Archive of articles - June 2012, page 9

Journalist Nicholson free to publish his book on corruption in Slovakia

Journalist Tom Nicholson is free to publish his book about alleged corruption in Slovakia and the Slovak Intelligence Service's (SIS) so-called Gorilla file that was released on the internet, as the Bratislava Regional Court on June 11 overturned a temporary restraining order halting its publication that had been issued by the Bratislava I District Court in February.

Slovakia sells 5-year and 13-year government bonds

Slovakia’s Agency for Debt and Liquidity Management (ARDAL) sold 13-year government bonds on June 11 worth €138 million, including €64 million to non-residents. The minimum interest rate accepted was 4.1500 percent, the average was 4.2583 percent and the maximum reached 4.3000 percent, the TASR newswire reported. Overall demand among investors was €192.5 million, including €73 million from foreign sources, TASR wrote. The issue date is June 13, 2012 with a maturity date of October 14, 2025.

SaS party reacts to plan of three opposition parties to prepare ‘People’s Platform’

Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) party told the TASR newswire that it does not mind the fact that three other opposition parties, the Christian Democratic Movement (KDH), the Slovak Democratic and Christian union (SDKÚ), and Most-Híd party, intend to prepare a platform without SaS’ assistance, according to the party chair Richard Sulík. He added that SaS welcomes any form of cooperation with the three opposition parties.

Rainbow Pride rally records no major disturbances

About 800 people, most under 25 years of age, attended the Rainbow Pride rally and parade held in Bratislava on June 9 to support the rights of members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community, including politicians and some supporters of the traditional family. About 100 police officers monitored the event and the rally ended without any major disturbances, with only rain and two minor incidents affecting the event, the TASR newswire reported.

Railway executive leaves with large bonus payment

The former head of the state-run passenger railway company known as Slovakrail (ZSSK), Pavol Kravec, will receive a bonus of €170,000 and is now the second highly-positioned manager appointed by the previous government who will receive what critics call golden parachutes even though the past cabinet of Iveta Radičová had promised to stop such practices, the Sme daily reported on June 11.

Slovakia records another foreign trade surplus in April

Slovakia’s foreign trade account continued posting a surplus in April when it finished at €454.9 million, according to preliminary data from the Statistics Office. Compared with March 2012 the surplus increased by €65.7 million and in annual terms was €407.1 million higher, the SITA newswire reported on June 8.

Fugitive Karol Mello reportedly photographed in Prague

The Czech daily Mladá fronta Dnes has a photograph of fugitive murder suspect Karol Mello reportedly sitting in a popular Prague restaurant and the Sme daily reported on June 11 that the picture was probably taken last autumn when Mello had been already hiding for several months and Interpol was searching for him.

Police end probe into bug in car

THE APPARENT bugging device found in an automobile used by former economy minister Juraj Miškov from Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) party was not functional, police announced to the TASR newswire.

Italian institutions in Slovakia

Embassy of the Republic of ItalyAmbassador: Roberto Martini (not yet appointed)www.ambbratislava.esteri.it

Italy: General facts

Political system: republicCapital: RomeTotal area: 301,263 square kilometresPopulation: about 60 millionOfficial language: ItalianCurrency: euroSource: EU website: http://europa.eu

Nitra's deputy president resigns

THE DEPUTY president of the Nitra Self-Governing Region, Vladislav Borík, resigned from his position ten days after Slovakia’s police accused him of manipulating three public procurements used to select firms to provide services to the regional government, the Sme daily reported.

Group disputes school plans

A GROUP of parents associated with a civic group called the Initiative of Parents for Good Schools has issued a collective statement in response to several legislative measures proposed by Education Minister Dušan Čaplovič. Parents who have signed the statement disapprove of the right of municipalities to set limits on the number of students allowed to enrol in grammar schools and also question the authority of the State School Inspection, part of the Education Ministry, that has the power to revoke accreditation and halt funding of any school financed by the state, regardless of the nature of the flaws found within the institution, the SITA newswire reported.

Slovak dance team waltzes off with first place

THE SLOVAK dance team of David Schavel and Barbara Bilkovičová went home with a first place finish in the first annual Košice Open dance festival. The event combined a training camp for talented youngsters in international competitive ballroom dancing as well as Latin dancing at the World Dance Sport Federation level. It took place between May 31 and June 5.

Italian diplomat hails Slovaks' 'energy'

WHEN Brunella Borzi arrived in Slovakia four years ago she immediately felt younger, as the spirit of this small central European country reminded her of Italy back in the sixties and seventies, when it seemed that everything was achievable if the nation was willing to go for it. Borzi, Italy’s ambassador to Slovakia, soon discovered other positive facets of Slovak society, local peoples’ openness to Italian culture being one of them.

Quote of the week

“Come to our office, meet the people responsible for the licences and invoices, and they will tell you what they paid for.”

Companies connected to the Dutch community

Doctors' unions ready to protest

PETER Visolajský, the newly-elected leader of the Medical Trade Unions Association (LOZ) which rallied protesting doctors in 2011, is not ruling out doctors engaging in a strike in the future if the government attempts to change the law on minimum salaries of doctors at state-run hospitals that was enacted in December 2011 to resolve a crisis after doctors resigned en masse from their positions.

Companies connected to the Italian community

Companies connected to the Italian community

Venice to host Slovak-Czech pavilion

FOR THE 13th International Architecture Exhibition Biennale di Venezia that will be held in Venice between August 29 and November 25, an expert jury chose a project entitled ‘Asking Architecture’ to be the joint Slovak-Czech pavilion, one of 29 pavilions from countries around the world. This design, selected from among 30 competing projects, is the work of a group led by Slovak architect Ján Pernecký.