Archive of articles - August 2012, page 12
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Standard & Poor’s confirmed Slovakia’s rating
Rating agency Standard & Poor’s has confirmed Slovakia’s top A/A-1 credit rating and said its outlook remained stable. The agency said it trusts that the Slovak government will keep its obligation to squeeze budget deficit below 3 percent of GDP in 2013, the SITA newswire reported on August 5.
Slovak Shooter Štefečeková wins silver in women’s trap
Zuzana Štefečeková became the fifth Slovak athlete to win a medal at the Summer Olympic Games in London after she finished second in the women’s trap shooting competition, the TASR newswire reported on August 4.
A bypass around Banská Bystrica opens
THE NORTHERN bypass around Banská Bystrica, the last of four sections of the dual carriageway R1 Pribina between Nitra and Tekovské Nemce, was opened to drivers on Friday, July 27. The 5.7 kilometre bypass built by the construction company Granvia cost about €160 million, the TASR newswire reported on July 27.
Smer’s questions for Fico allegedly scripted
SEVERAL MPs were caught by the media reciting questions from a pre-prepared list during a weekly parliamentary question and answer session. Even though the MPs claimed to be using the questions merely as suggestions for discussion topics, in a recent question and answer session they repeated verbatim questions that were written on the list, the Sme daily reported.
Parliament passes help for farmers
Farmers whose crops will be negatively affected by global climate changes will be able to ask for financial assistance from the Environment Fund, according to an amendment passed by parliament. The new rules are a response to this year’s draughts which resulted in serious damages to the harvest, the SITA newswire reported.
Gučík seeks compensation over VOS wiretapping
THE STATE might have to pay as much as €750,000 in compensation to Michal Gučík, the former general director of TV news channel TA3, whose name appeared in a wiretapping case which occurred under the last government. If his case succeeds the money will be paid from the state budget, the Plus Jeden Deň (PJD) daily reported.
Quote of the week
“I don’t understand why the Sme daily is making a problem out of this procedure, which is absolutely normal. For larger number of candidates and joint voting it does not work without coordination of the caucus.”
Countrywide Events
Western SLOVAKIA
Hungary arrests war criminal from Košice
THE PICTURE of an old man opening his front door wearing only his underwear and socks would have been pathetic, had it not been for his identity. For the person captured on camera in Budapest last month by journalists from the British tabloid daily The Sun was László Csatáry, listed by the Simon Wiesenthal Center (SWC) as the world’s most-wanted surviving Nazi war criminal.
Belize minister says Mello should be extradited
THE GOVERNMENT of Belize is ready to extradite Slovak murder suspect Karol Mello, the country’s immigration minister, Godwin Hulse, told the 7newsbelize.com website in an interview published on July 26.
Patching budgetary holes
THE SLOVAK state coffers are shallower that originally expected. After economic analysts calculated that the general government budget this year would fall short millions of euros, primarily due to fewer taxes being collected, Prime Minister Robert Fico called an emergency cabinet session after which he, in the presence of journalists and in a demonstrative gesture, tore a piece of paper into shreds. The session’s outcome was that the government must adopt austerity measures worth almost €500 million if it wants to stick to its budgetary goals for this year – a 4.6 percent deficit. Otherwise the deficit would be 5.3 percent.
Municipality of Jelšava organised its first Cherry Days
In early July, the municipality of Jelšava in the east of central Slovakia held its first Cherry Days festival. “This is a so-called ‘zero year’, meant to commemorate the more than 200-years’ old tradition of the first Cherry-growers’ Club in the Austro-Hungarian Empire,” mayor Milan Kolesár told the TASR newswire. The weekend event, starting on July 6, was timed to commemorate the 270th anniversary of the birth of the club’s founder, Pastor Pavol Valaský.
National Museum exhibits folklore-inspired paintings
THE SLOVAK National Museum (SNM) likes to combine historical research with artistic depiction. This summer the museum has organised the exhibition Ľudový odev na palete / Folk Costumes on the Palette. It presents Slovak traditional clothing as depicted by Slovak artists, as well as foreign artists connected in some way with Slovakia.
Government supports initiative to create over 14,000 jobs
A TOTAL of 14,460 new jobs should be created in the next few months as part of three European Union-funded projects designed to boost youth employment. Based on an agreement between Slovakia and the European Commission, the government will divide €70 million among jobs in the transport and small and medium-sized enterprise sectors, as well as community-based jobs in municipalities, the TASR newswire reported.
Proceeding over Harabin's apartment blocked
THE PARLIAMENTARY conflict of interest committee will not press Supreme Court President and former justice minister Štefan Harabin for more information on the generous discount he received when purchasing his new home at the high-end Octopus housing development. Head of the committee Miroslav Beblavý filed a motion with the committee against Harabin over what he called a suspicion of violating the conflict of interest legislation when purchasing his apartment with a 40+ percent or €74,000 discount as well as the rental of a parking place for Harabin’s official car.
Levice synagogue aims to join nationwide project
The synagogue in Levice should become a part of the Slovak Jewish Heritage Route. The synagogue in this western-Slovak town could thus officially join other important monuments of Jewish culture which are united via the project, which aims to promote them and fully integrate them into the cultural and tourist offering of Slovakia.
Defence Ministry to rent VOP for 20 years
SLOVAKIA’S Defence Ministry will announce a tender to rent the premises of the Vojenský Opravárenský Podnik (VOP) company based in Nováky, while stressing it wants to “maintain state ownership” as well as employment in the firm, the SITA newswire reported.
Twins and triplets from Slovakia meet near Martin
Slovakia’s first nationwide gathering of twins and triplets took place on Saturday, June 2, in Valčianska Dolina, near the town of Martin.
Muňko is back at social insurance provider
DUŠAN Muňko, whom the last government sacked as head of the country’s social insurance provider for what it called non-transparent handling of state funds and signing contracts disadvantageous to the state, is now back in his job and seeking compensation for his 2010 dismissal. Citing a Constitutional Court ruling, Prime Minister Robert Fico declared on August 1 that Muňko, who is an MP for Fico’s own party, is the rightful director of Sociálna Poisťovňa (SP).
After two workshops, Japanese theatre will return to Slovakia in August
EVERY summer the Japanese embassy organises a week of artistic, cultural and social events, offering a host of performances, exhibits, and workshops. For 2012, the traditional noh theatre has become the focus – with two workshops taking place in late July in Nitra and Bratislava; and two performances slated for August 21 and 22 for the same two cities.
- The law changed. Our family papers were ready. Now my kids are Slovak citizens
- Legendary captain Zdeno Chára inducted into IIHF Hall of Fame Video
- Maria Theresa on the banks of Bratislava
- Slovak female triathlete shatters barriers with historic win at Himalayan event
- The Kremlin’s security agency has a Russian contractor in Slovakia - no one has noticed
- Liberal MP's boxing challenge backfires as far-right MEP seizes the moment
- No more photos or bank statements? Slovakia moves to ease residence process
- 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
- Slovakia loses another EV model to Spain as Stellantis chooses Zaragoza over Trnava
- Slovak female triathlete shatters barriers with historic win at Himalayan event
- The Kremlin’s security agency has a Russian contractor in Slovakia - no one has noticed
- 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
- Top 10 events in Bratislava for foreigners
- 3 free things to do in Bratislava in the next seven days
- 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 ›
