Archive of articles - April 2014, page 16
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Smer ponders post–election direction
HEADS may roll in Prime Minister Robert Fico’s cabinet in the wake of his presidential election loss to philanthropist Andrej Kiska. While Culture Minister Marek Maďarič, who managed Fico’s failed campaign, admitted a cabinet shuffle is a possibility, he denied it was connected with the presidential vote. Fico has been silent since March 29, the day when he learned that the first non-politician to ever win the presidency, was backed by 1,307,065 people, some 200,000 more votes than Fico’s Smer harvested in the last parliamentary elections in 2012. Kiska took the race with a comfortable lead after picking up 59.4 percent of the vote, leaving 40.6 percent to Fico.
Rada
HERE’S a little rada (advice) for the members of the Judicial ‘rada’ (council). Stop, before it’s too late. The presidential elections may have received the most attention, but the upcoming elections of the new head of the Supreme Court may be just as significant. The selection of Štefan Harabin five years ago proved just as disastrous as expected - the former justice minister with unexplained ties with a Kosovar drug lord manipulated proceedings and permanently intimidated his perceived enemies within the judiciary.
Foreign media report on Kiska’s victory
BUSINESSMAN and philanthropist Andrej Kiska beat the country’s most popular politician, Prime Minister Robert Fico of dominant left-leaning SMER-Social Democracy party, in the presidential election in a story that has drawn the attention of international media.
Baki Sadiki’s 22-year prison sentence upheld
THE PREŠOV Regional Court upheld the original vedict of 22 years in prison for alleged Kosovar drug lord Baki Sadiki, after it turned down the appeal against the ruling of the first-instance court from December 16.
Slovaks sold young woman in London
A HUMAN TRAFFICKING case was revealed by Slovak police in cooperation with their English counterparts concerning a young Slovak woman.
Businesses pin hopes on new president
THE BUSINESS Alliance of Slovakia (PAS) welcomes the election of Andrej Kiska into the presidential seat and expects him to contribute to improving the business environment in the country.
Baťo not to be new president’s spokesman
RADO Baťo, journalist and spokesman for ex-prime minister Iveta Radičová, who led the campaign of president-elect Andrej Kiska, will not work as Kiska’s spokesman after he takes up the presidential office.
State budget deficit for Q1 2014 exceeds €1 billion
The state budget deficit after the first three months of this year is €1.086 million. In March alone, the budget deficit soared by more than €200 million. In a year-on-year comparison, the gap widened by €133.1 million, or 14 percent.
New law clamps down on non-banking financial institutions
Non-banking institutions will have to adjust to tougher regulations governing their business practices following an amendment to the Civil Code that was drafted by Smer MPs and approved by parliament on April 1. The legislation is aimed at protecting consumers against the usurious practices of some of the non-banking institutions. The proposal stipulates that it will be necessary to define usury and other illicit practices. If such practices are found with respect to a signed contract it can be cancelled. The amendment is also set to protect people from losing money due to sequenced or rollover loans. The amendment also aims to introduce a standard-size font for consumer-loans contracts, while also setting a limit on interest rates on cashless loans at a maximum of twice the average interest rate used by banks. Moreover, the legislation should prevent distraintments of real estate in the case of financial claims of up to €2,000. “We want to prevent distrainers from selling somebody's house or flat for a debt of some €1,000,” the TASR newswire was told by Smer MP Anton Martvoň who was involved in drafting the amendment. According to the approved document, bailiffs won’t be able to carry out a distraint order by selling real estate at which the debtor has his or her permanent or temporary residence. They will be allowed to do so only if the debtor faces a number of unpaid debts that exceed €2,000.
Third “heroin truck” suspect is sentenced
Hungarian citizen Balász K. was sentenced to 10 years in prison for his involvement in the trafficking of acetic-acid anhydride. The verdict of the Trnava District Court is not effective yet, the SITA newswire wrote, as the defendant appealed it.
Foreign tourists in Bratislava spend most on accommodation and shopping
Foreign tourists spent most money in the Slovak capital on accommodation, food and drinks, shopping or souvenirs, a poll made between October and December 2013 showed. The poll, conducted by the University of Economics Bratislava for the Bratislava Tourism Organisation, also found that foreign visitors spent an average of €110 per person and one day. However, their spending on culture, events and other activities was minimum, up to three euros. Russians spent the most money in Bratislava (about €323 per a person and a day), followed by Britons, Italian, the French, and Asians. The lowest-spenders were Spaniards, Hungarians, Czechs, Poles and Americans, the SITA newswire wrote.
Brussels reviews ban on drug exports
THE EUROPEAN Commission is looking into whether a Slovak law that bans pharmaceutical distributors from exporting drugs abroad is compatible with the principle of the free movement of goods, the Hospodárske Noviny daily reported in its April 1 issue. The law, according to the Health Ministry, is meant to protect patients from drug shortages, which resulted from Slovakia exporting mass quantities of cheap drugs abroad.
Police close investigation of Šibenik tunnel explosion
BOTH EXPLOSIVES manager Rastislav Mihálik and his employer, Austin Powder Slovakia, were found to be responsible for the tragedy in the Šibenik tunnel near Levoča, a stretch along the D1 cross-country highway, the police investigation showed. The incident claimed the life of an explosives manager, and left five others injured.
Police start issuing electronic IDs for foreigners living in Slovakia
THE FOREIGNERS’ police departments will start issuing new electronic IDs, so-called eDoPP cards, for foreigners living in Slovakia. Similar to the electronic IDs issued for Slovak citizens as of December 1, 2013, the cards will be used for authentication in electronic communication.
The Judicial Council has yet to adopt ethics code
THE COUNCILS of judges will once again have to submit comments on the draft of the judicial ethics code, submitted by Dana Bystrianska from the Association of Judges in Slovakia (ZSS). Not enough comments on the proposed ethics code were received, even though judges had about one and a half months to send them. The Judicial Council now says it will discuss the code again in the second half of the year, the SITA newswire reported on March 31.
Special Prosecutor’s Office looks into alleged Roma vote buying
THE SPECIAL Prosecutor's Office is dealing with a criminal complaint over the alleged buying of Roma votes in eastern Slovakia filed by Lucia Nicholsonová, MP for the Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) party. She submitted the motion on March 28 and updated it later on March 29.
Brussels stops action against Slovakia over highway toll tender
THE EUROPEAN Commission wrapped up an action against Slovakia over the suspected violation of European rules on public procurement in the tender for the operator of the electronic highway toll system, on March 28, the SITA newswire reported.
Foreign Minister meets diplomats over Ukraine and EU enlargement
THE SITUATION in Ukraine, EU enlargement and the mobilisation of Slovak voters ahead of the European Parliament elections in May this year were among the topics that the ambassadors of EU countries discussed with Foreign Minister Miroslav Lajčák at a meeting on March 31.
Kiska assembles team; first names surface
PRESIDENT-ELECT Andrej Kiska, who will be inaugurated into his new post on June 15, has already started putting together his team of advisors.
Slovakia's external debt ends 2013 at more than $82 billion
SLOVAKIA’S gross external debt ended last year at $82.311 billion (USD). Compared toNovember last year, it fell by only $2.944 billion, mainly due to the lower external liabilities of the central bank, the SITA newswire reported, citing the figures released by the National Bank of Slovakia (NBS) on March 31.
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- The law changed. Our family papers were ready. Now my kids are Slovak citizens
- Bratislava unveils its first 3D-printed bus stop Photo
- Slovakia’s secret weapon is living abroad
- Irish metal band to make long-awaited debut in Bratislava Video
- Why a British teacher chose Slovakia as home Audio
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- News digest: Fico tells Berlin Slovakia will not take lessons on Russia
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- Maria Theresa on the banks of Bratislava
- No more photos or bank statements? Slovakia moves to ease residence process
- Bratislava unveils its first 3D-printed bus stop Photo
- Slovakia’s secret weapon is living abroad
- Irish metal band to make long-awaited debut in Bratislava Video
- Why a British teacher chose Slovakia as home Audio
- The Kremlin’s security agency has a Russian contractor in Slovakia - no one has noticed
- News digest: Slovakia lacks lasting vision, says president in special address Photo
- One year on: Slovakia still unable to deport alleged terror suspect
- A divided Slovakia still deserves hope, president says in national address
- Where can vegetarians and gluten-free diners eat out in Bratislava?
- Slovak physicist: I do not employ doctoral students; I make them go abroad. I expect them to push us forward
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- Iron Age hillfort found in remote Slovak woodland Photo
- News digest: Fico tells Berlin Slovakia will not take lessons on Russia More articles ›
