Archive of articles - October 2014, page 8
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Truckers call for bigger discounts
MOTOR carriers united in the Slovak Union of Motor Carriers (UNAS) are calling for a change in the draft bill on a road tax proposing more generous discounts for green vehicles, as well as to reduce the tax to the level valid in the Czech Republic. Otherwise, they are afraid that most carriers will leave Slovakia by the end of the year. The draft revision has advanced to the second reading in the Slovak Parliament and legislators are expected to discuss it during the session starting on October 14, the TASR newswire reported.
Rail transport segment faces big changes
TURBULENT times are coming to Slovak passenger rail transport as two private Czech companies, RegioJet and Leo Express, will enter the lucrative long-distance transport between Košice-Bratislava and Prague. The first clashes between RegioJet and state-run passenger carrier Železničná Spoločnosť Slovensko (ZSSK) have already occurred.
Countrywide Events
Western SLOVAKIA
Glossary: Dual education is making a comeback
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 Dual education is making a comeback, you can find more expressions in our Glossary for politics & business or in the List of names of institutions in English and Slovak.
Investigative reporting still stands out
DEEPLY researched investigative reports of great importance cannot be replaced by tweets or blogs, says Walt Bogdanich, a three-time Pulitzer Prize winner for his investigative reports published in major American media outlets. Even when newsrooms find themselves in financial straits, they should not look at cutting back on investigative work, he adds. Bogdanich responded to the questions of The Slovak Spectator on investigative reporting, and also about the challenges of media ownership that Slovakia faces. He communicated via e-mail in advance of his own visit to Slovakia.
Human traffickers target Roma
ROMA living in segregated settlements become the most frequent victims of human trafficking in Slovakia. The most endangered groups are young people aged 16-25 and men aged 25-35, the study of the People in Need Slovakia humanitarian organisation showed.
Some transport and logistics companies in Slovakia
-Dachser Slovakia, www.dachser.sk-DHL Freight, www.dhlfreight.sk-Gebrüder Weiss, www.gw-world.sk-Gefco Slovakia, www.gefco.sk-Kuehne + Nagel, www.kuehne-nagel.sk-Metrans /Danubia/, www.metrans.eu-DB Schenker, www.dbschenker.com/sk-TNT Slovensko, www.tnt.sk
Koniec
“LESS MIGHTY than the Russian KGB, less notorious than the East German Stasi, and less feared than the Romanian Securitate, Štátna Bezpečnosť (ŠtB) was nonetheless a cornerstone of communist Czechoslovakia,” read the opening line of the first Word of the Week column, written in March 2009. With one or two exceptions, you could find it in every issue since. Now comes the end (koniec) of it, at least in its current form.
Three Slovak firms among 50 fastest growing tech companies
THE FASTEST growing tech firm in Slovakia is Powerplay Manager, the fee to play on-line sport manager game followed by WebSupport internet company and software producer Innovatrics, according to CE Technology Fast 50 chart of Deloitte, the SITA newswire reported.
Case of girl tortured to death uncovered system shortcomings
GRAVE sentences were pronounced over the mother and the stepfather of Lucka, a 5-year-old girl the tortured to death October 16. However, the state has still does not done enough to prevent such cases in the future, according to observers.
Government introduced measures for unemployed and students
The Government has introduced two other measures from the so-called social package, namely, the option to receive simultaneous welfare payments and wages, and cuts in social security and health insurance payments for students working under work agreements (“dohoda”), Prime Minister Robert Fico said at a press conference on October 16.
Whistleblowers to get protection starting in January
PARLIAMENT passed the Whistleblower Act, drafted by the Interior Ministry and designed to provide protection for whistleblowers. The legislation was passed by 115 out of 128 lawmakers present on October 16.
UPDATED: Two Slovaks missing in Himalayas after avalanche
A group of Slovak climbers had to be rescued after a massive snowstorm in Nepal, in the area around the Mt Dhaulagiri, as did three of their Nepalese mountain guides. During a trek on October 14, a strong snowstorm hit the base-camp under Dhaulagiri. Eight Slovaks were rescued by October 15, while two others – along with three Nepalese trek leaders – were still missing October 16.
Cabinet clears money for food inspections
The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development asked for a special allocation from the state budget of €827,790 for intensified food inspections.
Minimum wage to rise some 8 percent in 2015
The minimum monthly wage in Slovakia should rise from €352 in 2014 to €380 (€2.184 per hour) in 2015, which represents an increase of 7.95 percent, according to a proposal approved by the Cabinet at its regular weekly session on October 15. The proposal was drawn up by the Labour, Social Affairs and the Family Ministry following the tripartite group’s (meaning government, employers and trade unions) inability to reach a consensus on the matter.
Scientists may organise protests against 2015 draft budget
Researchers from the Slovak Academy of Sciences (SAV) are unhappy with the budget draft for next year that slashes funding for the institution by 16.9 percent on an annual basis (and a decrease in finances for salaries of 10.2 percent), meaning a drop to €50.5 million for 2015, a decline in €10.3 million against this year. As a result, the scientists are planning to continue to denounce the budget, which they say may trigger SAV’s collapse – and they are not ruling out organising protests.
EC fines Slovak Telekom and Deutsche Telekom
THE EUROPEAN Commission fined Slovak Telekom (ST) and its parent company Deutsche Telekom AG €38.84 million for abusing its dominant position in the market with broadband services in Slovakia for more than five years. The aim, according to the EC, was to push ST rivals out of the market.
Šefčovič nominated to oversee energy union
EUROPEAN Commission President-elect Jean-Claude Juncker officially proposed that Slovak diplomat Maroš Šefčovič become the EC’s vice-president for energy union on October 15, the TASR newswire reported.
Ex-journalist Teleki sues state
FORMER journalist Jana Teleki sued Slovakia for the criminal prosecution she faced for 16 years, and asks for compensation at €500,000, the TASR newswire reported on October 15.
EC orders recovery of incompatible state aid from NCHZ and Fortischem
THE EUROPEAN Commission has concluded that the Slovak chemical company Novácke Chemické Závody (NCHZ) benefitted from incompatible state aid during its bankruptcy procedure and that this aid has to be paid back. Moreover, the investigation showed that Fortischem, which acquired practically the entire NCHZ business, is the economic successor of NCHZ and thus also benefitted from the aid. Therefore, both NCHZ and Fortischem are liable for paying back the aid, the EC informed in a press release on October 15.
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- Slovakia plans to restrict access to new medicines amid funding shortfall
- No more photos or bank statements? Slovakia moves to ease residence process More articles ›
