Archive of articles - April 2014, page 7
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Bratislava opens its doors
THE SLOVAK capital kicks off the start of high tourist season with its annual Bratislava For Everyone event, which will take place this year on April 24-30. Venues across the city will symbolically open their doors to the public - some of which are normally closed - with many offering free entry, guided tours and lectures.
Constitutional amendment stuck
THE RULING Smer party and the opposition Christian Democratic Movement (KDH), which have teamed up for a joint constitutional amendment which would introduce several major changes to the justice system and simultaneously define marriage as a bond between a man and a woman, have slowed in their efforts to pass their draft.
Kotleba's monthly defunded
JUST months after his inauguration, Banská Bystrica Regional Governor Marian Kotleba is embroiled in conflict with the regional council. The councillors’ anger over the regional monthly newspaper, which recently began echoing Kotleba’s praise of the wartime fascist Slovak state, resulted in their unanimous decision to grant the paper “one big zero” from the regional budget, as one of the councillors put it.
Glossary: Role models vary with age
Spectator College provides readers of The Slovak Spectator who are trying to improve their English with glossaries of useful and frequently used words and expressions from stories published as part of the Spectator College as well as in the rest of the newspaper. As well as this special glossary, which relates to the article Role models vary with age, you can find more expressions in our Glossary for politics & business or in the List of names of institutions in English and Slovak.
Developers more optimistic
INVESTMENTS in Slovakia’s real estate market significantly increased in 2013 compared with the below-average year of 2012, according to real estate consultancy firm CBRE Slovensko. It forecasts a general growth of investment activities in central Europe, led by increased real estate investments. CBRE experts expect that outsourcing will continue to drive the office market and they also anticipate a higher demand for outsourcing specialised logistics services.
Countrywide Events
Western SLOVAKIA
Outsourcing legal services increasingly an option
WHILE IT, accounting and logistics are probably the services most frequently associated with outsourcing, the phenomenon is also common in legal services. The Slovak Spectator spoke with David Soukeník, partner of Soukeník – Štrpka law firm, Stanislav Ďurica, managing associate at Ružička Csekes in association with members of CMS, Andrea Butašová and Přemysl Marek from Peterka & Partners law office in Bratislava, and Daniel Futej from Futej & Partners, about the current interest in legal process outsourcing in Slovakia and which legal services or processes are suitable for outsourcing.
Quality of democracy down in 2014
THE QUALITY of democracy in Slovakia has deteriorated, according to the results of the IVO Barometer that evaluates the quality of democracy in several areas.
Harabin has a rival in run for Supreme Court head
The incumbent head of the Supreme Court (and the Judicial Council), Štefan Harabin, will have a rival as he runs for re-election.
ÚDZS: Doctor in medivac helicopter case made right decision
The Health Care Supervisory Authority (ÚDZS) on April 16 released the results of investigation into a tragic road accident near Skalica last year that occurred while medivac helicopter service was unavailable due to what the opposition described as a botched Health Ministry tender.
Police catch Slovaks who forged Czech crowns and Swiss francs
Two Slovaks who have released almost 1,600 fake Czech banknotes and dozens of fake Swiss banknotes in retail chains in the Czech Republic and Switzerland, respectively, since 2011, have been detained by the Slovak police, which worked in co-operation with the Czech and Swiss authorities, Banská Bystrica regional police director Marian Slobodník said at a press conference on April 16. One of the counterfeiters, identified only as Martin S. (born 1981), was arrested at the main railway station in Zvolen on April 10. He was carrying 30 fake banknotes in the nominal value of 100 Swiss francs each. The Slovak police, in co-operation with their Czech colleagues, also found out that Martin S. had an accomplice, a certain Štefan B. (born 1979). They both were residents of the village of Zubrohlava in the Žilina region. In Štefan's house, police found a printing machine and dozens of fake banknotes. Both men have been taken into custody. They may spend up to 10 years in jail each if convicted.
Poll: Nearly half of people happy with outcome of presidential elections
Forty-seven percent of people voiced their satisfaction with the results of the presidential election, from which Andrej Kiska emerged victorious, TASR learnt from a survey carried out by the Public Affairs Institute (IVO) and Focus agency that was published on April 16. The survey, which showed that 33 percent of 1,052 respondents were unhappy with the outcome of the elections, was conducted in the first week of April. One-fifth of those asked were unable to say whether they were content with the outcome or not. The second round of the elections was held on March 29. The voter turnout was 50.5 percent in the run-off vote, up from 43.4 percent in the first round. The poll, called “Presidential Election through the Eyes of Public” also showed that the lower-than-average turnout was seen among first-time voters and youth (up to 24 years of age), people with basic education and students. Fifty-six percent of those who went to the polls only in the second round voted for Kiska, with 39 percent of this group casting their vote for Prime Minister Robert Fico. According to the results of the poll, Fico was supported in the first round particularly by voters of his Smer party (76 percent) while Kiska was backed by voters of other parties and voters with no particular party affiliation (44 percent in total). The latter was pretty much the case with voter support for fellow non-partisan candidates Radoslav Procházka and Milan Kňažko. In the run-off vote, Kiska received the most votes from undecided voters, voters of other than Smer party and non-voters. Meanwhile, Fico garnered by far the widest backing from Smer voters.
Policies targeting violence against women lacking
WOMEN that are the targets of violence in Slovakia often remain silent and hide their pain under the pretext of social conventions that lead them to expect a lack of sensitivity from relatives or police. In Slovakia every fifth woman has personally experienced violence, a fact linked to gender prejudices and women’s economic dependence on men.
East to west, Slovakia has the best - Easter celebrations
EASTER is a religious holiday, and in Slovakia, most inhabitants plan to attend a mass or to celebrate among family members. There are opportunities, however, how to include some community-, tourist or even international activities, focusing rather on the symbolic, or pre-Christian roots of the festival and the welcoming of "new life" in spring.
National Career Days (NDK)
National Career Days (NDK) are where students and representatives of important companies can meet each other. National Career Days are a natural first step for students and graduates to a successful career.
Slovakia drops in Doing Business ranking
SLOVAKIA has slipped in the Doing Business 2014 ranking compiled by the World Bank.
Judicial reform/marriage amendment stuck in parliament
THE RULING Smer party and the opposition Christian Democratic Movement (KDH), which have teamed up for a joint constitutional amendment which would introduce several major changes to the justice system and simultaneously define marriage as a bond between a man and a woman, have slowed in their efforts to pass their draft.
Quality of democracy worsened at start of 2014
THE QUALITY of democracy in Slovakia has deteriorated, according to the results of the IVO Barometer that evaluates the quality of democracy in several areas.
Moratorium on land sales to foreigners expires on April 30
FOREIGN nationals should be able to buy land in Slovakia as of the end of April, 2014. Some MPs oppose this arrangement, however.
Supreme Court proposes Harabin for its president
Slovak Supreme Court proposed the incumbent president Štefan Harabin to be re-elected for one more term on April 15, the TASR newswire wrote.
- Slovak female triathlete shatters barriers with historic win at Himalayan event
- No more photos or bank statements? Slovakia moves to ease residence process
- Convicted of multiple murders, Slovakia’s mafia boss seeks release from prison
- Top 10 events in Bratislava for foreigners
- Slovakia loses another EV model to Spain as Stellantis chooses Zaragoza over Trnava
- Weekend: Celebration of fun comes to Malacky Photo
- UK appoints Bilal Zahid as new ambassador to Slovakia
- News digest: Violent gang in Bratislava is under arrest
- Top 10 events in Bratislava for foreigners
- No more photos or bank statements? Slovakia moves to ease residence process
- Weekend: Celebration of fun comes to Malacky Photo
- Slovakia loses another EV model to Spain as Stellantis chooses Zaragoza over Trnava
- News digest: Prosecutor seeks jail for NBS Governor Kažimír as his political support wanes
- Slovak female triathlete shatters barriers with historic win at Himalayan event
- Convicted of multiple murders, Slovakia’s mafia boss seeks release from prison
- News digest: Fico’s bloc wants to save money by restricting electoral access
- Maria Theresa on the banks of Bratislava
- No more photos or bank statements? Slovakia moves to ease residence process
- 3 free things to do in Bratislava in the next seven days
- Weekend: Celebration of fun comes to Malacky Photo
- Top 10 events in Bratislava for foreigners
- Digital Jarvis is real now. He is coming for your to-do list
- The Kremlin’s security agency has a Russian contractor in Slovakia - no one has noticed
- The disinformation scene has become a tool of media capture
- Maria Theresa on the banks of Bratislava
- No more photos or bank statements? Slovakia moves to ease residence process
- A mayor resigns over €2.7 million fraud scandal at town hall
- He designed Gatwick. But this is his masterpiece
- Fico praises China and Vietnam as models, says liberal democracy has failed
- News digest: Violent gang in Bratislava is under arrest
- The Kremlin’s security agency has a Russian contractor in Slovakia - no one has noticed
- The compass points to Kúty, and people are starting to follow
- News digest: Prosecutor seeks jail for NBS Governor Kažimír as his political support wanes
- Slovakia loses another EV model to Spain as Stellantis chooses Zaragoza over Trnava
- Slovak female triathlete shatters barriers with historic win at Himalayan event
- 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 ›
