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Radicova Sends Letter of Sympathy to Czech Counterpart Over Floods

Bratislava, August 8 (TASR) - Slovak Prime Minister Iveta Radicova has sent her Czech counterpart Petr Necas a letter of sympathy with regard to the floods currently bedevilling his country. Writing on behalf of Slovakia, she expressed deep sorrow to her Czech opposite number and Czech citizens over the floods, which have hit Slovakia equally hard this year. At the same… read more

ZMOS Will Accept Changes to Spending Rules Under Certain Conditions

Bratislava, August 8 (TASR) - Local councils would accept the changes to their spending rules planned by Iveta Radicova's Government as long as they are to the public benefit and don't suppress their independence, Michal Sykora, chairman of the Slovak Towns and Villages Association (ZMOS) has told TASR in an interview. Sykora noted that any major change in the rules to… read more

Volkswagen Slovakia Still Looking for New Employees

Bratislava, August 8 (TASR) - Following a two-week stoppage at its Bratislava plant, car-maker Volkswagen Slovakia will recommence full production as of Monday, August 9, TASR has learnt. The company at the same time continues to hire new workers, as due to increased demand for the vehicles made at its Bratislava production facilities, it plans to launch seven-days-a-week… read more

NGOs Want Deputy Premier to Have Full Human Rights Agenda

Bratislava, August 8 (TASR) - Ten non-governmental organisations have submitted a joint objection to the Government's legislative amendment unveiled on July 27 aimed at divesting the deputy premier for EU affairs, human rights and ethnic minorities and a knowledge-based society of all powers but those concerning ethnic minorities, it emerged on Sunday. The NGOs, who are… read more

Dostal Hopes to See SaS Reconsider Its Liberal House Plans

Bratislava, August 8 (TASR) - Senior members of the Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) party continue to attract criticism for launching a property-rental company, even from their ruling-coalition partners such as Most-Hid and SDKU-DS. SaS members started a company called Liberal House as of August 3 with a view to renting out office space, including to fellow SaS lawmakers… read more

Gasparovic: Change of Government Could Improve Slovak-Hungarian Relations

Bratislava, August 6 (TASR) - President Ivan Gasparovic believes that the recent change of government in Slovakia could improve its strained relations with Hungary, he told TASR in an interview. But he stressed he saw bilateral tensions only in terms of ethnic minorities as both countries have a problem-free mutual cooperation in economic, foreign, investment or other… read more

Figel: Toll System May Still Coast Us Dearly

Bratislava, August 7 (TASR) - Transport Minister Jan Figel has commissioned an analysis into the efficiency of Slovakia's near-8-month electronic toll system, while the European Union is reviewing a contract with Sky Toll company for doubts over transparency amid tender procedures, Figel told TASR in an interview. The minister believes that the toll system charging trucks… read more

Senec Building Logistics Centre to Attract Investors

Senec, August 7 (TASR) – Local authorities say that investors are still interested in facilities along D1 motorway just outside Bratislava where they can place their logistics centres. In particular, lands along the road from Senec and Pezinok (both Bratislava region) appear to be highly attractive due to their proximity to Slovakia's capital. Besides being well-equipped… read more

Sulik: Radicova Should Take More Interest in SDKU Financing Instead

Bratislava, August 6 (TASR) - Parliamentary Speaker and Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) chairman Richard Sulik on Friday responded to criticism from Prime Minister and SDKU-DS vice-chair Iveta Radicova by recommending that she should take more interest in how her own party is financed. "There are far more question marks raised there than in the case of the clean, transparent… read more

Galko: I Suspect That Somebody Has Misused Military Intelligence

Bratislava, August 6 (TASR) - There is a very serious suspicion that somebody has misused the Military Intelligence Service (VSS), Defence Minister Lubomir Galko (Freedom and Solidarity/SaS) said following a session of the parliamentary committee in charge of supervising military intelligence on Friday. The session saw a discussion on security clearance for the newly-appointed… read more

Radicova: SaS Abusing Public Finances When Setting Up MPs Offices

Bratislava, August 6 (TASR) - Using taxpayers' money to pay for other MPs' offices in Bratislava, sometimes in houses that the MPs directly own, even though they already have offices close to Parliament, is preposterous and absurd, said Prime Minister Iveta Radicova (SDKU-DS) in a statement provided to TASR by her spokesman Rado Bato. "This is an unequivocal abuse of… read more

Slota Gets Big Hand in Parliament for Proposing That Debate Be Cut Short

Bratislava, August 6 (TASR) - Opposition Slovak National Party (SNS) chairman Jan Slota, taking the floor in Parliament on Friday during the pre-vote debate on the Government Manifesto, proposed that lawmakers should cut the ongoing session short as everybody is just wasting their time. "We're well aware that as long as you have a majority you'll have your government… read more

Zitnanska: Justice Sector Dominated by Dubious Group of People

Bratislava, August 6 (TASR) - Justice Minister Lucia Zitnanska (SDKU-DS), addressing Parliament on Friday as part of the pre-vote debate on the Government Manifesto, accused the former government of allowing a dubious group of people to gain almost uncheckable control of her sector. This group of people is exploiting its position, she said. "It's acting as if it weren't… read more

Dzurinda Conveys Govt Desire for Papal Visit in 2012

Bratislava, August 5 (TASR) - Foreign Affairs Minister Mikulas Dzurinda has declared Government's desire to have Pope Benedict XVI's arrive for an apostolic visit to Slovakia in 2012, at a meeting with apostle's nuncio to Slovakia Mario Giordano, the ministry reported to TASR on Thursday. Since being elected the Catholic church's 265th pope in 2005 the pontiff has not… read more

Fico Castigates Defence Minister Over Appointment of VSS Chief

Bratislava, August 5 (TASR) - Former premier Robert Fico harshly criticised Defence Minister Lubomir Galko on Thursday for denting Slovakia's credibility as a NATO-member state by putting at the helm of the country's military intelligence service (VSS) a person who doesn't hold reliable security clearance. Extrapolating from the info obtained, Fico stated that VSS chief… read more