Archive of articles - October 2012
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Pulitzer winner talks media trends
THE WORLD of classified information is one of the main topics that Pulitzer Prize holder and National Book Award winner Tim Weiner has been devoted to for most of his career.
Ježiš
MARTIN Poliačik, Freedom and Solidarity: “Jesus [Ježiš] Christ would vote for registered partnerships.”
Filmmaker faces prosecution
THE SOUND engineer working on ‘The Disease of the Third Power’, a critical documentary about what its creators call the “black holes” in Slovakia’s judiciary, chose to remain anonymous – “out of fear”, according to the film’s credits. The documentary’s director Zuzana Piussi, who did attach her name to the film, is now facing criminal prosecution and up to two years in prison.
Interior minister meets US special operations commanders
Slovak Interior Minister Robert Kaliňák met senior officers from US special forces units on Tuesday, October 30. He held talks with the Commander of US Special Operations Navy Admiral William H. McRaven and Commander of Special Operations for Europe Major General Michael S. Repass, the department of communications of the Interior Ministry said, as reported by the SITA newswire. The issues debated covered the possibility of preparing and training Slovak special forces and assistance to the US in this field.
Single health insurer may be unconstitutional, says opposition
The government’s plan to establish a single health insurer came in for severe criticism from the opposition in parliament on Tuesday, October 30. The Christian Democratic Movement (KDH), Most-Híd and the Slovak Democratic and Christian Union (SDKÚ) believe that the plan is probably at odds with the constitution, disadvantageous from an economic viewpoint and could even be harmful to patients.
Transport Ministry releases money for D1 Dubná Skala-Turany section
Transport Minister Ján Počiatek on Tuesday, October 30, approved a non-refundable financial contribution to the National Highway Company (NDS) for construction of the D1 Turany-Dubná Skala highway section near Martin in Žilina Region, releasing more than €78 million from the Operational Programme Transport.
Repčík resigns as head of SOZA copyright watchdog
Vladimír Repčík has announced that he is resigning as head of the Slovak Union of Copyright for Musical Works (SOZA), citing “personal reasons”. The SOZA management committee accepted his resignation, SOZA’s marketing manager Katarína Tomandlová said, as quoted by the SITA newswire.
Court rules against separation of Roma children
Prešov Regional Court has confirmed a historic verdict in the case of discrimination against Roma in the education system issued by a district court in January 2012. The senate ruled that an elementary school in Šarišské Michaľany discriminated against pupils by creating separate classrooms for children located on separate floors. As of the next school year the school must put the children into mixed classes, the Sme daily reported on October 31.
Harabin wins €150,000 after suing general prosecutor
The Office of the General Prosecutor erred in the case of Baki Sadiki, the convicted head of the Albanian drug mafia in Slovakia, and must thus pay €150,000 to the president of the Supreme Court, Štefan Harabin, the Bratislava District Court has ruled. Interest charges will boost the sum by another €37,000. The Office of the General Prosecutor will appeal the ruling, the Sme daily reported on October 30.
Tripartite does not support single health insurer plan
The Economic and Social Council, comprising the government, unions and employers, has not agreed to the government’s project to create a single health insurer in Slovakia. The trade unions, however, did back the plan, the SITA newswire reported.
Behrová resigns from ÚVO
Tatiana Behrová has quit her post as a deputy chair of the Public Procurement Office (ÚVO) after three and half months, saying she did not come under pressure to do so. The government should decide on her resignation at its Wednesday session, the SITA newswire reported.
Constitutional Court to hear Čentéš' complaint on November 20
The Constitutional Court has set a date to hear the complaint filed by General Prosecutor-elect Jozef Čentéš against the inactivity of President Ivan Gašparovič concerning his appointment, the TASR newswire was told by the court's spokesperson Anna Pančúrová on Monday, October 29. According to Pančúrová, the court in Košice is slated to deal with Čentéš's motion on November 20.
Volkswagen plans to launch cheap new model by 2016
Head of the research and development department of the Volkswagen carmaker, Ulrich Hackenberg, has confirmed for the Sme daily that the company wants to produce a new model, bigger and cheaper than the current Up!, but not earlier than in 2016.
Slovakia and the Czech Republic remain committed to nuclear energy
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico and Czech Prime Minister Petr Nečas let it be known to the European Union that the two countries will continue to build their energy security on nuclear energy. This was said after a joint session of both cabinets in Uherské Hradište (the Czech Republic) on Monday, October 29.
Survey: Employers require foreign languages, especially English
The Slovak labour market has become increasingly interested in candidates who speak at least one foreign language, according to a survey carried out by website kariera.sk that was published on Monday, October 29. Around half of the job vacancies published on the site include the requirement of one foreign language or more, with English the most sought-after (63 percent), the TASR newswire wrote.
Confidence in Slovak economy lowest since February 2010
The Index of Economic Sentiment (IES) fell by 1.6 points on a monthly basis to 86.1 points in October, the lowest recorded figure since February 2010, the Statistics Office (ŠÚ) announced on Monday, October 29. The developments were a result of a drop in confidence in all monitored sectors apart from retail. The index was 3.4 points lower year-on-year and 11.5 points below the long-term average.
House rejects SaS’s sterilisation bill
Parliament at its session on Monday, Ocotber 29, voted down Freedom and Solidarity’s (SaS) bill on free optional sterilisations, the TASR newswire learnt.
Smer seeking possible candidates for general prosecutor post
The governing Smer party has begun considering who it would support for the post of general prosecutor if President Ivan Gašparovič fails to appoint General Prosecutor-elect Jozef Čentéš, the Hospodárske Noviny daily reported on Monday, Ocotber 29.
SPP general meeting nixes board's proposal for higher gas prices
The general meeting of Slovak gas utility SPP on Monday, October 29, rejected a proposal of the company's board to raise gas prices for households in 2013, the TASR newswire learned from Economy Ministry spokesman Stanislav Jurikovič. The board, in which foreign stakeholders (Germany's E.ON Ruhrgas and France's GDF Suez) have majority representation, suggested that the rates be upped by an average of over 18 percent, or alternatively by as much as 25 percent.
The world record on a dandy horse / hobby horse was made by Lipovský in Trnava
The Trnava cyclist Karol Lipovský rewrote the history of the record for riding on a wooden bicycle, Draisienne / Laufmaschine, also known as a dandy horse or hobby horse. On the afternoon of September 26, he rode 18,167 metres on this predecessor of today’s bicycle, thus beating the best performance until then by more than four-and-a-half kilometres.
- Weekend: Celebration of fun comes to Malacky Photo
- No more photos or bank statements? Slovakia moves to ease residence process
- News digest: Fico’s bloc wants to save money by restricting electoral access
- Slovakia loses another EV model to Spain as Stellantis chooses Zaragoza over Trnava
- Top 10 events in Bratislava for foreigners
- 3 free things to do in Bratislava in the next seven days
- Convicted of multiple murders, Slovakia’s mafia boss seeks release from prison
- Slovakia plans to restrict access to new medicines amid funding shortfall
- Maria Theresa on the banks of Bratislava
- No more photos or bank statements? Slovakia moves to ease residence process
- 3 free things to do in Bratislava in the next seven days
- Weekend: Celebration of fun comes to Malacky Photo
- Digital Jarvis is real now. He is coming for your to-do list
- News digest: Fico’s bloc wants to save money by restricting electoral access
- The disinformation scene has become a tool of media capture
- Slovakia plans to restrict access to new medicines amid funding shortfall
- Maria Theresa on the banks of Bratislava
- No more photos or bank statements? Slovakia moves to ease residence process
- News digest: Violent gang in Bratislava is under arrest
- The Kremlin’s security agency has a Russian contractor in Slovakia - no one has noticed
- 3 free things to do in Bratislava in the next seven days
- Digital Jarvis is real now. He is coming for your to-do list
- Weekend: Celebration of fun comes to Malacky Photo
- The disinformation scene has become a tool of media capture
- Maria Theresa on the banks of Bratislava
- A mayor resigns over €2.7 million fraud scandal at town hall
- Show me your moves! Slovak hockey stars share their best pick-up lines
- No more photos or bank statements? Slovakia moves to ease residence process
- He designed Gatwick. But this is his masterpiece
- Fico praises China and Vietnam as models, says liberal democracy has failed
- News digest: Violent gang in Bratislava is under arrest
- The compass points to Kúty, and people are starting to follow
- 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
- Slovakia plans to restrict access to new medicines amid funding shortfall
- No more photos or bank statements? Slovakia moves to ease residence process
- Top 10 events in Bratislava for foreigners More articles ›
