, TASR wrote.
Voters’ preferences for SDKÚ rise according to May Focus poll
If the parliamentary elections had been held at the beginning of May, the Slovak Democratic and Christian Union (SDKÚ) would have been supported by 6.9 percent of voters, according to a poll conducted by the Focus polling agency, which indicated that support for the party nearly doubled from April, the TASR newswire reported.
Supreme Court dismisses lawsuit over electronic toll tender
Slovakia’s Supreme Court dismissed a lawsuit that had been filed by the Slovakpass international consortium involving the tender held for the country’s electronic toll system for highways. The court confirmed a ruling by the Regional Court in Bratislava which had approved the decision of the Public Procurement Office (ÚVO) to exclude Slovakpass as a bidder in the public competition, the SITA newswire reported.
MPs Lipšic and Žitňanská resign from Christian Democratic Movement
Former interior minister Daniel Lipšic, a current member of parliament, as well as MP Jana Žitňanská told a press conference held on May 27 that they are leaving the Christian Democratic Movement (KDH), stating their main reason is a lack of vision among Slovakia’s rightist parties, the TASR newswire reported.
Architecture on a bicycle
THIS YEAR, Slovaks can enjoy two architecture festivals concurrently. The Days of Architecture and Design (DAAD) is an annual festival celebrating architecture, design, art and creativity. DAAD has become, as it has in many European countries, an annual look at contemporary architecture. The event will be celebrated in both Bratislava and Košice.
Merger of spy agencies mooted
THE SLOVAK Information Service (SIS), the country’s primary intelligence agency, could at some point be merged with the military intelligence services, whose internal structures are to be rearranged from the beginning of 2013. Prime Minister Robert Fico considers a complete merger of all of Slovakia’s intelligence services to be an open issue at that moment.
Groupama consolidates insurers
THE FRENCH insurer Groupama has been operating in Slovakia under the name Groupama Garancia Poisťovòa since the start of 2012. That firm is operated under Groupama’s Hungarian subsidiary, Groupama Garancia Biztosító.
Fanfare Ciocarlia gets Dunaj club jumping
FANFARE Ciocarlia, a Gypsy brass band from Romania, are frequent visitors to Slovakia. On April 17, they played at the KC Dunaj culture hub in downtown Bratislava, and although the concert, part of a long European tour, started relatively late (at about 22:30) they gave a full performance and got people dancing and singing along with them.
Addressing seniors with life insurance products
THE POPULATION of seniors – broadly, those aged 55 and above – has been increasing across Europe, and Slovakia is no exception. This brings at least two main challenges: first, society has to find a way to cope with this demographic change and the effects that having a higher share of seniors will mean in terms of health and social care; second, the growing group of elderly represents a challenge for firms who want to develop products tailored to such clients. Companies in the insurance sector are among such firms, especially given that Slovak seniors have not before been targeted to purchase life insurance.
No insurance for repeat landslides
TORRENTIAL rains have caused landslides in several areas of Slovakia and driven people from their homes. Some of the affected houses were later restored but many others had to be demolished. While most people can purchase insurance to cover this risk, along with damage caused by other natural disasters, it is difficult for those living in areas repeatedly suffering from landslides to buy insurance cover, the TASR newswire wrote in March.
Countrywide Events
Western SLOVAKIA
Insurer reports more fraudulent claims
INSURANCE fraud is increasing in Slovakia according to Allianz-Slovenská Poisťovňa, the largest insurer in the country, with the firm reporting that it had detected 1,347 cases of non-life insurance fraud in 2011, a 48-percent increase from 2010, the TASR newswire wrote in early February. Because the insurer’s investigators spotted the frauds it did not pay claims that exceeded €2.217 million, according to TASR.
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