Foreigners in Slovakia, page 46
News and features on living in Slovakia
'Dutch approach' reflected in culture
THE NETHERLANDS is a country associated with some well-known symbols – among them tulips, windmills, and cheese – and artists like Rembrandt and Van Gogh.
The Dutch love for commuting by bike
ONCE Dutch children start walking they get their first tricycle and for the rest of their childhood they are given bigger and better bikes until they become financially independent – and then often buy even more expensive bicycles.
Global issues and European solutions
WALTER Lion believes in European solutions to most global challenges and explains that even when the financial and economic crises turned some Belgians into eurosceptics most of the population still believed that the country “needs more, not less, Europe”. The Belgian ambassador to Slovakia said that Benelux has been the cradle for regional cooperation and shared the example of Belgium even leasing prison facilities from the Netherlands when the need arose.
Dutch-owned firm stays in the black
THE SLOVAK construction market has been difficult. But Bratislava-based Dopravoprojekt, whose history dates back to 1949 and is now a member of Sudop Group, owned by Dutch Sudop International, managed to remain profitable.
Institutions of Belgium in Slovakia
The Embassy of Belgium in SlovakiaAmbassador: Walter Lionwww.diplomatie.be/bratislava
Some companies with Dutch capital in Slovakia
Ahold, www.ahold.skBusiness Lease Slovakia,www.businesslease.sk Dopravoprojekt,www.dopravoprojekt.sk Heineken Slovensko,www.heinekenslovensko.sk Hypernova,www.hypernova.sk Inalfa Roof Systems Slovakia,www.inalfa-roofsystems.com ING Bank N.V.,www.ing.sk Leaf Slovakia,www.leaf.eu LeasePlan Slovakia,www.leaseplan.sk PWC,www.pwc.sk Probugas,www.probugas.sk TMF Services Slovakia,www.tmf-group.com Union Poisťovňa,www.union.sk VVMZ,www.vvmz.com
The Netherlands: General facts
Political system: Constitutional monarchyCapital: Amsterdam (however, the parliament and the monarch reside in The Hague)Total area: 41,526 square kilometresPopulation: about 16.5 millionOfficial language: DutchCurrency: euro
Some companies with Belgian capital in Slovakia
Aspel Slovakia,www.aspel-group.comBekaert,www.bekaert.com CESAM,www.cesam.sk ČSOB Banka,www.csob.sk Deltrian,www.deltrian.com Dhollandia,www.dhollandia.be EIC Group,www.eastic.sk Plastiflex Slovakia,www.plastiflex.com VGD - AVOS,www.vgd.eu/sk-sk VMA Slovakia,www.vma.be Topcom,www.topcom.net
Belgium invites Slovak investors
BELGIUM and Slovakia, while still some distance apart in terms of their economic heft, are similar in being open and export-oriented countries with growing economies. They are both members of the EU and the eurozone. While Slovakia is not high in the ranking of Belgium’s main trading partners, several Belgian companies are deeply rooted in Slovakia and others are eyeing investment opportunities here.
Dutch firm to operate D1 Outlet City
THE FIRST outlet centre due to open in Slovakia, the D1 Outlet City near Senec, will be operated by the Dutch company Stable. The company has previous experience in outlet operations in the Dutch and German markets.
Belgium: General facts
Political system: Federal parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchyCapital: BrusselsTotal area: 30,528 square kilometresPopulation: over 10.5 millionOfficial languages: French, Dutch, GermanCurrency: euro
ING backs out of leasing in Slovakia
ING Bank has chosen to back out of provisional leasing services via ING Lease in Slovakia and the Czech Republic. The bank made the decision following a strategic analysis, the SITA newswire reported in late May.
Les SlovaKs' Journey Home
BELGIUM has been hailed as a ‘Mecca for dance’ by a group of five Slovak dancers who currently work and perform there. They study, dance, work and give workshops individually, but cooperate under the name Les SlovaKs. They have created two pieces, Opening Night (premiered in 2007), and Journey Home (premiered in 2009).
Institutions of the Netherlands in Slovakia
Royal Netherlands EmbassyAmbassador: Daphne Bergsmawww.holandskoweb.com
Automotive, energy, telecoms and more
FRANCE is a well-established investor in Slovakia, even though it is not a direct neighbour and the two countries differ significantly in geographical size as well as population. French investors have focused especially on the automotive, energy, and telecoms industries, but pharmaceuticals, chemicals and metallurgy are also now attracting their interest. The two countries enjoy thriving and growing trade; the balance of trade favours Slovakia.
Bongrain dairy firms merge
TWO FIRMS in Slovakia that process milk and produce cheeses – Milex Nové Mesto nad Váhom and Liptovská Mliekareň – will be merged, with Milex becoming the successor company according to officials of Bongrain, a French firm that controls both companies in Slovakia. The merger was announced on June 12 and will take effect on July 1, the SITA newswire reported.
SSE announces new CEO
SSE, Stredoslovenská Energetika, which supplies electricity to almost 700,000 customers in central Slovakia, has a new CEO, with Antoine Jourdain replacing Pierre Chazerain in the post. Chazerain, who served in the SSE post for more than four years, will take a management position in the headquarters of SSE’s parent company, Electricité de France in Paris, according to a news release from Jana Bolibruchová, SSE’s spokeswoman, as reported by the SITA newswire.
Culture as a way to foster mutual understanding
JEAN-Marie Bruno believes that knowledge of the language is important to probe deeply into the culture of others. But as a first step, it is the attraction of one’s culture that precedes language learning and not vice versa. The French ambassador to Slovakia is an advocate of multilingualism and he suggests that young Slovaks should be encouraged to learn at least two foreign languages during their studies at an early age, when learning is easier.
Peugeot 208, Trnava-made
PSA Peugeot Citroën, the French carmaker that invested in Slovakia seven years ago by building a car assembly plant in Trnava, launched production of the new Peugeot 208 model here last November. This is the third car model assembled in Trnava.
AXA sees growth coming in Slovakia
THE AXA Group, a French firm active in insurance, banking and pension savings, thinks Slovakia and the Czech Republic are countries with a potential for high growth.
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