OtherOther Economy

Government Approves Proposal to Cut Diesel Tax by 11.3 cents per Litre (UPDATE)

Bratislava, January 15 (TASR) - A Finance Ministry proposal to cut excise-tax on diesel - by 11.3 cents per litre rather than the originally planned 9 cents - was approved by the Government on Friday. The measure is due to be fast-tracked in Parliament and become effective as early as February 1 of this year. "The main reason to produce the proposal was to eliminate… read more

Sramko at OECD to Focus Mainly on Removing Damage Caused by Crisis

Bratislava, January 15 (TASR) - Former governor of Slovakia's central bank (NBS) Ivan Sramko said on Friday that his work this year as Slovak ambassador to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in Paris will mainly be focused on the impacts of the global economic crisis. "In 2010, the most important thing will be to pick the right tools to… read more

SDKU: Economy and Construction Ministries Could Be Scrapped Right Now

Bratislava, January 15 (TASR) - The strongest opposition party SDKU-DS is convinced that the Economy and Construction Ministries could be done away with in order to achieve the more efficient running of public administration, and that this step could be taken immediately. In addition, SDKU proposes that the post of vice-premier without portfolio, i.e. the one responsible… read more

Cabinet Rejects Opposition Initiative Aimed at Dismissing Vazny

Bratislava, January 15 (TASR) - The Government at an extraordinary session on Friday rejected the Opposition's proposal to dismiss Transport Minister Lubomir Vazny. Ministers view the reasons that opposition MPs listed as justifying the dismissal as purpose-built, manufactured and untrue. Based on the submitted proposal of a group of MPs that was delivered to Parliamentary… read more

EU-harmonised Inflation at Zero in December for Second Month in Row

Bratislava, January 15 (TASR) - Slovak annual EU-harmonised inflation stood at zero for the second consecutive month in December, the Statistics Office said on Friday. The biggest price rises were in healthcare - 7.5 percent, and in alcoholic beverages and tobacco - 7.4 percent. Major deflation was seen in food and non-alcoholic beverages - 5.1 percent, household furnishings… read more

Sefcovic Rejects Claims on His Alleged Anti-Roma Statements

Brussels, January 14 (TASR, correspondent) - Slovakia's EU Commissioner Maros Sefcovic rejects allegations made by two Hungarian members of the European Parliament on his alleged statements directed against the Roma, TASR was told by head of the Office of the Slovak Delegation in the European Parliament's Socialist Group Gabriella Keckesova. Hungarian MEPs Livia Jaroka… read more

Zapatero Visits Slovakia at Start of Spain\'s Presidency of EU

Bratislava, January 14 (TASR) - Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero meeting his Slovak counterpart Robert Fico on Thursday congratulated Slovakia on its economic growth in the face of the severe global economic crisis. Slovakia has seen its economy grow in recent times, and it is expected to grow still further, said Zapatero, who is on a one-day visit… read more

MPs See SNS Legislative Bills as Pre-Election Gimmick

Bratislava, January 14 (TASR) - The new legislative proposals to reinstitute the death penalty and bolster the protection of the republic in Slovakia has been roundly criticised as a pre-election gimmick by Coalition and Opposition MPs shortly after the Slovak National Party (SNS) presentation earlier on Thursday. Representatives from SNS's coalition partners Smer-SD… read more

Tomanova Dismisses Opposition Claims about Social Enterprises

Bratislava, January 14 (TASR) - Labour, Social Affairs and the Family Minister Viera Tomanova on Thursday dismissed Opposition criticism of the so-called social enterprises receiving government subsidies in exchange for having at least 30 percent of staff from the ranks of people hard-pressed to find work. Tomanova complained that opposition parties such as SDKU-DS has… read more

Slota: Ministry May Never Sell 15 Million Tonnes of Emissions

Bratislava, January 14 (TASR) - The Environment Ministry failed to sell 15 million tonnes of emission quotas last year - even though it was obliged to do so based on a Government decision - and it's not ruled out that these quotas will actually never be sold, said chairman of the Slovak National Party (SNS) Jan Slota on Thursday. "It's been 'I don't know how long' that… read more

Kalinak: KDH Waging Discreditation Campaign Against Interior Ministry

Kosice, January 14 (TASR) - The explosive that travelled undetected on board a plane from Poprad (Presov region) to Dublin kicked off long-prepared processes aimed at discrediting the Interior Ministry, the Slovak Police Corps and Smer-SD party, Interior Minister (Smer nominee) Robert Kalinak said in Kosice on Thursday. "The media are receiving anonymous announcements,… read more

FinMin Brands Bankers\' Reaction to Proposed Changes as Hysterical

Bratislava, January 14 (TASR) - Finance Ministry State Secretary Peter Kazimir labelled the Slovak Banking Association's (SBA) reaction to a Government-approved initiatives on consumer loans and amendment to the Banks Act as "hysterical", TASR learnt on Thursday. SBA president Igor Vida said earlier in the day that the Government doesn't respect the proper legislative… read more

Roma Community: Sefcovic Always Ready to Foster Roma Projects

Bratislava, January 14 (TASR) - Representatives of Roma communities in Slovakia are protesting against the way that Slovak EU Commissioner Maros Sefcovic's attitude towards the Roma has been presented by Hungarian members of the European Parliament Livia Jaroka and Jozsef Szajer, TASR learnt on Thursday. Jaroka and Szajer claim that Sefcovic, when speaking at a conference… read more

Restoring Death Penalty among Legislative Initiatives Proposed by SNS

Bratislava, January 14 (TASR) - Slovakia's Nationalist Party (SNS), a member of the Government coalition, has unveiled two legislative proposals to reinstitute the death penalty and strengthen the protection of the republic. "The media may construe this initiative as pre-election gimmick but the party could care less," party chief Jan Slota said after a meeting of SNS… read more

Lipsic: Cleaning Tender at Ministry Looks Ready-made for One Company

Bratislava, January 14 (TASR) - Opposition Christian Democrat (KDH) MP Daniel Lipsic is convinced that the latest tender for cleaning, construction-assembly and other works run by the Interior Ministry raises many questions. He said at a news conference on Thursday that these uncertainities are arousing suspicion that the tender is overpriced and "made" for one specific… read more