Archive of articles - October 2013, page 5
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Health Minister survives no-confidence vote
THE OPPOSITION failed in its attempt to oust Health Minister Zuzana Zvolenská at its extraordinary session on the night of October 24 after all the MPs of the ruling Smer party voted against the no-confidence motion.
Alternative Bratislava
How about you slow down and take a look at Bratislava on a more authentic level? You can eat fried fish at sunset on the Danube or swim in a lake in the middle of Petržalka’s tower blocks. You can hang out with Bratislava’s answer to Charles Bukowski, or join the aliens that once landed in the city. You may think you have seen all that this place has to offer, but there is much, much more than meets the eye.
Extremist crimes dropped by half in 2012
Slovakia witnessed a total of 104 registered extremist criminal acts in 2012, which is less than half the number recorded in 2011 (242), according to a report drafted by the Interior Ministry and acknowledged by the government October 23. The document states that 43 of the 104 criminal acts recorded in 2012 have been solved, the TASR newswire wrote. In addition, the ministry states in the report that the most frequently committed extremist crime related to actions supporting and promoting groups aiming to restrict the fundamental rights and freedoms of others. The ministry points out that extremism has been spread mainly via various social networking sites\. Extremist crime in Slovakia in 2012 was associated mainly with right-wing movements. Apart from activities regularly organised by extreme-right adherents (such as concerts, rallies and other gatherings), extremists have begun to misuse for their own purposes the issue of the marginalised Roma minority. The Bratislava Region saw the highest number of extremist criminal acts in 2012 (24). Conversely, the lowest number was recorded in the Žilina Region, with 5 cases in all.
Zvolenská faces no-confidence motion
Health Minister Zuzana Zvolenská faces a no-confidence motion in parliament during the October 24 afternoon parliamentary session, as summoned by the Speaker of Parliament Pavol Paška. The opposition initiated the vote, though it does not have enough vote so succeed. Prime Minister Robert Fico said that Zvolenská enjoys his confidence, adding that he views the extraordinary session as a waste of time and a “nasty spectacle”. The opposition has criticised Zvolenská over tenders for licences for helicopter emergency services in Bratislava and Trenčín late, leaving a five day window where there were no such services. The life of a woman who died in a car accident in Bratislava Region during this period allegedly could have been saved if rescue helicopters had been able to attend, the TASR newswire wrote.
Sme: Nicholson’s phone was tapped; he files a criminal motion
Tom Nicholson, the investigative journalist who broke the story of the alleged secret service Gorilla file and several other murky stories, had his phone wiretapped. The Sme daily obtained an e-mail with a record of a phone call involving him and an unknown person, lasting 45 seconds.
Počiatek: Re-financing of R1 highway project to save €130 million
At its October 23 session, the government approved the re-financing of the project of the R1 express-way project between Nitra and Banská Bystrica via a public-private partnership (PPP) format, meaning that the original bank loan will be replaced with the issuing of a project bond with a maturity date set for 2039. Therefore, the overall volume of the issue will equal €1.25 billion, with the final sum of saved resources depending on the placement and underwriting of bonds.
Hungarian Foreign Minister opens exhibition in Košice
Hungarian Foreign Affairs Minister János Martonyi visited Košice on October 23 on the occasion of the Hungarian national holiday celebrating the anti-communist revolution of 1956. At the East Slovak Museum (Východoslovenské múzeum-VSM), Martonyi opened Slovak-Hungarian exhibition "Parallel Stories - Budapest and Košice", which focuses on the 19th century urban development of the two cities.
IVO: Level of democracy stayed at 2.9 points in 3Q13
The level of democracy in Slovakia remained unchanged with a mark of 2.9 in the third quarter of 2013, according to the barometer survey carried out by the Public Affairs Institute (IVO).
Public debt reached 58 percent of GDP in 2Q13, critical level
The Slovak debt increased from 54.8 of GDP in 1Q13 to 58.0 percent in 2Q13, Finance Ministry’s Financial Institute Policy director Martin Filko said October 23. This means it exceeded the critical level of 55 percent set for launching austerity measures, the daily Sme wrote, adding that the amount - almost €42 billion – was €6 billion higher than a year ago.
Gas networks of Slovakia and Poland to be connected
The natural-gas transport networks of Slovakia and Poland are set to be interconnected as part of an intergovernmental agreement that was approved by the Slovak cabinet at its regular meeting October 23. Slovakia and Poland will attempt to obtain the status of a ‘project of common interest’ for the venture in order to receive co-funding from the EU’s facility Connecting Europe and the new Financial Framework for 2014-20, said Economy Ministry officials. The project will be carried out by Eustream from Slovakia and Operator Gazociagow Przesylowych GAZ-SYSTEM S. A. from Poland, the TASR newswire wrote.
Zvolenská grilled in parliament
NOT long after prime minister and ruling Smer party leader Robert Fico survived a no-confidence vote in parliament, Health Minister Zuzana Zvolenská survived a similar no-confidence motion on October 24 after only 50 of the 128 deputies present voted for her recall.
Vybieliť
WHO says you can’t change history? Sure you can. Or you can at least whitewash it (vybieliť). That’s exactly what happened in a hospital in Nitra, where the boss of the children’s clinic erased the medical records of a child whose parents suspect the doctors of overdosing and nearly killing their newborn.
Parliament passes Renewable Energy Resources Act, opposition unhappy
THE RENEWABLE Energy Resources Act drafted by the Economy Ministry, stipulating, among other things, support for production of electricity from renewable sources and efficient combined production, was approved in parliament on October 22.
Roma representatives fear vote buying
ROMA vote buying has been suspected many times in Slovakia’s past elections and the Party of Roma Union in Slovakia (SRÚS) now fears the upcoming regional elections might be marked by the same problem too.
Microchips for pets no longer necessary
OWNERS of dogs and cats will no longer be required to have their dogs and cats microchipped.
Regional election campaign starts
ELECTION billboards, political meetings and promises of better management of regional governments will mark the next 17 days in Slovakia.
ECHR rules in favour of Slovak journalist
SLOVAK journalist Arpád Soltész has won a case at the European Court for Human Rights (ECHR) in Strasbourg and will receive compensation worth over €20,000 for damages.
Bomb threat at Bratislava shopping mall a false alarm
A telephone call to the emergency line 112 in which a male voice announced that a bomb had been planted in the AuPark shopping mall in Bratislava was made at 14:45 on October 22. Police patrols along with a pyrotechnician and dog-handler unit were sent to the site.
Smer rejects motion against Jahnátek for cronyism at ministry
The parliamentary committee for conflicts of interest on October 22 decided that it won't debate the employment of relatives and acquaintances of Agriculture Minister Ľubomír Jahnátek and compatriots from his native village of Komjatice at the ministry. The debate was proposed by the opposition, but MPs from the governing Smer party, which also dominates the committee, rejected the motion. Committee Chairman Miroslav Beblavý (Slovak Democratic and Christian Union-SDKÚ) insists that Jahnátek has violated a constitutional law that prohibits senior state officials from misusing their posts on behalf of their relatives and associates. “According to the facts that we’ve collected, Minister Jahnátek misused his post on behalf of his relatives, who wouldn't have got their jobs if they hadn't been his relatives," said Beblavý as quoted by the TASR newswire. Smer MPs defended Jahnátek, with MP Otto Brixi stating that the Agriculture Ministry has acted in line with internal norms. Agriculture Ministry spokesman Peter Hajnala said recently that the minister doesn’t have any powers vis-a-vis selection processes for specific posts at the ministry.
IAEA head visits Slovak Nuclear Supervisory Office
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director-General Yukiya Amano met several senior government representatives during a visit to Slovakia October 22. Prime Minister Robert Fico and Nuclear Supervisory Office (ÚJD) chair Marta Žiaková were among them. “The UJD chairperson presented to the IAEA director-general the responsibilities and activities of her office, mainly in terms of nuclear security,” UJD spokeswoman Zuzana Hosťovecká told the TASR newswire. “She also presented measures related to the national action plan that was adopted after the Fukushima events and stress tests for nuclear power plants.” Amano inquired about the completion of the Mochovce nuclear power plant, the construction of a new nuclear source, and the implementation of safety measures adopted in the wake of the Fukushima disaster, said Hosťovecká.
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