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Miklos: Abolition of Unjustified Tax Exemptions to Save €440 mn in 2011

Bratislava, August 16 (TASR) - The ministers of finance (Ivan Miklos/SDKU-DS), labour (Jozef Mihal/SaS) and health (Ivan Uhliarik/KDH) have jointly prepared changes in the tax and deduction system that would do away with unsubstantiated exemptions and deformations and would bring more money into state coffers, Miklos announced at a press conference on Monday. According… read more

Miklos: Government to Set Aside €11 million After Latest Floods

Bratislava, August 16 (TASR) - Finance Minister Ivan Miklos (SDKU-DS) announced on Monday that he will submit a document at the Government session on Wednesday that would set aside €11 million for local authorities to tackle the aftermath of the floods that hit the country at the weekend. At the same time, ministers are working on further extraordinary measures aimed… read more

EU-harmonised Inflation Increased to 1 percent Y-o-Y in July

Bratislava, August 16 (TASR) - The rate of growth in the prices of goods and services in Slovakia measured by EU methodology went up from 0.7 percent year-on-year in June to 1 percent in July, the fastest pace since the summer of 2009, Slovakia's Statistics Office announced on Monday. Meanwhile, prices rose by 0.1 percent month-on-month in July. Average inflation… read more

More Than 640 Soldiers On Standby to Alleviate Flood Damage

Bratislava, August 15 (TASR) - More than 640 soldiers with 60 engineering vehicles are on standby to aid civilians in Slovakia affected by the ongoing floods, TASR learned from Slovak Armed Forces spokesman Milan Vanga on Sunday. According to Vanga, 23 soldiers along with 48 members of the Military Police, have been despatched to clear the river banks and protect the… read more

One Man Dies in Upper Nitra Floods

Bratislava, August 15 (TASR) - Extensive flooding in the Upper Nitra area on Sunday claimed its first victim, Lucia Garajova from the Interior Ministry told TASR later in the day. A storm lasting several hours in Upper Nitra caused local floods, with the towns of Handlova and Prievidza (Trencin region) facing the gravest results. The overflowing Handlovka River shortly… read more

Galko Now in Flood-stricken Handlova, Due in Prievidza Later Sunday

Bratislava, August 15 (TASR) - Defence Minister Lubomir Galko has arrived in the flood-stricken town of Handlova (Trencin region), the minister's spokesman Richard Sumeghy told TASR on Sunday. "Around 50 military police officers in 16 vehicles have come here, too. In addition, a sapper (engineering) company and a transport unit from Hlohovec (Trnava region) are heading… read more

Prievidza Declares State of Emergency as Handlovka River Rises

Bratislava, August 15 (TASR) - A state of crisis and the third-degree flood alert was declared in the town of Prievidza on Sunday at 2 p.m., TASR learnt on the same day. The overflowing Handlovka River shortly after noon submerged several roads in the town as well as a road connecting Prievidza and the nearby town of Handlova. In addition, local neighbourhoods including… read more

Bugar: Many SMK Members Want to Join Most-Hid

Bratislava, August 14 (TASR) - Many members of the ethnic-Hungarian SMK party are interested in joining Most-Hid, TASR learned from Most-Hid chairman Bela Bugar. Bugar couldn't specify the exact numbers. He stressed that the purpose of the party is not to enlarge its ranks at all costs, but rather "have a lot of active people everywhere, who know what politics is about".… read more

Car Industry Recorded Major Annual Rise in Job Offers in 1Q10

Bratislava, August 14 (TASR) - The number of job offers rose by 3 percent in the first quarter of 2010 year-on-year, spokesperson for Profesia company Lucia Burianova told TASR on Saturday. "The most significant annual rise in job offers was seen in the automotive industry, where the number of offers soared by 42 percent. A rise of at least 30 percent was also recorded… read more

Slovakia to Provide Assistance to Flood-stricken Pakistan

Bratislava, August 13 (TASR) - Slovakia's Foreign Affairs Minister Mikulas Dzurinda on Friday decided to provide humanitarian help to flood-hit Pakistan, including financial assistance amounting to €50,000, the ministry's press department told TASR on the same day. The funds will be used toward humanitarian initiatives via Slovak organisations Man in Peril and ADRA.… read more

Chmel: We\'ll Reconsider 20-percent Threshold for Minority Languages

Bratislava, August 13 (TASR) - Slovakia will re-evaluate the rule that at least 20-percent of local people are required to speak a minority language in order for it to be used in public administration in a given area, Deputy Premier for Minorities Rudolf Chmel told TASR after the Government session held on Friday. The threshold in question was introduced by the act on… read more

Analysts: Prices of Fuel and Foodstuffs to Go Up in Next Few Months

Bratislava, August 13 (TASR) - Analysts expect the prices of foodstuffs, fuel and energy to continue to rise year-on-year in the next few months. "Conversely, the growth in prices of market services and marketable products should still be close to zero due to low domestic demand," said UniCredit Bank Lubomir Korsnak. According to the Statistics Office, growth in the prices… read more

Defence Ministry Points to Exorbitant Salaries of Top Ministry Officials

Bratislava, August 13 (TASR) - New Defence Minister Lubomir Galko has had the salaries of some of his ministry's top officials looked into and has learnt that five of them received so-called "personal salaries" that equalled that of former minister Jaroslav Baska or even exceeded it, Galko's spokesman Richard Sumeghy told TASR on Friday. "Apparently, this was one of the… read more

Radicova and Zitnanska Propose Duty to Go Public With State Contracts

Bratislava, August 13 (TASR) - Prime Minister Iveta Radicova and Justice Minister Lucia Zitnanska have come up with a proposal whereby it would be obligatory to make contracts concerning the use of public funds or state property available to the public as of January 1, 2011, TASR learnt on Friday. The initiative, under which contracts won't come into effect unless they're… read more

Jurcyza: Austerity Measures Won\'t Affect Teachers

Bratislava, August 13 (TASR) - The planned 10-percent cuts in salaries at individual ministries won't affect teachers' pay, Education Minister Eugen Jurcyza said after the Government session on Friday. "This certainly won't have an impact on the salaries of teachers, as that's the agreement concluded among the Coalition. The Government considers education to be a priority,"… read more