Archive of articles - June 2013, page 3
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PM Fico heads to EU summit in Brussels
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico intends to win an exemption for Slovakia for drawing EU funds at the session of the European Council and top euro zone representatives in Brussels. This privilege would give Slovakia an additional year to use the entire allocated amount.
People's Platform proposes special parliamentary session on debt
The opposition parties grouped under the People's Platform (Slovak Democratic and Christian Union [SDKÚ], Christian-Democratic Movement [KDH] and Most-Híd) have submitted to parliament a proposal to summon a special session on the debt level.
Hucín mayor caught accepting a bribe
The mayor of the Hucín municipality, Ľubomír S., was caught by police red-handed. The mayor, aged 43, was allegedly caught accepting a bribe after he had asked for €10,000 from a personal business contact.
Foreign soldiers leave Slovakia following military exercise
After the biggest military logistical exercise in 10 years, the Capable Logistician 2013, ended in the Lešť military complex, soldiers of NATO armies are gradually leaving Slovakia.
AFP: Ministry officials not held accountable for wasting money
The non-governmental corruption watchdog Aliancia Fair Play (AFP) conducted a study to determine whether state ministry officials were punished for wasting public resources in cases discovered by the Supreme Audit Office (NKÚ). Between 2009 and 2011, NKÚ auditors calculated that waste which occurred in five ministries amounted to more than €28 million. However, no state officials were held accountable, according to the ministries’ responses.
Čarnogurský collects 21,000 signatures for presidential bid
Prospective presidential candidate Ján Čarnogurský has managed to collect 21,000 signatures of citizens, but plans to continue collecting them and hand them over to parliament in September. Čarnogurský, former Slovak prime minister and prominent Christian Democratic Movement (KDH) politician, told the SITA newswire that he sees domestic political strength and a halt to the “internal Cold War” between the national political parties as being pivotal in helping the nation. He opined that the president should help unite the political scene, rather than divide it. As for foreign policy, he stressed the importance of improving its international ties eastwards, towards Russia, Ukraine and maybe China. Čarnogurský did not specify how much his campaign is expected to cost, adding that he is ready to vie for financial contributions from the private sector.
Billionaire Babiš buys strong Czech dailies, expanding his media empire
Andrej Babiš, deemed recently Forbes Magazine to be the richest Slovak with an estimated wealth worth €1.54 billion, bought the Czech dailies MF Dnes and Lidové noviny, which had a common shareholder with the Sme daily. Babiš did not buy Sme, however, the daily itself wrote.
Richter released from hospital to undergo rehabilitation
Labour, Social Affairs and Family Minister Ján Richter left the Ružinov Hospital in Bratislava on Wednesday, June 26 - two weeks after being injured in a car accident – and was moved to the National Rehabilitation Centre in Kováčová.
Košice to get direct flight to London
Košice's direct airline connection to London will soon become a reality, with Wizz Air's Airbus 320 set to land at London's Luton Airport on September 17. The service will be available twice a week for the first five weeks, with the number to be eventually boosted to four times weekly.
Military intelligence keeps spelling trouble
“IT IS a media hoax up to 95 percent,” commented Prime Minister Robert Fico on June 26 about allegations of large-scale embezzlement of state funds via the country’s military intelligence agencies during Fico’s first government term (2006-2010) the same day the police started a criminal investigation of the allegations. The Special Prosecutor’s Office, however, remained tight-lipped about releasing further details based on what it called “the degree of confidentiality and the ongoing investigation”.
Zemanokracia
THE STORY of the prime minister’s chief of staff who let the military intelligence service spy on her boss’ wife, possibly out of jealousy, seemed impossible to beat. But then the Czechs came up with something even more absurd: President Miloš Zeman’s decision to appoint his own prime minister without any regard for the opinion of parliament. Sadly, the beginning of Zemanokracia, a term coined by the Czech media, is not something that Slovaks can only joke about.
PM, Government: Two Slovaks confirmed as victims of terrorism in Pakistan
Prime Minister Robert Fico and Foreign Minister Miroslav Lajčák informed the media on Wednesday, June 26, that two of the victims shot during a terrorist attack on mountaineers in Pakistan were Slovaks.
Slovak ice hockey players Hossa and Handzuš win Stanley Cup with Chicago Blackhawks
Slovak nationals Marián Hossa and Michal Handzuš play ice hockey for the Chicago Blackhawks, which won 3:2 on Tuesday in the sixth match of the National Hockey League (NHL) finals at the Boston Bruins’ stadium, thus winning the series 4:2. This was the second Stanley Cup win for the Blackhawks in the last four years, and the fifth in the team’s history, the TASR newswire wrote.
U.S. Steel defrauded by own employees, 25 charged
Slovak police are investigating the theft of property from the U.S. Steel plant in Košice. The case involves 25 suspects, all of whom, except for two, are employees of the plant.
Slota charged by Čadca prosecutor
The former chairman of the Slovak National Party (SNS), Ján Slota, was charged on Wednesday, June 26.
At least one victim of Taliban was Slovak
At least one member of the group of mountaineers killed by Taliban rebels on June 22 was Slovak, according to the Pakistani authorities. Yet, the identity of the man has not been confirmed yet, the TASR newswire reported on June 25.
Diplomats attend court hearing on Harabin’s lawsuit
The district court in Bratislava has opened the hearing over the lawsuit submitted by Supreme Court President Štefan Harabin against psychiatrist Renáta Papšová for her statement from April 2012. The hearing was attended by several diplomats, including US Ambassador to Slovakia Theodore Sedgwick, British Ambassador to Slovakia Susannah Montgomery and representatives of Danish, Dutch and Swiss embassies, the SITA newswire reported on June 25.
Interior Ministry to investigate attack on Roma
The Interior Ministry will investigate the police operation in Moldava nad Bodvou, Košice Region, which resulted in injuries of 30 Roma from a nearby settlement, the Sme daily reported on June 26.
Parliament passes law on major investments
New rules have been created for realisation of so-called significant investments, including one that aims to speed up the entire process. This is one of the changes included in the amendment to the law on major investments passed by parliament on June 25, the TASR newswire reported.
Journalist with confidential VSS documents says police tried to intimidate her
A journalist working for the Hospodárske Noviny daily says that the police tried to intimidate her during a testimony. Martina Tvardzíková Ruttkayová, who came to the police to deliver them confidential material concerning the alleged embezzlement at the Military Intelligence Service (VSS) during the rule of the first Robert Fico government (2006-2010), said that she was subjected to an interrogation during which the police attempted to find out who gave her the documents, the Sme daily reported on June 26.
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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 ›
