Archive of articles - March 2013, page 3
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NGOs: UN criticises Slovakia's efforts to tackle discrimination
The UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination has pointed to some persistent shortcomings in efforts to combat racism and racial discrimination in Slovakia, the TASR newswire reported on March 27, citing five non-governmental organisations (NGOs) active in the sphere.
Report: Čaplovič is considering resigning
Education Minister Dušan Čaplovič is considering whether to resign, the Sme daily reported on March 28, quoting the minister’s external adviser, Ľubomír Andrassy. Andrassy said the two have discussed the possibility, Sme wrote. The Slovak media has recently reported on several deals concluded by the Ministry of Education which have prompted questions about transparency at the department and appropriate use of public funds.
Lipšic accuses Fico of ‘regulatory racketeering’
During his first term in office Prime Minister Robert Fico and his nominee as head of the Regulatory Office for Network Industries (ÚRSO) Jozef Holjenčík introduced "regulatory racketeering" in Slovakia, according to independent MP Daniel Lipšic, the chairman of the New Majority (NOVA) party. Speaking at a news conference on Tuesday, March 26 he said firms and households have needlessly paid hundreds of millions of euros annually in the form of fees imposed on electricity users.
Gunman from Hurbanovo gets nine years in prison and three years of secure treatment
The Specialised Criminal Court in Pezinok accepted the prosecutor’s proposal of a prison sentence of nine years for the Hurbanovo police officer who, while off duty, shot dead three local people and seriously injured two others. The gunman, identified as Milan J., originally faced a life sentence for homicide, but after psychiatry experts stated that he had committed the crimes in a state of “markedly reduced sanity”, the prosecutor proposed a reduced punishment, the TASR newswire wrote.
ÚVO: Public procurement must go electronic by 2016
The first part of the Electronic Public Procurement Services project has cost more than €3.5 million, the Public Procurement Office (ÚVO) announced at a press conference assessing the first phase of the project on March 26. The second phase, which is now being prepared, should ensure that all public procurement in Slovakia is digitalised by 2016.
Police chief abolishes evaluation criteria established by his predecessor
Police President Tibor Gašpar has introduced new criteria for evaluating police officers, on which their remuneration will depend, the Pravda daily reported on March 26.
Slovakia’s reputation among foreign investors slips
Scores of foreign investors active in Slovakia say that the country is being badly affected by the crisis. According to a survey carried out by seven foreign chambers of commerce in Slovakia, a majority of the 187 European companies polled said they expect economic development in 2013 to worsen compared to last year. The survey also showed that recent reforms of the tax and labour laws have significantly decreased the attractiveness of Slovakia, the German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SNOPK) wrote in a press release.
NBS slashes 2013 economic growth forecast again, to 0.7 percent
The National Bank of Slovakia (NBS) has published its February prognosis for economic growth this year, predicting growth of just 0.7 percent in 2013, down from the 1.3 percent it predicted as recently as January. The central bank also cut its 2014 growth forecast from the 3.3 percent predicted in January to 2.8 percent, but said that the pace of growth should pick up in 2015 to hit 3.8 percent. The NBS prognosis came only few days after commercial banks also cut their economic growth predictions, the SITA newswire reported on March 26.
Medical experts: Hurbanovo gunman was ‘ill’
Milan J., the 52-year-old man on trial for killing three people and seriously injuring two others, all of them Roma, in Hurbanovo last year, acted in a state of “reduced sanity”, according to medical experts who recommended that he be treated in hospital. The experts did not comment on a possible racial motive for his actions, the Sme daily reported on March 27.
Miškov fired as SaS deputy leader; Kollár considers his options
Former economy minister Juraj Miškov has been replaced as deputy leader of the Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) party by former labour minister Jozef Mihál. Miškov was a leading supporter of Jozef Kollár, who bid unsuccessfully for the leadership against the incumbent, party founder Richard Sulík, earlier this month. Kollár himself said he is considering his options, including leaving the party, the TASR newswire reported on March 26.
Armagedon
JUST as we survived the end of the Mayan calendar, another Armageddon has come into view, although this one says outright that its liability is limited. The tale of Armagedon, s.r.o., its boss and owner Richard Duchovný (for all you X-Files fans, ‘duchovný’ means ‘spiritual’ or ‘ghostly’ in Slovak), and the Magic Trading Corporation, which seems to be behind all this, is interesting not only because of the collection of creepy names. It explains the feeling of doom that comes at the end of March, when it’s time to pay taxes.
UPDATED: U.S. Steel to stay at least five more years
U.S. STEEL Corporation will not now sell its U.S. Steel Košice (USSK) subsidiary in eastern Slovakia, after the government promised to help cut the firm’s energy and environmental bills. Representatives of the Slovak government and the US investor signed a memorandum confirming the latter’s continued presence in Slovakia, meaning that it will remain one of the country’s biggest employers: along with its subsidiaries, it employs almost 13,000 people. The Slovak government has been negotiating to get the firm to stay since last November, when it indicated that it was thinking of selling USSK.
Borec: Court trials will speed up once judges can set deadlines
The Justice Ministry is about to make considerable changes to court proceedings by giving judges the power to set deadlines for submitting evidence, Justice Minister Tomáš Borec said on March 25. Borec said he believes that such changes will accelerate cases and thereby improve law enforcement and the business environment in Slovakia.
U.S. Steel to remain in Košice for at least five more years
U.S. Steel has confirmed it will not sell its plant in Košice, eastern Slovakia. Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico and David Rintoul, the president of U.S. Steel Košice signed a memorandum on the continued presence of the US steelmaker in the east of Slovakia on March 26. Environment Minister Peter Žiga and Economy Minister Tomáš Malatinský also signed the memo in Košice, the Sme daily wrote on its website.
Cab drivers protest in Bratislava against low rates
Hundreds of taxi drivers joined forces to protest against what they deem to be excessively low prices for their services. They formed a convoy of cars in central Bratislava on the afternoon of March 25, the TASR newswire reported.
Hurbanovo killings suspect confirms he committed multiple homicides
Milan J., a municipal police officer from Hurbanovo, confirmed at a hearing on March 25 at the Specialised Criminal Court in Pezinok that a shooting spree last summer happened as described by the prosecution. The court will not now have to prove him guilty of shooting dead three people and injuring two others.
Ján Slota faces disciplinary action over alleged misuse of SNS property
The Slovak National Party's (SNS) presidium on Monday, March 25, initiated disciplinary action against its former chairman Ján Slota over the suspicion of misuse of party property and thus the "endangering of the party's existence", the TASR newswire learned from two sources close to SNS.
Fico: Government, U.S. Steel close to deal
The Slovak government and U.S. Steel’s top representatives are close to striking a deal whereby the US company would continue to operate its steelworks in Košice, the TASR newswire learned on Monday, March 25.
Series of events held to mark 25 years since Candlelit Demonstration
The Nation's Memory Institute (ÚPN) organised three events on Monday, March 25, to mark the 25th anniversary of the Candlelit Demonstration in Bratislava, the TASR newswire wrote.
GDP growth will be lower than one percent, experts say
Analysts of commercial banks continue to reduce the estimates for Slovakia’s gross domestic product GDP growth for this year, the Sme daily wrote in its Tuesday, March 26, issue. According to the March round of a NBS central bank’s poll, bank analysts assess 2013 GDP growth at 0.9 percent. The February and January estimates were higher by 0.1 percentage points and 0.2 percentage points, respectively. Last year at this time, GDP growth was one-time higher than the current rate, Sme concluded.
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- Fico praises China and Vietnam as models, says liberal democracy has failed
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- Slovakia loses another EV model to Spain as Stellantis chooses Zaragoza over Trnava
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- 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 ›
