Archive of articles - February 2013, page 3
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Construction awards handed out
AWARDS for the 18th year of the prestigious national competition of construction in Slovakia, Construction of the Year 2012, were ceremonially distributed in Bratislava on November 15. The objective of the competition, which is organised by the Association for the Development of Slovakia’s Architecture and Construction Industry – ABF Slovakia, is to support the quality of complex execution of engineering works as an integral part of the integrated system of quality assurance procedures in the construction process and the construction industry, the website of the competition states. In this annual event there were 21 structures competing for the title “Construction of the Year 2012”.
Finding new uses for old buildings
A glossary of words as well as an exercise related to this article are also published online.
Protests against uranium mining go on
OVER the past few years the eyes of foreign companies have been focused on the mineral wealth of Slovakia. As well as deposits of precious metals, there are several sites rich in ores used by industry, including the energy sector. A recent finding by European Uranium Resources, a Canadian company, indicates that Slovakia may be sitting on one of the most important uranium deposits in the world.
Short-term work gets much pricier
THE FACT that Slovakia has been operating in austerity mode for some time has had a significant impact on both employees and employers. After the Robert Fico government raised the rate of social and health insurance contributions for those working via limited employment agreements known as “na dohodu” to 48.6 percent, employers warned that a radical drop in the number of such employees might follow.
Adjusting to needs of the market
A Alack of qualified labourers in certain industrial sectors, an overly complicated system of school financing and too many young people studying subjects in humanities are some of the most troubling factors affecting the Slovak education system, according to Education Minister Dušan Čaplovič. His solutions, however, have not been universally welcomed. Foreign businesses continue to stress fostering ties between academia and business and are ready to offer a slew of recommendations for the minister to consider.
2013 promises a rocky ride
2013 is shaping up to be a tough year for Slovakia. In December 2012 the country recorded its highest unemployment rate in more than eight years and the labour market will remain in a state of caution, bracing itself to withstand the effects of fiscal consolidation as well as a major revision to the country’s Labour Code. The latter has attracted divergent responses, with the government saying it brings balance but employers warning that it might push up unemployment.
Managing employees - an asset or a future competition for an employer
Some employers think that finding an excellent manager is mission accomplished and that subsequently work will go smoothly without further effort. But legal practice sometimes shows otherwise. In any case, compliance with the law, proper motivation, and clear contract terms, are an essential basis for successful cooperation between a company and its manager.
Quote of the week
“Imagine if the British prime minister were to do something comparable to Robin Hood.”
Brazilian film festival opens
FOR THE very first time, the Slovak capital will host a festival of Brazilian films. Called Brazil Visual, it takes place during the last week of February at the KC Dunaj in downtown Bratislava. The event’s organisers seek to present a variety of acclaimed films, highlighting their diversity as well as the Portuguese language.
Right wing continues to crumble
RADOSLAV Procházka, who last year criticised the direction of the Christian Democratic Movement (KDH) and established his own platform, named Alfa, has now decided to quit the party – and suggested he may make a bid for the presidency. KDH leader Ján Figeľ described Procházka’s move as contributing to the fragmentation of the right wing, while political analysts said that it was neither the first nor the last departure from the established centre-right parties.
Gašparovič in Hungary
SLOVAK President Ivan Gašparovič paid his first official visit as president of Slovakia to neighbouring Hungary on February 19 and 20, which was also the first visit to the country by a Slovak head of state in nine years. While observers noted that it does not mean that Gašparovič and his Hungarian counterpart János Áder have never met, they added that contact between the Slovak and Hungarian heads of state should have been more frequent in the past.
Headhunting via social networks
The boom in online social networks has provided headhunters with a range of new tools, which they can use to search for candidates, keep in touch with potential applicants and even verify information about them. However, jobseekers too can make use of similar tools to find jobs, by creating and regularly updating an information-rich profile detailing their experience, or by joining various online forums and discussions. HR professionals typically use LinkedIn or Xing as their main social networks, and tend not to consider Facebook to be a principal source of information, although they urge users to be cautious about sharing personal data via the site.
Revised Labour Code gets mixed reception
Slovakia has a new Labour Code, again. Robert Fico’s second government moved to revise Slovakia’s most significant employment law soon after taking power following its landslide election victory in March 2012. While trade unions have welcomed the revision and, like the Labour Ministry, regard it as an improvement in employee protection, the business sector blames it, along with the fiscal consolidation measures passed at around the same time, for prompting an increase in unemployment, worsening conditions for the creation of new jobs and for creating more red tape for businesses. Nevertheless, dismissing workers in Slovakia remains significantly cheaper than in western Europe, a recent study suggests.
Institutions and organisations in the construction industry in Slovakia
Ministry of Transport, Construction and Regional Development, www.telecom.gov.skMinister: Ján Počiatek
University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy in Košice
One of the few accredited European universities offering an advanced veterinary study programme in General Veterinary Medicine leading to a DVM degree. Proud 20-year history of teaching the art and science of veterinary medicine in English,with hundreds of graduates working in their respective fields back in their home countries.
Interest in low-energy houses rises
An increasing number of Slovaks are looking for new houses that are low-energy. Slovakia’s biggest producer of standardised low-energy houses, Zvolen-based ForDom, has reported a 25-percent annual increase in its sales last year, which totalled €3.5 million. In 2012 it built and delivered 33 low-energy houses, compared to 27 in 2011. More than one third of their sales were exported to Austria, Branislav Kuzma, the marketing director of the company told the TASR newswire.
Biggest construction companies in Slovakia
Ranking of firms according to sales in 2011:1. Granvia Construction, Bratislava (€367.4 million)2. ZIPP Bratislava (€283.4 million)3. Doprastav, Bratislava (€271.5 million)4. Strabag, Bratislava (€175.1 million)5. Skanska SK, Bratislava (€124.9 million)6. Váhostav-SK, Žilina (€122.9 million)7. VUJE, Trnava (€115.9 million)8. Eurovia SK, Košice (€114.9 million)9. TSS Grade, Bratislava (€79.9 million)10. Inžinierske Stavby, Košice (€64.7 million)
Modern dance seen through a peephole
THE SLOVAK word Fuga means, especially in colloquial use, something more along the lines of a peephole than what it might actually resemble, a musical fugue. Indeed, in the dance piece Fuga, which recently premiered at the elledanse dance theatre, we get the chance to peep (literally and symbolically) through the holes in a screen into the private emotional space of four people.
How to calculate income tax and payroll levies
Each self-employed individual or person with a trade licence can choose whether to use single-entry bookkeeping, in which he (or she) records business-related expenses, or instead take advantage of a 40-percent lump-sum allowance for expenses, in which case he does not account for specific outgoings but merely deducts a flat 40 percent from his income in lieu of receipted expenses. From January 1, 2013 onwards this deduction has been capped at €420 per month or €5,040 per year. Depending on the approach one chooses, personal income tax is calculated as follows:
Productivity rises bring little cheer
Labour productivity in Slovakia is growing, fuelled by investments and job cuts, with the latter also curbing wage growth. In 2013 productivity growth is forecast to continue outpacing wage growth. But given the current economic conditions, experts say, this improvement in productivity is not so much an advantage as an absolute necessity in order to survive amidst heightened competition.
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