Archive of articles - February 2014, page 10
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Fico survives no-confidence vote
THE OPPOSITION failed to dismiss Prime Minister Robert Fico over the 2008 carbon-dioxide emissions quota scandal on February 13, the TASR newswire reported.
Slovak judges to get back pay
Slovak judges will get back the differences against their original salaries that got reduced in early 2011 by the so-called “Sulík amendment” to the law on salaries of some constitutional officials as part of the then austerity measures of Prime Minister Iveta Radičová’s government.
Slovaks had €26 billion deposited in banks last year
Non-state deposits in Slovak banks rose by 3 percent on an annual basis in December and reached €26 billion. The analysis carried out by Prima Banka found, based on the current statistics announced by Slovakia’s central bank (NBS), that more than half of the total volume of money deposited in banks by people was in term accounts.
Poll: Just half of people happy with their job
One in two people is unhappy with their job, while a mere 6 percent of people are entirely satisfied when it comes to their employment – with low pay heading the list of negatives, according to a recent survey. The Profesia employment agency conducted a poll also found that 41 percent of 5,574 respondents were “rather satisfied than not” with their job. Meanwhile, 40 percent are “rather unhappy than happy”, with another 11 percent completely dissatisfied, Profesia’s Marcela Glevická told TASR newswire. People in Bratislava, Žilina and Nitra regions turned out to be the most satisfied. In terms of age categories, those between 25 and 34 years came top while those above 55 years of age were the least happy with their job.The largest share of satisfied people - be it entirely satisfied or rather satisfied than not - was observed in telecommunications (78 percent). Next came top management (74 percent), customer support (68 percent), marketing, advertising and public relations (68 percent) and IT (64 percent). On the other end of the scale, the textile industry had a 100-percent share of people who are either completely unhappy or rather unhappy than not with their job. Next came mining and metallurgy (82 percent), journalism, printing and media (80 percent) and the wood-processing industry (70 percent). Profesia’s head Ivana Molnarová said there was a clear link between remuneration and one’s satisfaction with their job. Two-thirds of dissatisfied people labelled their low salary as the chief reason for their negative feeling, with the other reasons coming far behind.
Fico leaves special parliamentary session with to meet Czech counterpart
Prime Minister Robert Fico left the special parliamentary session summoned by the opposition MPs February 13 trying to oust him over a disadvantageous 2008 sale of carbon-dioxide emissions, the SITA newswire wrote.
GDP growth accelerated to 1.5 percent in 4Q2013
SLOVAKIA’S economic growth stood at 1.5 percent in the last quarter of 2013, up from 0.9 percent in the third quarter. After seasonal adjustment, GDP rose by 1.3 percent, according to the flash estimate issued by the Statistics Office on February 14.
Single health insurance project postponed
The project seeking the re-introduction of a single payer state-sponsored health insurance system which should have been in place this year has been put on halt, Health Minister Zuzana Zvolenská reported to the government at its regular session on February 12. The report was acknowledged by the government later in the day. “Due to the financial aspects of the project of the introduction of the unitary public health care system, the Health Ministry won’t make any further steps within the project until the Finance Ministry verifies the readiness of Slovakia in terms of sufficient financial resources," reads the report drafted by the Health Ministry.
Five more Slovaks recognised as “Righteous Among the Nations”
Five more Slovaks have received the “Righteous among the Nations” award - the highest honour given to a non-Jew by the State of Israel and Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum for saving Jewish citizens during the Holocaust. Slovaks who were recognised as the “Righteous Among the Nations” at the February 11 ceremonywere Peter and Mária Rehák from Trenčín, Pavel and Anna Hriadeľ from Ladce, and evangelical priest Pavel Chorvát from Slatina nad Bebravou. Relatives of these posthumously awarded Slovak citizens were presented with a medal and honorary diploma they received from the hands of Israeli Ambassador to Slovakia Alexander Ben-Zvi. Their names will be added to 534 other names of Slovaks honoured so far and will be carved into stone in Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum. “This day is special, because people who saved children, the future of Israel, are being awarded, President Ivan Gašparovič said at the ceremony, as quoted by the TASR newswire. “More of our citizens have entered the history, when they put their own lives in danger to save others.”
Opposition MP: Slovakia a black hole for foreign investors again
Slovakia is becoming a black hole for foreign investors again, Independent MP and former Economy Minister Juraj Miškov said February 12, commenting on the latest statistics issued by the central bank (NBS). Slovakia recorded negative inflow in foreign direct investment to the tune of €23 million over the January-November 2013 period, according to the NBS statistics. “The figure is even worse than the drop in investments in the crisis year of 2009, when [the negative inflow of FDI] amounted to €4.5 million,” Miškov told TASR newswire.
Poll: Smer far ahead, Nova near parliament threshold
If a general election had taken place at the turn of January and February, the ruling Smer party would won more than three times as many votes of any other party, a poll by Focus agency revealed. Smer would have received 38.1 percent of votes, far ahead of the Christian Democratic Movement-KDH’s 12.7 percent and the third-placed Ordinary People and Independent Personalities-OĽaNO at 8 percent. Next came the Slovak Democratic and Christian Union-SDKÚ at 7.2 percent and Most-Híd with 6.2 percent. The Party of Hungarian Community-SMK had 5.9 percent while Freedom and Solidarity-SaS would have been the last party to make it into Parliament on 5.4 percent, the TASR newswire quoted the poll published on February 12. The NOVA party set up by former KDH Vice-chairman Daniel Lipšic would have received 4 percent of the vote. The Slovak National Party-SNS and the People's Party - Our Slovakia-ĽSNS would have gained 3.3 and 3.1 percent of voters, respectively. Representative sample of 1,051 respondents were approached in the form a personal interview between January 27 and February 5. In total, 18.1 percent said they would not vote at all, while 15.4 percent were undecided or declined to disclose their preferred party. Two-thirds, or 66.5 percent, were decided on they would vote.
Nasťa
THERE are only two sports in which Slovakia has ever won an Olympic gold medal - canoeing and the biathlon. And both of the two victories from the winter games belong to Nasťa Kuzmina. This statistic illustrates several points.
Poll: Presidential run-off would be close
ONE OF the last polls to be published before the March 15 presidential race has confirmed a frequently voiced theory. If Prime Minister Robert Fico fails to take 50 percent of vote in the first round, his challenger stands a chance of winning in the second round.
Trial with Radičová’s ex-aide begins
THE SPECIAL Court on February 11 launched the trial of Martin Novotný, who formerly served as an advisor to former prime minister Iveta Radičová, and who was later accused in the bribery case surrounding the construction of the Osrblie biathlon stadium.
President inks law to protect vineyards, slammed by AmCham
PRESIDENT Ivan Gašparovič signed on February 11 an amendment to the Act on the Protection and Use of Agricultural Land, which the Agriculture and Rural Development Ministry claims is primarily aimed at preventing vineyards from becoming construction sites.
MVK poll: Gov't not addressing Roma issues, corruption, judiciary
THE GOVERNMENT has failed to address pressing issues relating to the Roma community, corruption, cronyism and the judiciary, according to the latest survey carried out by the MVK polling agency, as reported by the TASR newswire.
Cannabis seeds to be dropped from list of illegal narcotics
CANNABIS seeds should be dropped from the list of illegal narcotics in Slovakia as of March 15, after President Ivan Gašparovič inked the relevant legislation on February 11.
Roma from Lunik IX leaving for Belgium
THE SLOVAK Catholic Charity reported that many of the inhabitants of the flats in the Lunik IX neighbourhood are moving to Belgium.
Criminal prosecution over Moldava raid launched
Although an audit of the Interior Ministry found no flaw when assessing the police raid in the Roma settlement in Moldava nad Bodvou, inspection of the same ministerial section is of different opinion. Ordered by the prosecutor, it launched a criminal prosecution, the public TV and Radio broadcaster RTVS informed on February 11.
Sme: Company close to J&T buys Ikar publishing house
The Czech company Arraviet has bought the biggest Slovak publishing house, Ikar, together with the rest of the Czech-Slovak group Euromedia which includes also the Czech publishing houses Odeon, Universum, Knižní klub and Yoli, the Sme daily wrote on February 11.
Nominal monthly wages grew in most sectors in December 2013
The average nominal monthly wage in December 2013 surged most remarkably in the repair of motor vehicles - by 10.1 percent to €890. The average wage marked a year-over-year increase also in most monitored sectors of economy, the Slovak Statistics Office (ŠÚ) reported on February 11.
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- Fico praises China and Vietnam as models, says liberal democracy has failed
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- No more photos or bank statements? Slovakia moves to ease residence process
- Top 10 events in Bratislava for foreigners More articles ›
