Archive of articles - May 2013, page 5

Building at Slovak University of Technology catches fire

Downtown Bratislava witnessed a thick black plume of smoke in the early evening of Thursday, May 23, when the Slovak University of Technology’s building of the Faculty of Chemical and Food Technology caught on fire. The tvnoviny.sk webportal wrote that the fire, which started shortly before 19:00, was caused by an explosion. About 22 firefighters arrived to put out the blaze.

Students to be allowed to take written ‘maturita’ re-sits earlier than planned

Students who do not pass the written part of their secondary-school leaving exams, known in Slovak as ‘maturita’, will not have to wait for another year to re-sit them, but will be granted a second attempt in September, according to a proposal included in the amendment to the Act on the Family approved in parliament on May 22.

Nurse sentenced to 20 years in jail for murdering patient

Male nurse Jaroslav D. was convicted by Bratislava I District Court on May 22 of murdering a hospital patient in June 2011 and sentenced to 20 years in prison, the TASR newswire wrote.

MVK poll: Robert Fico is Slovakia’s most – and least – trusted politician

A poll conducted by the MVK agency between May 8 and 15 that sought to determine impressions of trustworthiness in Slovak political life has found that the prime minister is both the most and least trusted politician in the country.

Amnesty: Human rights violations in Slovakia; mainly Roma affected

An annual report by Amnesty International (AI) evaluating the observance of human rights in Slovakia for 2012 has stated that discrimination towards Roma is continuing. The non-governmental watchdog pointed mainly to segregation at schools, and to forcible evictions.

Amnesty International: Roma pupils still segregated in Levoča

Certain improvements have occurred in the integration of formerly segregated Roma pupils at the primary school on Jána Francisciho Street in Levoča, eastern Slovakia, but this still isn't enough, Amnesty International Slovakia (AIS) spokesperson Jana Vargovčíková said on Wednesday, May 22.

Excluded judges will rule on Čentéš’ complaint

The plenum of the Constitutional Court on May 22 officially assigned the complaint by general- prosecutor-elect Jozef Čentéš regarding President Ivan Gašparovič's refusal to appoint him to his post to the original court senate composed of justices Milan Ľalík, Peter Brňák and Marianna Mochnáčová, the TASR newswire reported, citing Constitutional Court spokesperson Anna Pančurová.

Fico: Brussels may grant Slovakia extra year to draw 2007-13 European funds

Slovakia has achieved a small success by being granted an extension of three instead of two years to draw European funds by the European Commission, Slovakia's Prime Minister Robert Fico said on Wednesday, May 22.

Sme: Prosecutor involved in reviewing VSS corruption case was communist-era army spy

A prosecutor at the General Prosecutor’s Office, Jaroslav Kozolka, was an agent of the communist-era military counter-intelligence service, the Sme daily reported on May 23, citing information from the archives of the Czech Institute for the Study of Totalitarian Regimes. Kozolka himself now deals with sensitive cases involving military intelligence but also with civil cases like that of Hedviga Žáková-Malinová. He is reported to have reviewed the recently revealed case of alleged corruption at the Military Intelligence Service (VSS), but to have taken no action.

Spy agency embroiled in corruption claims

SUSPICIONS of large-scale embezzlement of public funds in the country’s military intelligence agency during the first government of Robert Fico (2006-2010) have sparked a massive blame game between the former and current management of the Defence Ministry. Since the Sme daily broke the story on an anonymous 134-page file leaked from the military intelligence agencies on May 16, its alleged author emerged offering to reconstruct the file, once his oath of confidentiality is lifted. The original file was shredded when the term of the government of Iveta Radičová ended.

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Vojenské spravodajstvo

GIVEN that Slovakia has not been at war in a long time, it remains somewhat of a mystery what, exactly, its military intelligence (vojenské spravodajstvo) does.

Cervanová film fills cinemas

ONE WEEKEND was enough for ‘Kauza Cervanová’ to become the top grossing Slovak documentary film of the year.

MVK poll: Fico favourite to become president

If presidential elections had taken place in early May Robert Fico would have become president of the Slovak Republic, with 41.9 percent of votes, followed by Ján Čarnogurský (on 17.2 percent) and Radoslav Procházka (16.4 percent), according to an MVK poll. Fourth and fifth places would have gone to Andrej Kiska (13.3 percent) and Peter Šťastný (11.2 percent) respectively.

Finance Ministry launches register of final accounts

The Slovak Finance Ministry introduced a trial version of system that is supposed to reduce the administrative burden of businesses. Through the Register of Final Accounts, companies will be able to publish their final accounts for free and in only one place, the TASR newswire reported on May 21.

Poliačik brings 'hash' into parliament, turns out to be chocolate

Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) MP Martin Poliačik sparked indignation among lawmakers of a less liberal persuasion on May 21 when he brought a small package to the podium during a speech in parliament and claimed that it was hashish. By doing so, Poliačik said, he wanted to demonstrate how small an amount can land a young person in jail, despite the fact that they are not involved in drug dealing. According to him, arresting people for smoking a "single joint" isn't right.

Eustream to get new CEO

The natural gas transmission company Eustream is soon to get a new chief executive. Miloš Pavlík will take over from Pavol Janočko who is leaving at his own request. Janočko will remain in the company as an adviser to the board of directors, the SITA newswire reported, citing Eustream spokesman Vahram Chuguryan.

EHP reportedly buys EDF's minority share in SSE

French company Electricité de France has reportedly sold its 45-percent stake in Stredoslovenská Energetika (SSE), one of Slovakia three main electricity distribution firms, for €500 million to the Czech energy group Energeticky a Průmyslový Holding (EPH), the SITA newswire reported, citing reports published on the Czech news website Motejlek.com.

Fico: We will elect new general prosecutor

In a major change of position by the Slovak government, Prime Minister Robert Fico told journalists on May 21 that Jozef Čentéš, who was elected by the previous parliament in June 2011 to be the country’s general prosecutor, is no longer the “candidate” for the post – and that were never any obstacles to the current parliament electing a new general prosecutor. He added that the media were mistaken in describing Čentéš as the legally elected “candidate”, the SITA newswire reported.