Is a deal finally in the pipeline?

DESPITE warnings not to let the Kremlin gain control of a 49 percent stake in the Transpetrol oil pipeline administrator, Slovakia has still not moved to recover the stake itself. Even if it now decided to do so, analysts say, it still might not meet a deadline of April 2007 to accomplish the transaction.

"I was raised to do good"

ONE OF the most colourful characters to be running anywhere in Slovakia for mayor, let alone in Bratislava, is Marián Kočner.Yes, the same Kočner who engaged an underworld security firm in his infamous takeover of the Markíza private TV station in 1998 - and who later forced the owner of the station, Pavol Rusko, to buy him out in an implicit admission of the justness of his claim.

Interview with Christophe Loungueville, Vice President of Sale and Marketing of porthus

Q: Can you explain the activities of Porthus?ChL: Porthus is an OnDemand IT solution provider, enabling organizations to manage their complex business processes across company boundaries. The company leverages innovative technologies and software solutions to enable its customers to interact and conduct business with their clients, employees, public authorities and business partners in a reliable, cost-effective and secure way.

Slovakia in fight for Sk16 billion investment

ECONOMY Minister Ľubomír Jahnátek has said he is determined to win a planned Sk16 billion (€430 million) investment by the South Korean electronics company Samsung for Slovakia over competing sites in Romania and Bulgaria, and visited the Asian country at the beginning of November to take his case directly to Samsung's top brass.

Záhumenský quits as conflict charges mount

THE FICO government sustained its first conflict of interest casualty when Deputy Agriculture Minister Marian Záhumenský resigned following reported improprieties.Prime Minister Robert Fico announced that Záhumenský had quit in a terse statement on October 31, saying he accepted the deputy minister's decision, but not explaining the reasons behind it.

Ján Počiatek: "sentiment is important"

WHEN he was appointed finance minister, his former colleagues from the Norwegian telecoms firm Telenor were as surprised as the Slovak expert public - pleasantly surprised, but nonetheless surprised.

Under pressure, judges must show courage and character

AN EXPERT discussion on the future of the Special Court for organized crime cases began on October 9. While the court's fate was not known by the time The Slovak Spectator went to print, it has already become a cause celebre in Slovakia, with its supporters claiming it symbolizes the country's campaign against the mafia, and its critics saying it is expensive and under-worked.

Miroslav Majoroš: "We accept market regulation, but it must be effective and support business development"

Euro-socialists suspend Fico's Smer party

DESPITE some last minute maneuvering to avoid sanctions, the Smer party of Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico was suspended from the Party of European Socialists (PES) on October 12 for its decision to form a government with the far-right Slovak National Party.

Fico budget stays on course for euro plan

THERE have been few clearer demonstrations of the power that Prime Minister Robert Fico wields over his cabinet than the fact that the draft state budget for 2007 - although it promises spending cuts for 10 of 14 ministries - was approved unanimously.

Schengen zone 2007 deadline still in play

THE EUROPEAN Union is to decide at its December summit whether to allow new member states to join its borderless Schengen travel zone by the original deadline of late 2007.

Talent war arrives in Central Europe as firms fight turnover

WITH EVER more firms saying they are having trouble finding workers in Slovakia and other Central European countries, keeping the employees they do have is becoming a major concern.

Interview with Rudolf Rusnák, Chairman of Supervisory Board Vice-president for Automotive

WHILE known mainly as a tire maker during its first 100 years of existence, the Slovak-owned Matador firm began to diversify with the decision of major foreign auto manufacturers to come to Slovakia, such as PSA Peugeot-Citroen (2003) and KIA (2004).

Lexa freed on Remiáš murder charge

SPECIAL Prosecutor Dušan Kováčik on September 22 drew the curtains on the final act in Slovakia's longest running political crime saga, the prosecution of former secret service chief Ivan Lexa for allegedly ordering an assassination while he ran the SIS from 1995 to 1998.

EU entrants no cure for Slovak brain drain

AS BULGARIA and Romania celebrated the promise of their admission to the European Union as of next year, Slovakia's top politicians declared that their country should open its labour market to the EU's newest members.

Special Court wins reprieve ...for now

JUSTICE Minister Štefan Harabin's plans to have parliament pass a law scrapping the Special Court for the most serious political and organized crime cases have been put on hold by the government.

Economy minister reveals tactics for energy price cuts

HIS EFFORTS to secure a reduction in energy prices in Slovakia by taking "tough measures" have both pleased the public and concerned investors. Finally, however, Economy Minister Ľubomír Jahnátek seems to have found a tool to achieve his price cuts without running roughshod over privatization contracts or selectively taxing energy companies.

Sony to invest Sk2.8 billion in Nitra

THE SONY electronics firm is to build a Sk2.8 billion factory for making TV sets in Nitra, about 40 kilometres from its plant in Trnava in western Slovakia, which the company plans to close at the same time.The new factory will employ about 3,000 people, many of whom will be recruited from the 1,500 who currently work for Sony in Trnava.

SNS: "Extremism" in Hungary a danger

AS RIGHT-WING protesters battled police in the streets of Budapest for the third night in a row, in Bratislava the ruling far-right Slovak National Party (SNS) warmed its hands over the flames, warning on September 21 of the spread of "extremism and chauvinism" in Hungary to its regional neighbours and the rest of Europe.