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Krajcer: Subsidies from Audiovisual Fund Now More Transparent

Bratislava, August 17 (TASR) - Culture Minister Daniel Krajcer has pushed for greater transparency in Slovakia's Audiovisual Fund and new rules on the allocation of subsidies have been approved by seven out of nine members of the Fund's board, TASR learnt on Tuesday. "I'm certain I did the right thing, and I'm glad it was backed," said Krajcer. In line with the… read more

Ruzinsky: Interblue Group Europe Doesn\'t Want to Contract Out

Bratislava, August 17 (TASR) - Interblue Group Europe, which clams to be the legal successor of the U.S.-based Interblue Group that bought Slovakia's carbon dioxide emission quotas, disagrees with the termination of its contract on the sale of the emissions, Agriculture and Environment Ministry State Secretary Martin Ruzinsky told TASR on Tuesday. "In a letter (sent to… read more

Smer Dismisses Kommersant Item on Fico\'s Gazprom s.r.o. Involvement

Bratislava, August 17 (TASR) - The main opposition party Smer-SD categorically rejects a Russian business daily Kommersant report that Smer head and former premier Robert Fico has financed the company Priemyselny park Partizanske, which is one of the alleged founders of a firm called Gazprom, s.r.o., TASR was told by Smer-SD spokesperson Silvia Glendova on Tuesday. "The… read more

Budget Expenditures Projected to Be Cut by €1.447 billion in 2011

Bratislava, August 17 (TASR) - The expenditure side of Slovakia's state budget for 2011 should be lower by €1.447 billion compared to this year, according to proposals concerning the individual budget chapters as released by the Finance Ministry on Tuesday. While a total of €16.277 billion can be spent by ministries and public administration bodies this year, the… read more

Radicova Holiday Now Over as She\'s On Her Way to Visit Flood-hit Areas

Bratislava, August 17 (TASR) - Prime Minister Iveta Radicova has decided to come back to Slovakia from her holiday abroad earlier than planned due to floods hitting some areas of Slovakia and will arrive on Tuesday evening, the Government Office press department told TASR earlier in the day. Upon her arrival, she is slated to attend a session of the country's crisis-management… read more

Most-Hid to Field EnviroMin Nominee After President Signs Law

Bratislava, August 17 (TASR) - The governing-coalition Most-Hid party said on Tuesday that it won't put up a nominee for the post of environment minister until after President Ivan Gasparovic has signed an amendment to the Competences Act allowing the Government to set up such a ministry, which was terminated under the previous government of Robert Fico as a cost-saving measure.… read more

Foreign Ministry: We Can Ask for More Flood Relief From EU

Bratislava, August 17 (TASR) - Slovakia can ask for more money from the EU Solidarity Fund to deal with the effects of the recent floods as long as it meets the conditions, said Juraj Tomaga from the Foreign Affairs Ministry state department on Tuesday. The floods hit mainly the northern and central parts of Slovakia over the weekend. Tomaga said that according to the… read more

INEKO: State Firms Added Considerably to 2009 Deficit

Bratislava, August 17 (TASR) - State-run railways, medical facilities and the public-service media put a heavy burden on public finances, having increased the 2009 deficit by 1.1 percent of GDP, compared to 0.7 percent in 2008 and 0.6 percent in 2007, according to data in an analysis released by the INEKO think-tank on Tuesday. "The biggest burden on the state is represented… read more

Finance Minister Installs New Chief of Tax Authority

Bratislava, August 16 (TASR) - Finance Minister Ivan Miklos on Monday appointed Miroslav Mikulcik as director-general of Slovakia's Tax Directorate after the incumbent Igor Sulaj named by the previous government was dismissed on July 13. Zlatica Ondruskova and Vasil Panko have headed up the authority in the interim. On the same day, Miklos appointed Maria Machova… read more

Figel: R4 Express Road Construction to Be Launched By End of August

Kosice, August 16 (TASR) - Construction work on an R4 express road connecting Kosice to the village of Milhost, located south of the city and near the border with Hungary, will be launched by the end of August, Transport, Posts and Telecommunications Minister Jan Figel said on Monday. According to Figel, August 27 is now the date that's being considered as the beginning… read more

Radicova Interrupts Holiday and Comes Back to Slovakia Due to Floods

Bratislava, August 16 (TASR) - Prime Minister Iveta Radicova has interrupted her holiday in Croatia and is coming back to Slovakia due to the floods that are hitting the Upper Nitra area especially hard, Radicova's spokesman Rado Bato told TASR on Monday. The premier is set to visit the most affected areas on Tuesday before chairing a Government session on Wednesday.… read more

Third-Degree Flood Alert Resumed on Handlovka River

Handlova/Prievidza, August 16 (TASR) - A third-degree flood alert was declared on the Handlovka River again on Monday, head of the water-management company in Upper Nitra area based in Topolcany (Nitra region) Marian Jursa told TASR later in the day. He added that the move is due to a severe storm that hit the Upper Nitra area at around 3 p.m. and lasted approximately… read more

Mihal Plans to Make Everyone Subject to Retirement Insurance Payments

Bratislava, August 16 (TASR) - Jozef Mihal, Minister of Labour, Social Affairs and the Family, has announced plans to put everyone earning their income from an employer or as self-employed under the obligation to pay pension insurance. Speaking to journalists on Monday, Mihal said he finds the current system of social contributions or payroll tax unfair in that it contains… read more

Hlina: Bratislava Should Apologise for Luxorka or I\'ll Run for Mayor

Bratislava, August 16 (TASR) - Entrepreneur Alojz Hlina, who became well-known after stealing the Slovak state flag from Slovak National Party (SNS) headquarters in Bratislava and engaging in various types of political action, announced that he will probably stand for the post of mayor of Bratislava outside the Slavicie Udolie cemetery on Monday. Hlina said that he won't… read more

Galko: Overpriced Boats for Army Bought Without Tender Are Unusable

Sered, August 16 (TASR) - A public procurement involving the purchase of ZODIAC FC 470 inflatable boats for the armed forces was at odds with the law, said Defence Minister Lubomir Galko at a press conference in Sered (Trnava region) on Monday. According to Galko, the army bought boats in 2008 that it can't use properly and which cost Slovakia almost twice as much as… read more