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Coalition Overcomes Bones of Contention in 2011 Budget

Bratislava, November 25 (TASR) - The leaders of the coalition parties at their session on Thursday resolved issues pertinent to next year's budget, reaching agreement after four hours of talks on several changes that will increase budget expenditures but also make up for this with extra incomes, TASR learnt on the same day. "The Government is submitting laws and a budget… read more

Slovakia Sending Clothes and Water Tanks Worth €83,000 to Afghanistan

Bratislava, November 25 (TASR) - Slovakia will provide material and humanitarian aid to people affected by natural disasters in Afghanistan's Uruzgan province, the Foreign Affairs Ministry press department told TASR on Thursday The total value of Slovakia's aid, which is made up of clothes and water tanks, will reach €83,000. "This is a clear political signal… read more

Gurria: Slovakia Showing Will for Discipline, Good Signal to Markets

Bratislava, November 25 (TASR) - Slovakia is on the right path towards consolidating its public finances, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Secretary-General Angel Gurria told Slovak Premier Iveta Radicova (SDKU-DS) at a meeting in Bratislava on Thursday. Gurria visited Slovakia into order to hand an OECD report on Slovakia's development to… read more

Expert Forecasts of Slovakia\'s GDP in 2010 Lower Than in November

Bratislava, November 25 (TASR) - Estimates made by bank analysts concerning Slovakia's economic growth in November, as collected and released by Slovakia's central bank (NBS), were slightly less optimistic than they were a month earlier, TASR learnt on Thursday. The experts predicted that the country's GDP will grow by 4 percent in fixed prices in 2010, which is 0.1 percentage… read more

State Secretary Jezovica Voices Support to Cuban Dissident

Bratislava, November 24 (TASR) - Foreign Affairs Ministry State Secretary Milan Jezovica (SDKU-DS) voiced support for activists fighting for freedom in Cuba on Wednesday. "I'd like to encourage you to represent a testimony on the regime – the memory and conscience of Cuba and the hope of Cuba," Jezovica told Cuban dissident Jose Luis Garcio Paneque. Peneque appreciated… read more

Pavol Demes Presents New Book on American-Slovak Relations

Bratislava, November 24 (TASR) - The US flag was symbolically lifted off 'Friend-Partner-Ally' as part of the book-warming of author Pavol Demes's new publication on the modern history of Slovak-American relations at the American Embassy in Bratislava on the occasion of 20th anniversary re-opening of the US Consulate building at Hviezdoslav Square on Wednesday. US Ambassador… read more

Stanek: Government\'s Plans to Squeeze Deficit Under 3% Unrealistic

Bratislava, November 24 (TASR) - The Slovak Government's resolve to squeeze the state deficit under 3 percent of GDP by 2013 is unrealistic, Slovak Academy of Sciences (SAV) economist Peter Stanek said at the 'Marcroeconomics by New Rules' conference in Bratislava on Wednesday. "The years 2011 and 2012 won't bring recovery of the budgetary balance – quite the contrary.… read more

Radicova: Slovakia Approves Irish Bailout and Offers Four Suggestions

Bratislava, November 24 (TASR) - Slovakia is ready to provide a loan to Ireland within the European Financial Safety Framework (EFSF), but has four suggestions for managing the situation, Prime Minister Iveta Radicova (SDKU-DS) said at a press conference on Wednesday. Firstly, "we insist ... that proceeding in this way can't be a long-term solution," said Radicova. If… read more

Radicova to Lead Slovak Delegation at Climate Conference in Mexico

Bratislava, November 24 (TASR) - Premier Iveta Radicova will head the Slovak delegation at the upcoming international climate conference in Cancun, Mexico, it was announced on Wednesday. The conference is set to take place between November 29-December 10, with top-level talks scheduled for the last three days of the event. At this point Radicova will present Slovakia's… read more

Slovakia to Boost Number of Troops in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Bratislava, November 24 (TASR) - Slovakia will boost its military contingent in Bosnia and Herzegovina as of January 2011 from the current 40 to 48 troops, with a respective proposal given the green light by the Cabinet at its session on Wednesday. A proposal on sending out 43 Slovak troops within the EU's ALTHEA mission is now waiting for approval in Parliament. The… read more

Slovak MPs Hold Meeting With Cuban Dissident in Parliament

Bratislava, November 23 (TASR) - Cuban dissident Jose Paneque, who despite spending seven years in prison in his homeland and now living in exile in Spain, is continuing his fight for democracy, including by looking for support in the Slovak Parliament on Tuesday. During a meeting with Slovak MPs, Paneque spoke about the current situation in Cuba, about government policies… read more

IMF Praises Slovakia\'s Public-finance Consolidation Package

Bratislava, November 23 (TASR) - The Government's goal of reducing Slovakia's public-finance deficit below 5 percent of GDP in 2011 and its related consolidation package is well set, according to a report by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) out on Tuesday. IMF representatives visited Slovakia back in October. In order to cut this year's estimated 8-percent… read more

IMF: Government Should Concentrate on Reform of Public Finances

Bratislava, November 23 (TASR) - Slovakia should prepare reforms of institutions operating in the sphere of public finances next year. These should include the drawing-up of new rules, the setting-up of a fiscal council that would oversee their observance, and the introduction of medium-term expenditure ceilings, International Monetary Fund (IMF) analysts have recommended.… read more

Radicova: All Coalition Parties Agreed on Centes\'s Nomination

Bratislava, November 22 (TASR) - Prime Minister Iveta Radicova (SDKU-DS) assured journalists on Monday that the nomination of Jozef Centes as the joint Coalition candidate for prosecutor-general is a result of an agreement between all Coalition parties (SDKU-DS, SaS, KDH and Most-Hid). Radicova stressed that there is no need for a written pledge of Coalition lawmakers… read more

Valko Was Close to Withdrawing Compensation Demand Before Murder

Bratislava, November 22 (TASR) - Recently-murdered lawyer Ernest Valko sent a letter to the Interior Ministry on July 1 demanding €1.6 million in compensation for being charged with blackmail in a high-profile land-dispute case involving the Vittek brothers, Interior Minister Daniel Lipsic stated on Monday. Lipsic noted that the charges were later dropped, and reaffirmed… read more