Archive of articles - May 2012, page 3
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Pride march to highlight rights
RAINBOW PRIDE, an event to show support for members of the non-heterosexual community and their rights, scheduled for June 9, has again inspired discussion in Slovakia even before it has actually taken place. Though the Rainbow Pride march, which for the second year is being supported by Bratislava Mayor Milan Ftáčnik, is only an annual event, its organisers hope it will raise ongoing awareness of the legal hurdles that they say affect the lives of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans-gender (LGBT) community.
Insurance market posts modest growth
THE SLOVAK insurance market grew moderately last year and firms’ profit levels rose considerably but the biggest players in the sector still speak about stagnation, sharpened competition and the likelihood of more consolidation among insurers. Representatives of the sector say they would like to see growth in insurance policies and premiums match the positive economic growth seen this year in Slovakia but add that new rules coming from the EU’s Solvency II directive and a ban on basing insurance premiums based on gender as factors that could significantly affect their business in 2012 and beyond.
Some insurance companies in Slovakia
Allianz-Slovenská Poisťovňa, www.allianzsp.skAXA, www.axa.skGenerali Slovensko, www.generali.skGroupama Garancia Poisťovňa, www.groupama.skING Životná Poisťovňa, www.ingpoistovna.skKomunálna Poisťovňa, Vienna Insurance Group, www.kpas.skKooperativa Poisťovňa, Vienna Insurance Group,www.kooperativa.skMetLife Amslico, www.metlifeamslico.skPoisťovňa Slovenskej Sporiteľne, Vienna Insurance Group, www.pslsp.skQBE Insurance (Europe) Limited, branch office for Slovakia, www.qbeeurope.comUnion Poisťovňa, www.union.skUniqa Poisťovňa, www.uniqa.skWüstenrot Poisťovňa, www.wuestenrot.sk
Trans-border pipeline agreement
A NATURAL gas pipeline that will interconnect Slovakia and Hungary is closer to realisation after a Joint Development Agreement (JDA) was signed by Eustream, Slovakia’s gas transmission system operator, and Magyar Gáz Tranzit (MGT) of Hungary, the TASR newswire reported. By signing the agreement both companies committed to bring the project to a successful conclusion and agreed on rules and conditions for the pipeline’s construction.
Quote of the week
“If [voters] elect dummies, they will get dummies, regardless of whether there is a camera there or not.”
Night of Museums goes one-on-one with hockey
THE NIGHT of Museums and Galleries, an international event first organised eight years ago, is observed throughout much of Europe. It offers a tremendous bargain: admission to all participating venues for the price of one ticket. Unfortunately, this year the event faced some tough competition as it fell on Saturday, May 19, the same day the Slovak ice hockey team was playing the Czech Republic in a semi-final game of the IIHF World Championships. And at times it seemed – especially during the match itself – that the only people visiting the museums were mothers, children and foreign tourists. But after the match ended, more men arrived, some of them still decked out in their hockey jerseys and T-shirts and in the end the museums and galleries had record-breaking attendance.
Public bed draws crowds in Senica
A BIG BED was installed on the Small Square (Malé námestie) in Senica and people were offered an opportunity to lie there in public for a pre-arranged time. The exact time had to be booked in advance and there was a huge demand for this form of what the organiser called “public idling”.
What kind of metamorphosis for the SDKÚ?
“IT IS important that we now stop dealing with ourselves and start addressing the problems of the people of Slovakia,” said former justice minister Lucia Žitňanská on May 19 after her Slovak Democratic and Christian Union (SDKÚ) party elected a new leader that was not her.
Slovak artist opens show in Vienna
YOUNG Slovak artist Oľga Paštéková, 28, currently has an exhibition called Phantoms and Other Friends showing in Vienna. In her works, shadows have become more interesting and attractive than the objects they belong to. Paštéková seeks to catch them, hold them and fix them – which is about as easy as stopping life, or time.
Do all cars have compulsory insurance?
MORE THAN 171,000 automobiles in Slovakia, about 7 percent of the estimated total number of cars, may not have compulsory liability insurance as required by law. The Slovak Insurers' Bureau reported that there were 2.27 million cars with compulsory insurance coverage at the end of 2011, but the Interior Ministry reported that there were more than 2.44 million cars in the country at that time, the SITA newswire wrote in late February.
More interest in mortgage insurance
SLOVAKS holding mortgages on their homes are increasingly also purchasing insurance policies that protect against circumstances that would prevent a mortgage-holder from making repayments. VÚB Banka reported that 40 percent of its customers have this kind of insurance, while Slovenská Sporiteľňa said about one-third of its mortgage-holders had bought this protection, the SITA newswire wrote.
Radnička café re-opens again
THE GRAND re-opening of the Radnička café at its original location in Bratislava’s Old Town Hall was held on April 21. The café is a protected workplace, meaning that six of its eight employees have some type of disability.
Business climate worse, say firms
THE BUSINESS environment in Slovakia deteriorated during the first quarter of 2012, as measured by the Business Environment Index prepared by the Slovak Business Alliance (PAS) from a survey of its members. It fell to 85.1 points, a drop of 2.24 percent compared with the fourth quarter of 2011, the SITA newswire reported.
Slovakia makes commitments to NATO
THE ROLE of NATO in Afghanistan after 2014, modernisation of the alliance’s military forces, and implementation of a so-called smart defence strategy that will focus all NATO countries on specific military tasks for which they are best suited, were three of the most important policy issues discussed by leaders at a NATO summit held in Chicago on May 21-22. Those attending the summit called it a crucial meeting, as NATO had to make important decisions in the midst of ongoing economic problems in many member countries that have restricted how much they can invest in common defence capabilities.
Fico reports back from EU meeting
INSTEAD of being given guidance by the European Union, it will be more or less up to member countries what pro-growth measures they adopt in order to emerge from the gloom of continent-wide economic crisis. This is how Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico interpreted the May 23 meeting of European leaders at which, among other things, they voiced a desire for Greece to stay in the eurozone, on condition that it respects its obligations. Nevertheless, eurozone states will now prepare their own contingency plans to deal with Greece’s possible exit from the single currency.
New chief announced for ÚVO
DESPITE an earlier promise to give the largest opposition party, the Christian Democratic Movement (KDH), the opportunity to nominate a candidate to head Slovakia’s Public Procurement Office (ÚVO), Prime Minister Robert Fico decided to make the choice himself, saying that the opposition parties had failed to reach a decision in a timely manner.
SPP drops two suits against ÚRSO
THE BUSINESS environment in Slovakia deteriorated during the first quarter of 2012, as measured by the Business Environment Index prepared by the Slovak Business Alliance (PAS) from a survey of its members. It fell to 85.1 points, a drop of 2.24 percent compared with the fourth quarter of 2011, the SITA newswire reported.
The wooden town of Trstená
THE TOWN of Trstená in the northern Orava region was founded in 1371 as part of medieval colonisation. Less than a hundred years later it became part of the domain of Orava Castle and gained more and more privileges. For example, it was exempt from the requirement to pay tolls and customs duties, so its burghers could freely visit market towns in Slovakia as well as across the border in neighbouring Poland.
Pet graves in Žilina?
THE CITY administration in Žilina is again thinking about building a burial place for pets, with Mayor Igor Choma saying it will not be huge but just a sensible cemetery where Žilina residents can lay their small pets to rest.
Life insurance more common for men
MEN purchase life insurance more often than women.
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- No more photos or bank statements? Slovakia moves to ease residence process
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