OtherOther Economy

FinMin: State Budget Deficit Climbed to €3.4 billion in October

Bratislava, November 2 (TASR) - The state-budget deficit rose from €3.110 billion in September to €3.373 billion in October, the Finance Ministry announced on Tuesday. The deficit was more than double the figure recorded in October 2009, which stood at €1.537 billion. A total deficit of €3.746 billion is projected for the whole of 2010, with the figure… read more

Jozsef Nagy Becomes New Environment Minister

Bratislava, November 2 (TASR) - President Ivan Gasparovic on Tuesday morning appointed Jozsef Nagy as a new boss of the re-emerged Environment Ministry. Nagy received the decree of appointment in Presidential Palace. The Environment Ministry ceased to exist as a stand-alone authority as of July 1, when its agenda merged with that under the Agriculture Ministry. Four months… read more

First World War Dead Remembered at Bratislava\'s Military Cemetery

Bratislava, November 1 (TASR) - A moment of silence was observed on Monday in memory of the 331 soldiers and prisoners of war of nine ethnic groups who died in the First World War and were buried at the military cemetery in the Bratislava borough of Petrzalka near the Slovak-Austrian border, TASR learnt on the same day. The soldiers laid to rest at the cemetery fought… read more

Slovakia to Boost Contingent in Afghanistan to 348 Troops

Bratislava, November 1 (TASR) - Slovakia's contingent within the ISAF operation in Afghanistan is to be boosted from the current number of 314 servicemen to 348, according to a proposal to this effect drafted by the Defence Ministry. The proposal is to be discussed at a Government session in the near future. A total of 299 Slovak troops are serving in the mission at the… read more

Kosice as City of Culture Features in Municipal Election Campaign

Kosice, November 1 (TASR) - Kosice as the European Capital of Culture in 2013, a designation bestowed on the city two years ago, is featured prominently in the programmes of the candidates for the post of city mayor in the local elections due in November. "Kosice will have to show the whole of Europe in two years' time that it deserves this designation. Considering that… read more

Simon: Higher Prices Compensating Farmers\' Flood Damage

Bratislava, October 30 (TASR) - Slovakia's agriculture will suffer losses in 2010, but the economic results shouldn't be worse than in 2009, Agriculture Minister Zsolt Simon (Most-Hid) has observed. "I think agriculture will be in loss this year, but I hope that it won't be worse than last year... because whether we like it or not, the market reacts," Simon told TASR,… read more

Austrian Analyst: Price Level in Slovakia Approaching Austria

Vienna/Bratislava, October 30 (TASR) - Austrians' shopping tourism in Slovakia has fallen after Slovakia introduced euro almost two years ago, Peter Havlik from Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies has told TASR. At the same time, the price levels in the two countries are slowly balancing out, albeit the overall price level in Slovakia is still lower than… read more

Radicova: EU Crisis Mechanism Has Nothing to Do With Taxing Banks

(Slovak Radio, October 30, Sobotne dialogy) European Union's permanent crisis mechanism that should minimise the risk of emerging further financial crises will include rules for participation of the banking sector in the cost for potential problems. The issue of special taxation of banks has nothing to do with this, however, Prime Minister Iveta Radicova (SDKU-DS) emphasised… read more

Bratislava Airport to Operate Links to 19 Destinations in Winter

Bratislava, October 29 (TASR) - Bratislava's M.R. Stefanik airport will operate regular links to 19 destinations during this year's winter season. Hence, the passengers will be able to fly to Belgium, the Czech Republic, France, Ireland, Israel, Poland, Spain, Switzerland, Sweden, Italy and the United Kingdom, with one intrastate link to Kosice in operation as well. "Bratislava's… read more

Havlik: Euro Has Made Slovak Economy Stable

Vienna/Bratislava, October 29 (TASR) - Slovakia's economy won't see a repeat of the rapid growth that it experienced in 2006-08, but it's economy coped quite well with the economic crisis, Vienna Institute for International Economic Comparison chief economist Peter Havlik has told TASR. GDP is predicted to increase by a maximum of 3-5 percent in the next few years due… read more

NDS Opens R3 By-pass Around Trstena

Trstena, October 29 (TASR) - The National Highway Company (NDS) opened a new by-pass around the town of Trstena (Zilina region) on Friday afternoon. The more than 7-kilometre-long section of the R3 express road was completed almost a year ahead of schedule, with the total costs reaching around €40 million. "This will be a great relief for Trstena and the immediate… read more

Slovakia and Israel Interested in Developing Military Co-operation

Bratislava, October 29 (TASR) - Slovakia and Israel have declared interest in developing bilateral relations in a dynamic way, and Slovak Defence Minister Lubomir Galko in Bratislava on Friday submitted three options for co-operation to his Israeli counterpart Ehud Barak. "We've offered our partner the chance to use our specialised training facilities at the Specialised… read more

Slovakia and Israel Interested in Developing Military Co-operation

Extremists Try to Distrupt Unveiling of President Masaryk\'s Statue

Bratislava, October 28 (TASR) - The statue of the first Czechoslovak president Tomas Garrigue Masaryk was unveiled in front of Slovak National Museum in Bratislava on Thursday to commemorate the first Czechoslovak Republic of 1918-1939. The original bronze statue of a lion was removed to a different square to make place for the two-metre Masaryk statue, which was ceremoniously… read more

Norwegian Royal Couple Visiting Aluminium Producers Before Departure

Ziar nad Hronom, October 28 (TASR) - Norwegian King Harald V and Queen Sonja made their final stop in Slovakia at two aluminium producers based in Ziar nad Hronom (Banska Bystrica region) with Norwegian connections before they returned to Norway later in Thursday evening. Accompanied by Slovak President Ivan Gasparovic and First Lady Silvia, the royal couple paid a visit… read more