Archive of articles - August 2014, page 5
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Looking to spur student interest in history
EDUCATION Minister Peter Pellegrini recently slammed the way the Slovak National Uprising (SNP) is taught in schools, hinting that it may change in the near future. Teachers admit that young people show little interest in learning about this 1944 event, but say that the curriculum devotes enough space to it. They point to other problems that result in students barely taking notice of the SNP, like the fact that the anniversary takes place during summer holiday.
Events not for idealising nor demonising
PEOPLE should try to avoid both idealising and demonising the Slovak National Uprising (SNP), one of the most significant events of Slovakia’s history, says Ivan Kamenec, a historian with the Slovak Academy of Sciences, who authored several books focusing on Slovakia’s modern history including that of the wartime Slovak state, a satellite of Nazi Germany.
UPDATED: Countrywide Events
Western SLOVAKIA
Petrovany rebuffs Spanish investment
A SPANISH investor has failed for the second time to obtain land in eastern Slovakia to build a new foundry. After protests by local residents thwarted Funderia Condals’ plans to build a foundry near Prešov, councillors of the nearby Petrovany village refused to sell the investor land in the local industrial park, succumbing to the pressure of locals even before the environmental impact assessment (EIA) was completed.
Uprising's anniversary to be commemorated
SLOVAKIA will mark the 70th anniversary of the Slovak National Uprising (SNP) in grand style with a four-day programme in Banská Bystrica, the centre of the historical events.
Three run for Supreme Court chair, for now
SUPREME Court justice and former state secretary of the Justice Ministry Daniel Hudák, former deputy chairwoman of the Supreme Court and its current justice Daniela Švecová and Supreme Court justice Ivan Rumana will compete on September 16 to take over as chairperson of the Supreme Court. The country’s top judicial post has been vacant since Štefan Harabin’s term expired on June 22.
Fico still critical of sanctions
PRIME Minister Robert Fico remains firm in his criticism of the tit-for-tat sanctions that the European Union and Russia have imposed on one another. Fico called the sanctions “senseless” and a threat to Slovakia’s economy on August 9, drawing criticism from members of the opposition and local media. The adoption of sanctions that damage the whole region is shortsighted, he said one week later, adding that he is not going to change his position.
Polish sheep shearer won Slovak championship
TWO sheep-shearing competitions in July offered proof that sheep shearers are working hard to preserve the culture and the necessary skills of their profession.
Small tractors competed in Slovak Championship
TRACTOR DRIVERS showed off their skills at the annual Slovak Championship small tractor race in late July, in Lom nad Rimavicou, central Slovakia.
44 percent of Slovaks worry about poverty
THE RISK of slipping into poverty is felt by 44 percent of people in Slovakia, and the ratio is even higher in another five other European economies, according to an analysis by Poštová Bank, based on a Eurobarometer survey. The analysis notes that one in eight economically active people in Slovakia are jobless.
SNP: A national event with an international meaning
The foreign community attends the commemorations of the Slovak National Uprising every year to remember their nationals who fought, and often died, alongside Slovak partisans.
Enviro minister withdraws waste bill
ENVIRONMENT Minister Peter Žiga will first send the draft bill of the new Waste Act to Brussels for evaluation and only then will he submit it to the cabinet for approval, so as to avoid having to revise the law some months after it is adopted. It is common for laws in Slovakia to be passed before the EU has any say on it.
FinMin shows first budget draft
THE FINANCE Ministry has introduced a draft bill for the most significant law of the year - the 2015 state budget. While Prime Minister Robert Fico, whose ruling Smer party will face parliamentary elections in less than two years, is optimistic, pointing to Slovakia’s positive economic developments, economic analysts and the opposition say the budget is not ambitious enough and does not reflect potential threats resulting from the Ukraine-Russia conflict and the related sanctions.
Bear in Prešov shot dead by hunters
A BEAR was shot dead by a hunter on Športová Street in the regional capital city of Prešov on the morning of August 14. The bear had wandered into town the day before and spent the night roaming a residential area.
Bratislava’s trolleybuses mark 105th birthday
BRATISLAVA’S TROLLEYBUSES have celebrated their 105th birthday. On July 19, 1909, inhabitants and visitors of the city (then called Prešporok in Slovak, Pressburg in German and Pozsony in Hungarian) witnessed the festive launch of the city’s first trolleybus line.
Bratislava moves up ‘liveability’ rankings
BRATISLAVA made it among the top 10 cities where infrastructure, education or safety increased the most significantly, according to The Economist’s world most liveable cities index.
Every fourth Slovak regularly works on Saturday
SOME 25 percent of Slovaks work on Saturday which is lower than average of European Union reaching 27 percent and average of eurozone which is 29 percent. On the other hand, Slovakia tops the list of EU countries with highest amount of people taking nightshifts.
Food producers tally first losses resulting from sanctions
THE AGRICULTURE Ministry has already recorded some losses caused by the Russian ban on food exports from EU countries. The losses in amount €2.3 million were reported by companies Rajo Bratislava, Senoble Zvolen and Gemermilk Rimavska Sobota.
Moldava nad Bodvou bans festival in Roma settlement
THE MUNICIPALITY of Moldava nad Bodvou banned the festival called Moldava Spolu – Moldava Together that was to take place in the Budulovská Roma settlement of the town at the end of August.
Gov’t approves EU association agreements with Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine
THE GOVERNMENT gave its consent on August 20 to conclude EU Association Agreements with Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine, though be cleared by parliament and the president yet. The agreements as a whole represent the next step on the road to deeper political, economic and trade relations between EU and the three states, the TASR newswire wrote. The goal is to boost their political and institutional stability and aid their gradual economic integration into EU internal market, mostly by virtue of the Free Trade Zone. The Association Agreements do not represent an automatic initiation of the integration process, even though Moldova intends to acquire a candidacy status as soon as next year. The integration is conditioned with reforms in key spheres. EU leaders and member states signed the Association Agreements during EU summit on June 27, with Slovakia being represented by Prime Minister Robert Fico. As for Ukraine, only the trade part of the agreement was signed, as the political part was already inked earlier (on March 21).
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- 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
- News digest: Violent gang in Bratislava is under arrest
- 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
- 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 compass points to Kúty, and people are starting to follow
- The Kremlin’s security agency has a Russian contractor in Slovakia - no one has noticed
- 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 ›
