OtherOther Economy

Finance Ministry Proposes Cuts in Managers\' Pays in State Companies

Bratislava, October 4 (TASR) - Austerity measures introduced by the Government on Thursday should also lead to cuts in managerial salaries in state-owned companies, says the 'Proposal on measures to increase effectiveness of the public sector and improve the state of public finances', a document drafted by the Finance Ministry. "The rules on remuneration for managers… read more

Parliament Discussing Merger of Public Radio and Television Outlets

Bratislava, November 4 (TASR) - Opposition Smer-SD MP Jan Podmanicky assumes that Culture Minister Daniel Krajcer (SaS) has violated the law when submitting a bill on Slovak Radio (SRo) and Slovak Television (STV) merging into a brand new public broadcaster Radio and Television Slovakia (RTS) via a fast-tracked procedure in Parliament. "There are no reasons to have it… read more

Radicova: I\'m Spokesperson for Rule of Law That\'s Corruption-Free

Bratislava, November 4 (TASR) - "I'm a spokesperson for the rule of law that's clientelism- and corruption-free," Prime Minister Iveta Radicova (SDKU-DS) said in response to a question posed by Smer-SD MP Branislav Ondrus during the Question Hour in Parliament on Thursday. In his question, the Smer-SD MP accused Radicova of taking the position of a spokesperson for two… read more

Parliament Approves Unfreezing of MPs\' Salaries

Bratislava, November 4 (TASR) - MPs' salaries should be reduced by two times the public finance deficit in percentage terms. Before this, however, MPs' salaries must be unfrozen, according to a bill approved by Parliament in first reading on Thursday. The bill, submitted by Parliamentary Chairman Richard Sulik (Freedom and Solidarity/SaS), includes a proposal to reduce… read more

Interior Ministry Disbands Special Team Investigating Tupy\'s Murder

Bratislava, November 4 (TASR) - Interior Ministry as of November 1 disbanded the special team that investigated the murder of student Daniel Tupy, which occurred in Bratislava five years ago, Aktualne.sk website reported on Thursday. The police haven't scrapped the case, however. "The investigation continues, but now at the Bureau for Combating Organised Crime, under… read more

UPN Launches Electronic Library on Its Website

Bratislava, November 3 (TASR) - The National Memory Institute (UPN) launched the UPN Electronic Library project on its internet website www.upn.gov.sk on Wednesday, TASR learned from UPN spokesman Jan Palffy. Thus, as one of the first institutions in Slovakia to do so, UPN is publishing materials in the PDF digital format that have been sold-out and hence unavailable.… read more

Government Revises This Year\'s Budget. Deficit Reaching 7.84% of GDP

Bratislava, November 3 (TASR) - Government on Wednesday passed an amendment to this year's State Budget Act that reckons on a significantly higher deficit. The Finance Ministry explains this by saying that parameters of the budget (passed by the previous Government) and the economic reality differ remarkably. The public finance deficit for this year was planned to be… read more

Slovakia to Deploy Elite Paratroopers in Afghanistan for the First Time

Bratislava, November 3 (TASR) - For the first time in history, Slovakia will deploy the Fifth Regiment from Zilina to the ISAF military operation in Afghanistan. "This regiment will contribute to the training of Afghan security forces," said Defence Minister Lubomir Galko after the Government's session on Wednesday. Aside from providing security for the Coalition forces… read more

Slovakia\'s Loaf-shaped Sheep\'s Cheese Receives EU\'s TSG Label

Brussels, November 3 (TASR) - Slovakia's traditional loaf-shaped sheep's cheese from the sheepfold (Ovci hrudkovy syr - salasnicky) is to be included among the EU's so-called "traditional specialities guaranteed" (TSG), according to a decision made by the European Commission on Wednesday. The inclusion of the product on the TSG list won't prevent Slovakia-based firms… read more

PAS: Entrepreneurial Environment Improves for First Time Since 2006

Bratislava, November 3 (TASR) - The entrepreneurial environment in Slovakia improved slightly in the third quarter of 2010, Slovak Business Alliance (PAS) senior analyst Matej Tunega said on Wednesday. The Business Environment Index (IPP) rose to 91.9 points between July-September, up 0.39-percent on 2Q10, the first rise in the index since July 2006, when the government… read more

Government Okays Merger of STV and SRo

Bratislava, November 3 (TASR) - The Government on Wednesday approved the proposed Slovak Radio and Television Act, which is aimed at merging Slovak Television (STV) and Slovak Radio (SRo) into a single public service institution as of January 1. Also okayed was a proposal to deal with the bill via a fast-tracked procedure in Parliament, with the Government pointing to… read more

Slovakia and Germany Are Likely to Co-Operate in Military Education

Bratislava, November 2 (TASR) - Slovakia and Germany will probably co-operate in the field of education of their military officers, Defence Minister Lubomir Galko and German ambassador to Slovakia Axel Hartmann made a preliminary agreement on Tuesday. Galko appreciated the offer of Germany to be involved in language education and military expert training. "Thirty soldiers… read more

Coalition Without Agreement on Joint Candidate for Prosecutor General

Bratislava, November 2 (TASR) - The four governing parties (SDKU-DS, Freedom and Solidarity/SaS, the Christian Democrats/KDH and Most-Hid) didn't reach an agreement on a joint candidate for prosecutor general, Premier Iveta Radicova (SDKU-DS) announced after the Coalition Council session on Tuesday. The trio of SaS, KDH and Most-Hid will therefore most probably give its… read more

Finance Ministry: Proposal to Tax Banks Ignores Negative Impact

Bratislava, November 2 (TASR) - The Finance Ministry said on Tuesday that it disagrees with the proposal drafted by the opposition Smer-SD party to introduce special levies on banks and that it won't recommend that this measure should be passed in Parliament. "The proposal ignores the ongoing European discussion, contains technical imperfections, and is even based on… read more

Nagy: Emissions Scandal Could Be Handed Over to Criminal Justice

Bratislava, November 2 (TASR) - Newly-appointed Environment Minister Jozsef Nagy (Most-Hid) wants to decide by the end of the year how to resolve the scandal linked to the sale of Slovakia's carbon-dioxide emission quotas by the former ministry leadership. "This is a very complex problem and our legal department is analysing our options at the moment," Nagy told journalists… read more