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Meciar Will Campaign Travelling Around Slovakia, Maybe With New Song

Bratislava, March 7 (TASR) - When we are listed on the slate, we are not young or old - we're just candidates for MPs, said LS-HZDS chairman Vladimir Meciar on Sunday at a national assembly of the Democratic Youth Forum (DFM), a political organisation affiliated with HZDS. "Of course, I will go through the whole of Slovakia during the campaign, because it is the most… read more

Mikolaj: School Headmaster May Lose Job if Patriot Act Is Not Followed

(STV, March 7, 'O pat minut dvanast') A headmaster of a school failing to abide by the provisions of the Patriot Act, as drafted by the Slovak National Party and enacted by Parliament earlier this week, may lose their job, Education Minister Jan Mikolaj (SNS) said on Slovak Television's (STV) politics show 'O 5 Minut 12' ('5 Minutes to 12') on Sunday. "The State… read more

Meciar Confirmed as HZDS Election Leader

Ruzomberok, March 6 (TASR) - Vladimir Meciar is the leader of the list of candidates heading for the general election on June 12 on the LS-HZDS slate, it was decided by more than 220 delegates of the party's nomination session in Ruzomberok (Zilina region) on Saturday. Parliament vice-chairman Tibor Csabaj has become second, followed by MP Milan Rehak, party vice-chair… read more

Csaky: SMK Aims for Nine Percent of Votes in General Election

Bratislava, March 6 (TASR) - Ethnic-Hungarian SMK party aims to receive at least nine percent of votes in the general election due in June, SMK head Pal Csaky told a press conference following a session of the party's country-wide council on Saturday. The council has also adopted the party's election programme, with the programe to embrace five or six new topics, said… read more

Slovak GDP to Be Especially Influenced by Czech and German Economy

Bratislava, March 6 (TASR) - The development of the Slovak economy in 2010 will especially depend on the foreign demand, general director of the Statistics Office's (SU) department of macroeconomics statistics Frantisek Bernadic told TASR on Saturday, adding that certain revitalising in this respect already took place in the final quarter of 2009. "The development of… read more

Slota: Slovakia\'s Sovereignty Questioned from Country\'s South

Komarno, March 6 (TASR) - Slovakia's sovereignty is being questioned primarily by people from southern Slovakia, while representatives of SMK and Most-Hid parties, who follow orders from Budapest, speak openly about a political autonomy, Slovak National Party (SNS) chairman Jan Slota said on Saturday. Slota was speaking at a ceremonial conference in the southern Slovak… read more

Meciar: HZDS Offers New Programme, Paths and Hope to Overcome Crisis

Ruzomberok, March 6 (TASR) - Slovakia has fallen into a crisis after 20 years again and now it needs a new programme, new paths and new hope. All of this is being offered by LS-HZDS party, said HZDS chairman Vladimir Meciar during his speech at the party's nomination session in Ruzomberok (Zilina region) on Saturday. "I'm glad to be the chairman of this party and to be… read more

Oravec: Improvement of Entrepreneurial Environment Would Help Economy

Bratislava, March 5 (TASR) - The economic contraction of 4.7 percent of GDP in 2009 wasn't as bad as expected thanks to government stimulation packages for the economies of Slovakia's most significant business partners, president of the Association of Slovak Entrepreneurs (ZPS) Jan Oravec told TASR on Friday. "The revival of foreign demand occurred earlier (than expected),… read more

Number of Slovaks Living Abroad Has Risen Significantly Since 1991

Bratislava, March 5 (TASR) - The estimated number of Slovaks living abroad is 2.237 million, according to data compiled by statistics offices, associations of Slovaks living abroad, the Foreign Affairs Ministry and consulates in 2008, TASR was told by the Office of Slovaks Living Abroad on Friday. The biggest increase in the number of Slovaks abroad between 1991 and 2008… read more

CoE: 20-percent Threshold for Use of Minority Languages Is Too High

Bratislava, March 5 (TASR) - The Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe is unhappy with the requirement that states that ethnic minorities living within a certain area in Slovakia must make up at least 20 percent of the population in order to have the right to use their own language in official contacts, TASR learnt on Friday. The Committee pointed out that inhabitants… read more

Bauer: Slovakia Second Worst in EU for Salary Discrimination

Bratislava, March 5 (TASR) - Despite the fact that the Treaties of Rome already stipulate the right to the same rewards for the same work, discrimination in this respect still prevails in EU-member states when it comes to gender, said Slovak MEP Edit Bauer (ethnic-Hungarian SMK) on Friday after a discussion entitled 'Stop the Violation of Women's Rights'. "It's coming… read more

Office of Government Proxy for Roma Communities Rejects UN Criticism

Bratislava, March 5 (TASR) - Slovakia is proceeding in line with international legislation and conventions, dealing intensively with the problems of its citizens in all spheres, including the elimination of all forms of racial discrimination, TASR was told by Iveta Duchonova from the Office of the Government Proxy for Roma Communities in Slovakia on Friday. Duchonova… read more

More Than 240 Slovak Soldiers Heading for ISAF and KFOR Missions

Michalovce, March 5 (TASR) - A group of 246 soldiers, including four women, who are set to leave for foreign missions this month took part in a ceremony in Michalovce (Kosice region) on Friday. Until September 2010, 106 Slovak soldiers will serve in the ISAF operation in Afghanistan. Their main role in the Afghan towns of Tarin Kowt and Deh Rawood in Uruzgan province… read more

Transport Ministry Suspends Air Slovakia\'s Licence Until April 30

Bratislava, March 5 (TASR) - The Transport Ministry on Friday decided to suspend troubled airline Air Slovakia's licence to operate flights, ministry spokesman Stanislav Jurikovic told TASR on Friday. The move came in the wake of a decision by the Aviation Bureau on Monday to suspend the carrier's Air Operating Certificate (AOC) until the end of April. The ministry… read more

Gasparovic: Raising Issue of Benes Decrees Is Irresponsible

Bratislava, March 5 (TASR) - Slovakia doesn't view it as fortunate or responsible in the political cut and thrust to raise antiquated historical issues with which Europe and the world have already come to terms, a spokesman for Slovak President Ivan Gasparovic told TASR on Friday in reaction to recent statements by Austrian President Heinz Fischer on the Benes Decrees. Earlier… read more