Archive of articles - August 2013

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Plaques unveiled to honour Banská Bystrica's liberators

Romanian President Traian Basescu and chairman of the Russian Duma Sergei Naryshkin together unveiled two commemorative plaques designed to express Slovak gratitude and respect towards Soviet and Romanian soldiers who fell during the liberation of Banská Bystrica during the Slovak National Uprising (SNP). Slovak President Ivan Gašparovič also attended the ceremony in the historic local town-hall. “With the commemorative plaques, we pay our respects and show gratitude and the admiration of our inhabitants toward the soldiers who sacrificed their lives for our freedom and future,” Banská Bystrica Mayor Peter Gogola said in his speech, as quoted by the TASR newswire.

Sme: State changing opinion on purchase of SPP shares

The government keeps changing its mind on whether to take control of gas supplies to households.

Jukebox bus now part of Bratislava public transport

Bratislava Public Transport Company (DPB) has dispatched a jukebox-equipped bus to the streets. Upon boarding, a passenger can connect to free-of-charge wi-fi Internet network and pick a song from offered playlist.

Colleagues and public to mourn Bednárik in final farewell

Theatre colleagues, relatives and the wider public will bid a final farewell to director and actor Jozef Bednárik who died last week. On August 30 his coffin will be placed in the historical building of the Slovak National Theatre in Hviezdoslavovo Square beginning at 10:30. The event can be followed on a big screen placed outside, the SITA newswire wrote.

Bratislava on a budget: A weekend for €100

Many foreigners come to Slovakia for a weekend to have fun, enjoy the summer days and to try a taste of a new country. And they also hope to do so without breaking the bank. Bratislava is ideal for bargain travel, and with a few tips from the locals or fellow travellers, you can find accommodation, food and entertainment for little more than €100 for the weekend.

Martina Raábová

Government grants assistance to companies across Slovakia

The Government okayed state assistance for a number of manufacturing firms at its August 28 session.

Construction on new St Michael's Hospital in Bratislava to start next month

The construction of a new building for the St Michael's Hospital in Bratislava should begin next month, in a project overseen by the Interior Ministry. A construction permit was issued in the first half of August and will enter into force in September. The new hospital should occupy a modern eight-floor building with 110 beds on Cintorínska Street in Old Town. Construction should take two years.

The 69th anniversary of uprising against Nazis is celebrated on August 29

August 29 has been pronounced a state holiday in Slovakia, commemorating the Slovak National Uprising (SNP). SNP was an armed insurrection organised by the Slovak resistance movement during the Second World War. The uprising started in Banská Bystrica on August 29, 1944, and even though it largely suppressed just two months later, small groups of rebels continued the fight against the occupying German army until the end of the war.

Worsening economic sentiment ended in August

The downward trend of the economic sentiment in Slovakia stopped in August. Compared to the updated result for July, the three-month moving average of the indicator grew in August by 0.2 points to 89.7 points. The result, according to the Slovak Statistics Office (ŠÚ), reflected increasing confidence in services and trade.

Slovaks pay almost €2,000 for health

EVERY employed Slovak contributes almost €2,000 to the health-care system annually, the Health Insurers Association (ZZP) informed the TASR newswire.

Compiled by Spectator staff

Police and military intelligence wiretapping requests increased

In the first half of this year the number of officially wiretapped people was about the same as in the past: the courts received 1,153 requests and approved 1,089 cases. The use of wiretapping increased only cases when it was asked for by the police or military intelligence. This stems from a report that was discussed by the defence and security parliamentary committee on August 27.

Slovak behind fatal accident in Hungary stands trial

The daughter of late Slovak businessman and Mečiar-era minister Alexander Rezeš, Eva Varholíková-Rezešová, appeared in court one year after her involvement in a fatal car accident which claimed the lives of four people. If convicted, she faces 5 to 12 years in prison for causing the accident and for drunk-driving, the SITA newswire wrote.

Banská Bystrica Region willing to take over Sliač Airport

Sliač, a regional airport in central Slovakia, will continue to operate; if the state does not want it – as seems to be the case – the Banská Bystrica Self-Governing Region (BBSK) is ready to take it over and continue running it, the Pravda daily wrote.

Parliamentary committee acknowledges ombudswoman’s report on Roma raid

The parliamentary committee for human rights acknowledged on August 27 four versions of the controversial police raid in the Budulovská Roma settlement in Moldava nad Bodvou: the version submitted by the police, that of government proxy for Roma Peter Pollák, the report of the Public Defender of Rights and ombudswoman Jana Dubovcová, and the ETP Slovensko non-governmental organisation.

PAS: Business environment in Slovakia worsened in 2Q13

The business environment in Slovakia continued to worsen between April and June 2013, with the Entrepreneurial Environment Index (IPP) recording a 3.5-percent drop in comparison with previous three-month period to 70.1 points in 2Q13, Slovak Business Alliance (PAS) Executive Director Róbert Kičina told the TASR newswire August 27.

Volkswagen Slovakia boosted output nearly 5 percent in 1H2013

Volkswagen Slovakia produced over 219,500 cars over the first half of 2013, which represents an annual increase of 4.8 percent, according to spokesman Vladimir Machalík.

Romanian president to join Gašparovič at SNP commemoration

Romanian President Traian Basescu will arrive for an official two-day visit to Slovakia on August 28. The visit is timed to include President Basescu's participation in the Slovak National Uprising (SNP) celebrations planned for August 29 in Banská Bystrica and Zvolen.

In Slovakia, 715,000 people faced risk of poverty in 2012

Some 13.2 percent of Slovakia's population, or 715,000 people, were faced with the risk of poverty in 2012, the latest figures released by the Slovak Statistics Office (ŠÚ) August 27 show. This constitutes a rise of 0.2 percentage points on the year.

Mayor of Krupina criticised “glorification of Jews on Facebook”

Krupina Mayor Radoslav Vazan, a nominee of the ruling Smer party, criticised what he called “the glorification of Jews on Facebook”. He reacted to a story on František Kriegel, who was the only Czechoslovak leader who did not sign the country’s treaty with Moscow after the Warsaw Pact invasion to Czechoslovakia in 1968.

Gorilla case lacks evidence, reads third report

Investigators involved in the Gorilla case, involving wiretapping by the SIS intelligence service of a flat where politicians met with prominent businessmen, still have not managed to secure enough evidence to press charges against any specific individual, reads the third report on the case, submitted by Special Prosecutor Dušan Kováčik on August 26. The parliamentary defence and security committee is slated to discuss the report on Tuesday, August 27, with parliament set to do so in September, the TASR newswire wrote.

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