Archive of articles - The Slovak Spectator

Six new Righteous Among the Nations

THE HISTORY of the Second World War consists not only of the tragic destiny of Jews who did not survive Nazi persecution, but also of the stories of those who were not afraid to help save the lives of Jewish people. On January 30, six Slovaks received the Righteous Among the Nations title, given each year by the State of Israel and the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial to people of non-Jewish origin.

Poll: Lipšic’s NOVA would just make it into parliament

The New Majority (NOVA) party of independent MP Daniel Lipšic would scrape into parliament with 5 percent of votes (the threshold for wining seats in parliament), according to a January opinion poll conducted by the Focus polling agency. In a similar Focus poll made in December, New Majority received 3.7-percent support.

Range of foreigners eligible for long-term residence could be widened

The range of citizens of non-EU countries who will – after fulfilling all due conditions – be eligible for long-term residence should be widened after May 2013 to include people who are granted asylum or additional protection. This stems from an amendment to the law on stays by foreigners that was sent to its second reading in parliament on Thursday, January 31.

Prosecutor accused of taking bribes ‘feels innocent’

A prosecutor from Levice (Nitra Region), identified by police only as Dana Z., who is accused of accepting bribes and abuse of public office, claimed during a hearing at the Specialised Criminal Court in Banská Bystrica on Tuesday, January 29, that she is innocent.

Slovak economic sentiment falls for eighth month in a row

Trust in the Slovak economy fell in January 2013 for the eighth month in a row, with sentiment going down by 0.9 points to 87.7 points month-on-month, the TASR newswire reported, quoting VÚB Banka macroeconomist Andrej Arady on Wednesday, January 30.

SDKÚ dissolves Nitra branch headed by Ščurka

The presidium of the Slovak Democratic and Christian Union (SDKÚ) opposition party decided on Wednesday, January 30, to dissolve its Nitra district association, which is headed by Ondrej Ščurka, who played a leading role in a scandal surrounding the rental of premises by the Tax Directorate in Košice during the previous government.

Slovak police take part in international operation against people smugglers

A Slovak police unit combating illegal immigration on Tuesday, January 29, apprehended members of an alleged international criminal group accused of being involved in people smuggling, unit vice-director Kamil Pinček said at a press conference in Budapest on Wednesday, as quoted by the TASR newswire.

Israel awards six Slovaks with its Righteous Among Nations title

Six more Slovaks were awarded the title 'Righteous Among the Nations', which is given by Israel to non-Jews who helped save the lives of Jewish people during World War II. On Wednesday, January 30, they joined 550 Slovaks and 24,000 other people that have received the award.

Finance Ministry slashes GDP growth forecast for 2013 to 1.2%

Following a similar move by the central bank earlier this week, the Slovak Finance Ministry has now revised its economic growth forecasts for this and next year sharply downward. According to the January forecast for the current year, the Financial Policy Institute at the ministry estimates that economic growth this year will be only 1.2 percent.

Zeman

THERE has been so much talk about the election of Miloš Zeman as Czech president this week that it almost overshadowed all the news about the personnel selections our local zeman (squire) has been making. Political nominations say as much about an administration as its policies or scandals. So let’s look at what sort of people are working for Robert Fico’s cabinet.

Lukáš Fila

Smer rejects its own candidate for ÚPN job

THOUGH the opposition parties had nominated their own candidate for the top post at the Nation’s Memory Institute (ÚPN), which among other things administers the files of the communist-era ŠtB secret police, they did not object to Juraj Kalina, whom the ruling Smer party picked as its candidate in mid January. One political scientist even commented that Kalina was one of the best nominations Smer had ever come up with for a public post. But then, at the last minute, Smer dropped Kalina, who currently works for the Czech Institute for the Study of Totalitarian Regimes, as its official candidate, with Prime Minister Robert Fico’s spokesman Erik Tomáš telling the Sme daily simply that “new information emerged that Juraj Kalina had concealed [something] and this, according to most deputies, disqualifies him”.

Beata Balogová

Hurbanovo gunman did not commit premeditated murder, court rules

A multiple killing carried out by an off-duty municipal police officer in Hurbanovo, southern Slovakia, last year cannot be classed as an especially grave crime of premeditated murder, but only as an especially grave crime of murder, the Specialised Criminal Court has concluded. The case against the man, Milan J., will now be heard by the Nitra District Court.

Richter: Voluntary military service could remedy youth unemployment

Labour Minister Ján Richter has lent his support to a project drafted by the Defence Ministry which will introduce voluntary military service and a system of active reserves, the TASR newswire reported on Tuesday, January 29.

Finance Ministry gives additional money to finance teachers’ pay rise

Two months after last year's strikes, not all teachers can expect the higher salaries they were promised by the government, the Sme daily reported on Wednesday, January 30. Finance Minister Peter Kažimír promised teachers at elementary and secondary schools that their salaries would be increased, but local governments warned on Tuesday that due to new rules on re-allocation of resources, they cannot direct enough money towards salaries. Štefan Kandráč, the head of the education department in Košice Region, said that two-thirds of local schools cannot guarantee salaries even at last year’s level, Sme reported.

Suspected arms dealer arrested in Petržalka

A 37-year-old man was arrested in the Bratislava borough of Petržalka on Tuesday, January 29, on suspicion of possessing illegal weapons and trafficking in arms, the TASR newswire reported, citing Bratislava regional police spokesman František Peczár.

UN report expresses dismay at status of Roma and homosexuals in Slovakia

The United Nations (UN) is disturbed by the fact that Roma in Slovakia still face discrimination and segregation and that the country does not recognise homosexual couples. These were the main findings of the second periodic report on the Slovak Republic of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the SITA newswire reported.

Judge complains about halt to prosecution of Piussi

Judge Helena Kožíková, who lodged a criminal complaint against filmmaker Zuzana Piussi regarding the latter's film, ‘The Disease of the Third Power’, has said she disagrees with a decision to halt her prosecution for an alleged violation of confidentiality of verbal expression in a private conversation.

Central bank cuts its GDP growth forecast for 2013

The Slovak economy will grow by only 1.3 percent this year, less than the 1.6 percent previously predicted, according to an updated mid-term prognosis issued by the National Bank of Slovakia, the country’s central bank.

MPs pass revised amendment to support use of renewable energy

The Slovak Parliament has used a fast-tracked proceeding to pass a slightly revised amendment to the law on support for the use of renewable energy. The ruling Smer party accepted some proposals after the new rules were widely criticised by the opposition, the TASR newswire reported on January 29.

Mikloško fails to make it onto ÚPN board, withdraws candidacy

Parliament has again failed to elect a new head of the Nation’s Memory Institute’s (ÚPN) board, after opposition candidate František Mikloško did not receive enough votes. Mikloško was the only candidate in a secret ballot on January 29, after the ruling Smer party withdrew its nominee one day before the vote, the SITA newswire reported.

Archive of articles - January 2013