Archive of articles - February 2013, page 7
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Economy Ministry approved two new power plant projects this year
In less than seven weeks into the new year, the Economy Ministry has already approved the construction of two new power plants. One is a project of a small hydropower plant and the other a geothermal power plant. Both energy sources should have a combined installed capacity of less than eight megawatts. The department issued for both projects a certificate of compliance of the investment plan with the long-term concept of the governmental energy policy - without which an investor cannot start to construct an energy source. Investors in these projects are the companies Invest Geocel and Energo-Aqua, the SITA newswire wrote on Monday, February 18.
Specialised Criminal Court will deal with Hurbanovo shooter case
The Specialised Criminal Court will have to deal with the case of former police officer Milan J., who killed three people and injured another two in Hurbanovo last June, after the Supreme Court overturned the ruling that classified the murder as a multiple murder. The case will have to be classified as a premeditated murder, the SITA newswire reported on February 15.
Žitňanská and Beblavý will tour the regions
MPs for the Slovak Democratic and Christian Union (SDKÚ) Lucia Žitňanská and Miroslav Beblavý launched a project called “We Create Slovakia” within which they are planning a series of discussions that will take place all over Slovakia. The two politicians say they are searching for new ways, outside the various political parties, to resolve the current political situation in the country, the Sme daily reported on February 16.
Russian Sberbank opens in Slovakia
The third largest bank in Europe, Russian Sberbank, officially launched its activities on the Slovak market, the TASR newswire reported on February 15.
Slovakia and China sign memorandum over closer cooperation
The Slovak government strengthened economic ties with China by signing a memorandum over the cooperation in the sphere of small and medium-sized businesses during the official visit of the Chinese delegation to Slovakia. The delegation included Chinese Deputy Premier Hui Liangyu, Foreign Affairs Deputy Minister Sung Tchao and Deputy Minister of Economic Affairs Sheng Chung, the TASR newswire reported on February 15.
Procházka quits KDH
MP Radoslav Procházka has left the Christian Democratic Movement (KDH). He plans to be active in a civic association called Alfa, which he founded to transform Slovakia into what he considers a fair and competent state, the TASR newswire reported on February 18.
One third of firms to invest in servers
ON AVERAGE, Slovak companies get 3.9 years out of their servers, while the most popular brand, with a 40-percent market share, is HP. IBM, with an almost 30-percent share, is the second most popular brand, followed by Dell with 25 percent. About one third of respondents plan to invest in servers with a median investment of €15,000 in 2013. These are the findings of a market survey of IT infrastructure conducted by TEMPEST and IBM, the TASR newswire wrote on January 7.
ÚPN gets a new head
SELECTING the new head of the Nation’s Memory Institute (ÚPN) proved less challenging for Slovak MPs than picking suitable candidates for several other top positions of state. Still, three parliamentary votes were needed to elect the candidate. The seat of the ÚPN board president was vacant for less than two weeks before parliament elected Ondrej Krajňák to the post.
More Slovak companies in tax havens
SLOVAK companies with owners based in countries deemed to be tax havens are growing in number. By the end of 2012 there were 3,600 such companies, which represents a 17.8-percent increase – the highest in five years, the TASR newswire reported, citing Cyprus and Seychelles among the most attractive low-tax countries.
Economy hit the brakes in Q4
THOUGH Slovakia has avoided the fate of some of its neighbours, whose economies are slumbering in recession, in the last quarter of 2012 various factors put the brakes on Slovakia’s economic growth, which grew by only 0.7 percent year-on-year, while in the third quarter its performance still stood at 2.1 percent, according to the flash estimate of Slovakia’s statistics authority. The gloomy figure did not come as a surprise since frailer development in industrial production at the end of the year, including a drop in car production, suggested that Slovakia’s gross domestic product would also grow at a slower pace, analysts said.
IT organisations in Slovakia
ITAS – IT Association of Slovakia, www.itas.skSISp – Slovak Society for Computer Science (Slovenská Informatická Spoločnosť), www.informatika.skBSA – Business Software Alliance, www.bsa.skCSIRT - Computer Security Incident Response Team, www.csirt.gov.skSOIT - Society for Open Information Technologies, www.soit.sk
Some IT companies in Slovakia
-Anasoft, www.anasoft.co-Asseco Central Europe, www.asseco-ce.com-DATALAN, www.datalan.sk-DELL, www.dell.sk-ESET, www.eset.com-Gratext International, www.gratex.com-GTS Slovakia, www.gts.sk-HP Slovakia, www.hp.sk-IBM Slovensko, www.ibm.com/sk-Microsoft Slovakia, www.microsoft.sk-Ness Slovensko, www.ness.com/SK-SK-PosAm, www.posam.sk-SAP Slovakia, www.sap.com/sk-Softec, www.softec.sk-Soitron, www.soitron.sk-Tempest, www.tempest.sk-T-Systems Slovakia, www.t-systems.sk
Politicians want more Slovak music
RADIO stations should play more Slovak music and give more airtime to Slovak music producers and the work of young Slovak musicians, so suggests a member of the parliamentary media and culture committee, who has already submitted a draft law to pursue this idea. While Culture Minister Marek Maďarič has lent a sympathetic ear to the initiative, he pointed to some of the challenges in the technicalities of such legislation, such as the definition of ‘Slovak music’, the Sme daily reported. Nevertheless, Eva Babitzová, the head of the Association of Independent Radio and Television Channels (ANRTS), the broadcasters’ association, sees much bigger problems with the idea than just technicalities: she says such legislation could be fatal for radio stations since people would stop listening to them.
EU budget: Fico declares victory
IN RETURN for its €7 billion contribution to the coffers of the European Union (EU), Slovakia will get more than €20 billion in funding of various kinds between 2014 and 2020, thus the positive balance for the country stands at €13 billion, reported Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico to Slovak media on February 9, about the outcome of negotiations among EU leaders over the budget framework for the next seven years.
Youth lacks IT education
MORE than 80 percent of Slovaks between the ages of 18 and 26 have experience with commonly available information and telecommunication technologies (ICT). But as many as 40 percent of youths are dissatisfied with how schools have prepared them in this field. This is one of the findings of the digital literacy survey that the Institute of Public Affairs conducted in cooperation with Microsoft.
Slovaks surprised by Pope's resignation
THE RESIGNATION of Pope Benedict XVI, an act unprecedented in the modern history of the Catholic Church, did not fail to surprise churchmen, believers and observers around the world, including Slovakia.
Prosecution for blog launched
POLICE have initiated a prosecution in connection with a blog called Vrahovia medzi nami (Murderers Among Us), which started a public debate over president Ivan Gašparovič’s whereabouts at the time of a 2009 hunting trip during which forester Michal Bobák was fatally shot, private broadcaster TV Markíza reported.
Dancing Queen
THE RECENTLY premiered Queen, or Stories of Those Who Long to Live Forever, is something quite different from what fans of the hits of legendary British rock band Queen might expect. It is also different from what those familiar with Freddie Mercury’s life story, as well as from what fans of the dance troupe at the Nová Scéna, might expect. But those who are able to cast aside their expectations will find an interesting and fresh theatrical dance piece, featuring a lot of music and only a few texts to explain the plot.
Sartre’s spirit comes to life in Bratislava
IN AN EFFORT to support art and culture in Slovakia, a unique project has been launched in the capital. On February 8, a cultural centre called Sartre’s Flat was opened in the former YMCA building in Karpatská Street. People are invited to use it for free.
It's the implementation
IN A PLACE where people who entered the public service did so in order to serve the public and were able to resist the temptation to use loopholes in the law to channel the odd dime or the odd million into their own pockets or those of their friends, the legislative amendment that Interior Minister Robert Kaliňák recently prepared in order to speed up public procurement might work just fine.
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- “Return not,” the ocean cried. But I returned for her
- German shoemaker Lowa joins wave of factory closures in Slovakia
- 3 free things to do in Bratislava in the next seven days
- US giant pulls plug on Slovak factory, axing 137 jobs
- Ambulance hit by Russian drone goes on display in centre of Bratislava
- When to shop over Easter: Opening hours for supermarkets in Slovakia
- Hundreds of people ousted from Bratislava’s Volkswagen
- Danish shoemaker to shut Slovak factory, axing 650 jobs in fresh blow to struggling region
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- Confetti, chants and history: Hejková’s dream goodbye after nearly 40 years at the top
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- The British Film Institute shines a light on Slovak cinema’s boldest chapter Video
- Bratislava’s embassy-backed events you don’t want to miss
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