SLOVAKIA's dominant fixed-line telephone operator Slovak Telecom (ST) reported a slump in sales and profits for 2004, mainly because of a falling number of fixed-line customers.
ST's sales for 2004 were down 5.2 percent year-on-year to Sk16.8 billion (€444.4 million). The company's net profit was down 40 percent to Sk2.3 billion (€60.8 million), the Pravda daily wrote.
In 2004 ST lost 41,000 fixed-line customers. At the end of the year ST operated 970,000 fixed lines.
By the end of 2004 Slovak Telecom employed 6,069 workers. Throughout the year it laid off 1,300 people. There will be more lay-offs this year in a bid to increase labour productivity.
Compiled by Martina Jurinová from press reports
TheSlovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the informationpresented in its Flash News postings.
