List of author's articles, page 17
"The media business doesn't interest me"
THE MAN behind the recent ownership changes at the TA3 and JOJ private TV stations, Ivan Kmotrík, is notoriously media shy, for all that he is a flamboyant character in private. The interview he gave the Spex magazine in January 2006 remains the only occasion on which he has ever gone on the record with more than a few terse sentences.
Slovakia's enterprising leaders
A LUCRATIVE housing development project in the village of Rusovce near Bratislava, in which Prime Minister Robert Fico once had a 51 percent stake, is set to go ahead this year.
Labour Code to give power to employees
The business community is awaiting the Fico government's labour law reform with foreboding, having already been told that the rights of workers and of organized labour will be strengthened. The Slovak Spectator discussed the changes, planned for the spring of 2007, with Deputy Labour Minister Emília Kršíková, who is heading up the Labour Ministry team rewriting the legislation.
Ministry takes frank look at business environment
WHILE the Robert Fico government has so far pleased the business community by not following through on some of its more radical left-wing promises last year, such as rolling back economic reforms and re-introducing graduated taxation, entrepreneurs are looking towards 2007 with trepidation.
EU nervous as Bulgaria, Romania join
THOUSANDS of Bulgarians and Romanians jammed the downtown cores of Sophia and Bucharest on December 31 to do more than just ring in the New Year - they were there to celebrate their entry to the European Union as the bloc's 26th and 27th members, more than 17 years after the end of communism.
Nation's Memory Institute evicted
THE NATIONAL Memory Institute (ÚPN), which administers former communist files as well as information relating to Slovakia's fascist past, has received notice from the Justice Ministry to vacate its current premises in Bratislava.
Welcome (back) to the European club!
AS BUCHAREST and Sophia prepared for a mass celebration of the entry of Bulgaria and Romania to the European Union on January 1, The Slovak Spectator visited Bulgarian Ambassador Ognian Garkov and Romanian Ambassador Valerica Epure to get their thoughts on one of the most significant moments in the modern histories of their countries.
How they voted on December 2, and who won where
IN ELECTIONS to Slovakia's municipal councils and mayoral seats, 2,052,003 people took part out of the country's 4,306,280 registered voters, for a turnout of 47.65 percent.This was the lowest turnout in Slovakia's post-1989 history. However, it was considered a success in that predictions of a turnout around 30 percent were not borne out.
Slota's fall leads list of surprises
SOME OF the most interesting results in December 2 elections came from Slovakia's regions, including the end of the 16-year reign of nationalist leader Ján Slota in Žilina and the victory of Bratislava lawyer Pavol Hagyari in Prešov.
Referee blows whistle on football corruption
THE FIRST Slovak football referee to speak publicly about corruption in the game has spilled the beans with a vengeance, alleging that bribery is rampant at all levels of the game.
Fico rejects raising retirement age
PRIME Minister Robert Fico rejected reports that his government was considering raising the retirement age to 65 on November 29, saying such a step would be in conflict with the cabinet's program aims.
New investment rules approved
THE FICO government approved a new set of rules for providing investment stimuli at its regular session on November 29, and vowed to put existing investment projects on a fast-track approval process until the end of the year, when EU investment rules are due to change again.
The old guard returns
THE APPOINTMENTS made to the boards of the Transpetrol oil transport company at an extraordinary shareholders meeting on November 20 have been criticized by the political opposition as a return to the 1994-1998 Vladimír Mečiar era.
Mikuláš or the Devil: Poslúchali ste?
BACK IN 2002, when I bought a Devil's mask for Halloween, I used to amuse our son, then three, by slipping it on at the most unexpected moments. You know, he's on the can, his little legs stuck straight out, humming to himself or something, when a hand reaches around the door and switches the light off.
Resort operators optimistic about holidays
WITH the Slovakia economy booming along with 9.8 percent growth in the third quarter, and the country's reputation as a tourist destination beginning to take hold, at least within Central Europe, holiday resort operators and travel agencies were upbeat about this year's tourism prospects.
Looking for something to do on New Year's?
EVERYONE knows that irritating feeling - New Year's is approaching, and you haven't got a clue how you're going to spend the evening.You resent the cultural obligation of having to do something special, but at the same time wish you had an answer to the question all your friends are asking: What are you doing for New Year's?
State came out second best on SE sale, Fico says
PRIME Minister Robert Fico says he is convinced that Slovakia could have got more money and better terms in the sale of the Slovenské Elektrárne (SE) electricity utility earlier this year, and intends to find out whether the former government deliberately arranged a sweet deal for the buyer.
Police hunt killers among their own ranks
POLICE have arrested one man and are searching for two others who executed a businessman on November 14 during a home invasion in Central Slovakia's Polomka. To the nation's general dismay, two of the murderers are former policemen, and one is a current member of the elite police 'black masks' unit.
Inflation down for second month running
ACCORDING to a European Commission forecast published in the first week of November, Slovakia will miss its January 2009 target for adopting the euro because its inflation rate will be well over the maximum allowed.
Pricing changes not as Draconian as feared
THANKS to the European Commission, major industrial energy consumers will not be allowed to nominate representatives to the independent ÚRSO energy market regulator in future, nor will the government be able to fire ÚRSO bureaucrats at will if it dislikes their decisions.
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- Slovakia’s public finances remain in deep trouble More articles ›
