The Slovak parliament turned down an opposition initiative to amend the Postal Services Act. It was proposed by MP Ivan Štefanec from the Slovak Democratic Christian Union (SDKU) and would have reintroduced economic competition in the area of hybrid mail services and thus enable citizens, organizations and companies in Slovakia to freely choose the provider of these services, SITA newswire wrote.
Changes in the law initiated by the Slovak National Party (SNS) that became effective in February 2008 widened the monopoly of Slovenská pošta, Slovakia’s state-owned postal operator by preventing hybrid mail services to be provided by private firms. By doing so Slovakia violated European legislation on abusing dominant positions on the market, SITA quoted Štefanec as saying.
In October 2008 the European Commission (EC) ordered Slovakia to re-open the market for hybrid mail services to competition. The government has fully supported the monopoly of Slovenská pošta in hybrid mail, arguing that removing this monopoly would threaten its ability to perform some of its roles as defined by law, in particular the provision of a universal service across the whole country.
The EC subsequently took legal action against Slovakia on December 17, 2008 for not re-opening the hybrid mail market to competition.
Compiled by Michaela Stanková from press reports
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.
10. Feb 2009 at 14:00
