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NBS: Economy Should Grow by 4.3 Percent in 2010 but Slow Down in \'11

Bratislava, September 28 (TASR) - The Slovak central bank (NBS) is more optimistic concerning the development of the Slovak economy for this year than it was three months ago, NBS governor Jozef Makuch told a press conference on Tuesday in Bratislava. According to the current NBS prognosis, the Slovak economy should grow by 4.3 percent this year, while the original expectation… read more

Berenyi: State Language Act a Legal Rubbish

Bratislava, September 27 (TASR) - The ethnic-Hungarian SMK party considers the amendment to the State Language Act to be a legal rubbish, SMK chairman Jozsef Berenyi said at a press conference on Monday. According to the proposal, the Education Ministry will be entitled to impose fines when announcements made by public administration or relevant information concerning… read more

Political Analyst: SaS Sees Drop in Popularity Due to Leaders\' Behaviour

Bratislava, September 27 (TASR) - A significant drop in popularity of the Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) party is caused mainly by its unfulfilled election promises and the behaviour of SaS chairman and Parliamentary Chairman Richard Sulik and other party representatives, political analyst Juraj Marusiak told TASR in reaction to the election polls published on Monday. According… read more

Nagy: I\'ll Try to Get €15 Million Back from Interblue Group

Bratislava, September 27 (TASR) - Agriculture, Environment and Regional Development Minister State Secretary – and soon-to-be Environment Minister – Jozsef Nagy (Most-Hid) on Monday announced that he will do his utmost to get the €15 million back from Slovakia's emission quotas sale to Interblue Group. Nagy added that he considers the emission contract sales contract… read more

Radicova: Slovakia Plans Drawdown of KFOR Mission

Sajkovac, September 27 (TASR) - Slovakia will gradually withdraw its soldiers from the KFOR peacekeeping mission in Kosovo, Prime Minister Iveta Radicova confirmed during her one-day visit to the Slovak contingent based in a military facility in Sajkovac. "The original contract signed by Slovakia is valid until the autumn of this year. Hence, we've met our obligations,"… read more

Dzurinda in Budapest: We Want to Build New Bridges

Budapest, September 27 (TASR) – Slovakia and Hungary want to build new bridges, both physically and metaphorically, said Foreign Affairs Minister Mikulas Dzurinda after meeting his Hungarian counterpart in Budapest on Monday. Dzurinda is visiting Hungary for the first time since he became chief of Slovak diplomacy following the June 12 election. Both officials… read more

SkyToll: State Got €89 million from Tolls between January and August

Bratislava, September 27 (TASR) - The electronic road-toll system brought more than €89 million into the state coffers between its launching in January and August, with 40.4 percent of the sum paid by lorries from abroad, road-toll operator SkyToll spokesperson Lenka Lendacka said on Monday. "It's further proof that Slovakia is an important transit country. Thanks to… read more

Slovakia Facing Another Round of EU Proceedings in e-Toll System Case

Brussels, September 27 (TASR-CORRESPONDENT) - Slovakia, in all likelihood, is facing second round of proceedings conducted by the European Commission (EC) over the question marks raised in connection with the tender competition to operate Slovakia's electronic toll system, said a source close to the European Union executive (EC) on Monday. By the end of September, Slovak… read more

Figel: Termination of PPP Contract for D1 Sections to Cost €81 million

Bratislava, September 27 (TASR) - The planned termination of the contract with the consortium Slovenske Dialnice (Slovak Highways) regarding one of three public-private-partnership (PPP) packages for construction of selected D1 highway sections will cost Slovakia tens of millions of euros, it became clear on Monday. "I'm submitting a paper informing the Government on… read more

Highest Number of Unemployed Older People in Eastern Slovakia

Bratislava, September 26 (TASR) – The highest number of unemployed people over 50 is in the east of Slovakia in the city of Kosice, which reports almost 4,800 unemployed older people, the Labour, Social Affairs and the Family Office (UPSVaR) reports. According to the figures, Presov follows in the table with 4,000 unemployed older Slovaks, just in front of Nove Zamky… read more

Premises of Slovak Central Bank Were Visited by 3,000 People

Bratislava, September 26 (TASR) – Around 3,000 visitors came to the Slovak central bank (NBS) on Saturday during to its Open House Day. They could see NBS Governor Jozef Makuch's office, as well as the meeting room of the NBS Bank Board on the 30th floor, informed NBS spokesperson Petra Pauerova on Sunday. "All visitors were interested in the gold brick, seized forged… read more

More than 34,000 People Want to Change Their Health Insurer This Year

Bratislava, September 26 (TASR) – More than 34,000 policyholders by mid-September applied for a change of their health-insurance company, spokesperson of the Healthcare Supervisory Authority (UDZS) Radoslava Miklasova has told TASR. UDZS accepts applications for a change of insurer until September 30, 2010 and the change will be carried out as of January 1, 2011, Miklasova… read more

Horsky: Re-election of Slota as Chairman Good News for Slovaks

Bratislava, September 25 (TASR) – Re-election of Jan Slota to the post of Slovak National Party (SNS) chairman, as well as his nominees to the party leadership, is in fact a good news for Slovak people, political analyst Michal Horsky told TASR on Saturday. "The party is step-by-step following the fate of LS-HZDS [which didn't make it to Parliament in June - ed. note],"… read more

Kollar: Hayeks Case Was Prepared in Advance to Weaken Coalition

(Slovak Radio, September 25, 'Sobotne Dialogy') The much-discussed "Hayeks" case has been prepared in advance and it was aimed at weakening the current governing Coalition, claims Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) MP and head of the Parliamentary Committee for Finance Jozef Kollar. "I'm sure that this was a purpose-built media pressure to weaken this Coalition. I don't rule… read more

Supreme Court Files Criminal Complaint for Libel Against Wienk

Bratislava, September 24 (TASR) - The Supreme Court on Friday filed a criminal complaint for libel against Fair-Play Alliance NGO director Zuzana Wienk, the Court press department told TASR on the same day. Wienk allegedly falsely accused Supreme Court Chairman Stefan Harabin and former vice-chair Daniela Svecova of unlawfully changing the make-up of senates and interfering… read more