Archive of articles - November 2012, page 3
If you desire to read an old article, use the search bar or select the publication date.
Remaining strong
GERMANY continues to be Slovakia’s strongest economic partner, a relationship that remains unchanged despite the slowdown in economic growth that both countries have experienced as a result of the current global economic situation.
On the right track with ZF
The German ZF Group is among the biggest independent suppliers of powertrain and chassis components for the automotive industry worldwide. Annual sales of the group in 2011 were €15,509 million with annual increase of 20 percent.
German institutions and organisations in Slovakia
Embassy of the Federal Republic of GermanyAmbassador: Axel Hartmannwww.pressburg.diplo.de
Quote of the week
“I need to voice a serious and disturbing suspicion that the EU is under the control of Satan or Satanism.”
German culture offers something for all
BOTH THE German Embassy and the Goethe Institut in Slovakia, which organise cultural and social events for the local public, emphasise the importance of spreading their native language in the central European region. However, they also bring to Slovakia a sampling of German culture through numerous and diverse forms of art, like classical and jazz music, film, modern dance and photography, among many others.
Teachers to go on strike
NEITHER of the two negotiating sessions between the government and teachers’ unions in November had, as this issue of The Slovak Spectator went to print, averted the prospect of a nationwide strike by pedagogical and non-pedagogical employees which is due to start on Monday, November 26.
German-owned firms or companies with German investors in Slovakia
Allianz - Slovenská Poisťovňa, www.allianzsp.skBayer, www.bayer.skContinental Matador Rubber, www.matador.skGabor, www.gabor.skGleistein Slovakia, www.gleistein.comHenkel Slovensko, www.henkel.skKaufland Slovenská republika, www.kaufland.skLanxess, www.lanxess.skLeoni Autokabel Slowakia, www.leoni.comNagel Slovensko, www.nagel-group.comOsram, www.osram.skPrvá Stavebná Sporiteľňa, www.pss.skRajo, www.rajo.skRödl & Partner, www.roedl.skRWE IT Slovakia, www.rweit-slovakia.comSAP Slovensko, www.sap.skSiemens, www.siemens.skSlovak Telekom, www.slovaktelekom.skSchnellecke Slovakia, www.schnellecke.comSPP, www.spp.skT-Systems Slovakia, www.t-systems.skVolkswagen Slovakia, www.volkswagen.skVýchodoslovenská Energetika, www.vse.skZápadoslovenská Energetika, www.zse.sk
Projects to boost youth employment
THE JOBLESS rate in Slovakia remains a problem. The number of people registered with labour offices reached 410,432, or 13.69 percent, in October, which is 0.25 percentage points higher than in the previous month. In annual terms the number of jobless rose by 0.40 percentage points, according to the data presented by the Central Office for Labour, Social Affairs and Family (ÚPSVaR). The highest numbers of unemployed were reported in Banská Bystrica Region with 19.61 percent, Prešov Region with 19.59 percent and Košice Region with 18.86 percent.
White Crow awards go to whistle–blowers
SIMONA Rudavská worked at the Labour Ministry’s section for social insurance and pension saving when, at the end of 2010, a colleague offered her €20,000 in return for influencing a draft amendment to the legislation on pensions. She refused the bribe and later acted on behalf of the police in order to prosecute the corruption case. Along with two other people who displayed bravery and integrity, Rudavská has now become a ‘White Crow’, an award given out each year by the political ethics watchdog Fair-Play Alliance and legal think-tank Via Iuris.
Continental expands in Slovakia
THE GERMAN company Continental, which has been producing components for cars’ brakes, continues to expand in Slovakia. It will build a new storage hall in Zvolen.
Doctors protest again
FIVE hospitals located in the biggest towns in Slovakia joined protests by doctors across the Visegrad Group (V4) region. Their aim was to bring attention to problems in the four countries’ public health-care systems, the SITA newswire reported.
VW SK wins Lean & Green award
THE BRATISLAVA-based plant of German carmaker Volkswagen Slovakia (VW SK) has won the Lean & Green Efficiency Award, becoming the “leanest and greenest” car company in Europe, the company wrote in its press release.
A wealth of wood
ALTHOUGH the first mention of Kokava nad Rimavicou dates back to 1249, the village certainly existed much earlier. This fact is proven by its location near the densely forested southern headlands of the Slovenské Rudohorie mountain range, which at that time offered numerous ways to make a living.
Right wing continues to splinter
THE CENTRE-right opposition parties the Slovak Democratic and Christian Union (SDKÚ), Most-Híd and the Christian Democratic Movement (KDH), have not yet succeeded in their efforts to have Justice Minister Tomáš Borec’s political future discussed in parliament. A special session was called twice on November 19 and 20 but the house failed to reach the required quorum. The ruling Smer sent just enough legislators to have reached the quorum had all opposition MPs but one been present, the SITA newswire reported.
Rules for granting state aid to change
THE ECONOMY Ministry has already drafted an amendment to the law on investment aid, the SITA newswire reported on November 19.
Wild Poppies launch new CD
THERE ARE several ways to support Roma; one is to educate young Roma and help them nurture their talent. The Divé Maky / Wild Poppies programme has been doing this since 2005, and several times a year, the results are presented to the public.
Free website for learning German
EIGHT organisations from six European countries have joined up to launch a website for learning German, supported financially by the European Commission. The website, www.deutsch.info, will enable people who speak several different European languages, including Slovak, to learn German. It will be launched as of the beginning of 2013, the TASR newswire reported in July.
Dealing with unfair competition in the Slovak Republic
A socially and ecologically oriented market economy is a constitutional principle of theeconomy of the Slovak Republic. On the basis of this principle the Slovak Republic is committed to promoting and protecting competition and preventing abuses, and thereby contributing to the achievement of free enterprise.
Due diligence: Risks related to site location in land acquisition
Prior to drafting contracts and starting negotiations with the owner of the land that an investor intends to buy for business in Slovakia, due diligence should be conducted to determine all technical, environmental and legal risks connected with the land. Though this first part of the due diligence process is rather technical, and lawyers tend to focus mainly on verifying the chain of title, it involves numerous important legal aspects that should be taken into account to minimise any risk of damage to a client incurred in connection with the site location. Knowledge of risks may also strengthen an investor’s position during negotiations and may be used as leverage to negotiate better conditions. Below we summarise some often omitted issues that a solid due diligence should start with.
Harabin wins European Court case
THE EUROPEAN Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has ruled that the right of Štefan Harabin, Slovakia’s Supreme Court president, to a fair hearing by an impartial tribunal was violated in the course of a disciplinary proceeding in June 2011. The Slovak Constitutional Court, sitting as a disciplinary tribunal, had found that Harabin violated his duties associated with management of the courts, financial control and internal audit by repeatedly failing to make it possible for the Finance Ministry to audit the Supreme Court’s accounts in 2010. He was fined 70 percent of his annual salary.
- 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
- News digest: Prosecutor seeks jail for NBS Governor Kažimír as his political support wanes
- Convicted of multiple murders, Slovakia’s mafia boss seeks release from prison
- Slovakia loses another EV model to Spain as Stellantis chooses Zaragoza over Trnava
- Last Week: Slovakia’s central bank governor still faces bribery case verdict
- Slovak female triathlete shatters barriers with historic win at Himalayan event
- No more photos or bank statements? Slovakia moves to ease residence process
- Maria Theresa on the banks of Bratislava
- Weekend: Celebration of fun comes to Malacky Photo
- Top 10 events in Bratislava for foreigners
- News digest: Fico’s bloc wants to save money by restricting electoral access
- 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
- 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
- 3 free things to do in Bratislava in the next seven days
- The Kremlin’s security agency has a Russian contractor in Slovakia - no one has noticed
- Weekend: Celebration of fun comes to Malacky Photo
- Digital Jarvis is real now. He is coming for your to-do list
- Top 10 events in Bratislava for foreigners
- 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 ›
