Archive of articles - May 2014, page 4
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Modern ballet in Bratislava
WHILE Slovakia is no stranger to dance festivals and the variety of dance styles that they offer, the Chorea 2014 festival will bring to Bratislava something unique: a presentation of modern ballet.“We have been toying with the idea of organising such a festival in Slovakia for several years,” Ján Ďurovčík, the choreographer and head of the Slovenské Divadlo Tanca (Slovak Dance Theatre, SDT) and festival organiser, told The Slovak Spectator. He added that “travelling around many countries worldwide, we have the chance to see contemporary modern ballet in various forms, and we wanted to do something that would also give Slovak audiences the possibility to watch top global dance ensembles”.
Seeking ways to attract qualified immigrants
DESPITE high unemployment, Slovakia is eager to attract highly qualified foreign workers to help fuel the economy. But luring these knowledgeable workers means Slovakia must compete with numerous other countries in Europe and beyond. An initiative to ease the path of qualified immigrants wanting to work legally in the European Union, called the Blue Card, could help if Slovakia opts to grant more of them.
Painter Šablavin has Slovak premiere
CONTEMPORARY Russian visual art is definitely worth exploring, and after some of the works of Sergej Šablavin, a representative of so-called Moscow conceptualism, were presented in 2008 in the Slovak National Gallery, an overview of his creations from the 1970s until 2013 can now be seen in the Bratislava City Gallery (GMB).
Teachers get new job website
BECAUSE only 10 HR experts choose teachers and pedagogical workers for thousands of schools, Slovakia’s biggest job website, Profesia.sk, launched the Edujobs.sk project, enabling all kinds of schools enrolled in the schooling network to publish job offers on the website free of charge, the Hospodárske Noviny economic daily wrote.
Remains of missing Slovak woman found near Munich
THE REMAINS of a woman found by German police buried in a forest near the city of Munich belonged to a Slovak woman who had been missing for more than one year, the Bild daily informed on its website in mid May.
Dutch MEP on why European elections matter
THE Ukraine crisis highlights how Europe has failed to develop a strong common foreign policy. Such challenges may provide an opportunity for the European Union, according to Dutch MEP Marietje Schaake, who spoke at the GLOBSEC international security conference held in Bratislava from May 14 to 16. Schaake focuses on a variety of issues at the European level and The Slovak Spectator spoke to her EU approach towards Ukraine as well as privacy and copyright protection in EU.
Harabin's parallel universe
ŠTEFAN Harabin has not mastered the art of departure, thus joining the extensive family of Slovak public figures who chose to interpret rejection as endorsement, defeat as victory and a lack of public confidence as confirmation that they are the right person in the right place at the right time. Harabin’s many critics called May 19, the day when he failed in his bid for re-election as the head of the Supreme Court and the Judicial Council, good news for the country - the beginning of a long-awaited change, a day of hope and a victory for the people.
Quote of the week
“I won because I had the highest number of votes.”
Countrywide Events
Western SLOVAKIA
US Embassy to move from square
CRITICISED for its heavily-secured perimeter that encroaches on a prominent, central square, the US Embassy in Bratislava plans to move from a building it has owned for decades to a newly-built facility in several years.
Labour market is gender segregated
THE SLOVAK labour market is one of the most gender-segregated markets in Europe. Dušan Chrenek, the head of the Representation of the EC in Slovakia, said this at the seminar “Why Women Matter in Business”, organised by the European Commission in the Slovak Republic, the US Embassy to Slovakia and the American Chamber of Commerce in Slovakia (AmCham) in mid May.
Presidential office staffer in bar brawl
THE HEAD of the Presidential Office’s public relations section, Dárius Rusnák, a former ice hockey player, verbally attacked two women for speaking Hungarian in a bar, after which he provoked a physical fight with two younger men who stood up in defence of the women, according to a report in Új Szó, the Hungarian-language daily, which cited one of the women as its source.
Discussion on qualification underway
SLOVAKIA may soon join the club of countries that recognise the qualifications of workers who lack the necessary education in their field but have gained the skills in practice. The National System of Qualifications project aims to define the basic skills and knowledge required for certain professions and to allow people to obtain a certificate confirming their abilities. Definitions of the first 1,000 qualifications should be published next October.
Polish team wins European strongman competition
AN INTERNATIONAL competition of the strongest European men took place in Dunajská Streda on April 26, at which eight pairs of strongmen from seven countries showed off their physical strength.
Energy union divides opinion
THE PUSH to create a common European Union market for energy is on, as Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk touts a so-called energy union as part of efforts to weaken Russia’s ability to use natural gas supply as a political tool.
Mayors praise water retention levees
THOUGH the Environment Ministry supports mostly traditional measures to tackle floods, like building concrete flood prevention structures and dredging riverbeds, several mayors of municipalities stricken by the mid-May deluge are praising projects implemented by the previous government of Iveta Radičová. Among them are water levees created in forests that are designed to retain rainwater in the soil and thus mitigate flooding in nearby villages.
Uranium mining amendment passed
THE GOVERNMENT passed an amendment prohibiting the mining of radioactive substances in Slovakia in its May 21 session. Mining will be allowed only in cases when inhabitants of the affected municipality approve it in a local referendum. The Environment Ministry, which authored the bill, is proposing to pass it in fast-tracked proceeding.
RTVS sacks sports host over racist statements
A COUPLE of sentences on a social network have cost a well-known public-service TV presenter her job. As a flood of controversial reactions on the internet followed, human rights watchdogs and media professionals are commending RTVS for its quick response to what they call an expression of racism.
Smer wins EP vote; turnout at 13 percent
ONLY 13.05 percent of Slovak voters cast their vote in the elections to the European Parliament (EP) remaining true to the country’s reputation of posting low turnouts since joining the European Union in 2004.
EP VOTE: Smer wins the EP election in Slovakia, vote results show
ONLY 13.05 percent of Slovak voters cast their vote in the elections to the European Parliament (EP), according to the official results announced on May 25, remaining true to the country’s reputation of posting low turnouts since joining the EU in 2004
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- 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 ›
