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Miklos: Slovakia to Become Part of EFSF in Autumn 2010

Bratislava, August 3 (TASR) - Slovakia won't become part of the European Financial Stability Facility (EFSF) only by having the Slovak Parliament pass the framework agreement on joining EFSF. "We'll become an EFSF member only after we change the legislation. The current legislation doesn't enable us to accept such a guarantee, so we'll need to modify our laws in September… read more

Miskov Against Transferring Foreign Trade to Foreign Affairs Ministry

Bratislava, August 3 (TASR) - Economy and Construction Minister Juraj Miskov (Freedom and Solidarity/SaS) fundamentally disagrees with the proposal for an amendment to the Competences Act that is currently under discussion and according to which the Economy and Construction Ministry's foreign trade powers with the exception of military materials should be transferred to the… read more

Gasparovic: Time Will Tell Whether Government Manifesto Is Fulfilled

Bratislava, August 3 (TASR) - I believe that when something new starts it will be fulfilled, said President Ivan Gasparovic in Parliament on Tuesday after Prime Minister Iveta Radicova introduced the Government Manifesto. According to Gasparovic, time shows no mercy and people are the harshest judges. He thinks that the proposals presented by Radicova are worth thinking… read more

Slovakia to Increase Contingent in NATO Mission in Afghanistan

Bratislava, August 3 (TASR) - Defence Minister Lubomir Galko said on Tuesday that Slovakia will this year increase its contingent in the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan, its priority international mission, from the current 290 troops to 400. Pursuant to the Atlantic Alliance's new strategy of gradually handing over control to Afghan… read more

Fico: I Didn\'t Believe Anything Radicova Said in Manifesto Speech

Bratislava, August 3 (TASR) - I didn't believe a word that Prime Minister Iveta Radicova said when she presented the Government Manifesto in Parliament on Tuesday, Smer-SD chairman Robert Fico told journalists at a press conference after Radicova's speech. "If somebody talks about the fight against corruption with [former premier and Foreign Affairs Minister Mikulas]… read more

Radicova Asks Parliament for Support in Putting End to Irresponsibility

Bratislava, August 3 (TASR) - The Government Manifesto is my personal commitment to put an end to irresponsible policy, and my intention is "that this will be the end of an era in which the best time for resolving acute problems is tomorrow, in a year or during the next electoral term," said Prime Minister Radicova in her speech concerning the Manifesto in Parliament on Tuesday.… read more

Slota: I Won\'t Run for SNS Chair If Nobody Else Proposes Me

Bratislava, August 3 (TASR) - Slovak National Party (SNS) chairman Jan Slota doesn't intend to put himself forward for re-election at the SNS congress in September, but he isn't ruling out the possibility that somebody else may propose him as a candidate. Asked by TASR whether he would accept the candidacy if proposed by some other SNS member, Slota said that "this is… read more

Big Business Names Objections to Government Manifesto

Bratislava, August 3 (TASR) - Klub 500, an association of businesses employing more than 500 workers, said on Tuesday that the new Government Manifesto, if implemented, could improve Slovakia's overall business environment, but most of its points are only framed in general and should be specified in more detail. "The Manifesto lacks our long-term demand that domestic… read more

Nicholsonova: State Probably Won\'t Have to Pay Social Enterprises

Bratislava, August 3 (TASR) - The state will probably not have to pay the so-called social enterprises any more money, said Labour, Social Affairs and the Family Ministry State Secretary Lucia Nicholsonova on Tuesday, refusing to explain how the ministry wants to ensure this, however. "We'll cast doubt on the whole process of concluding contracts with social enterprises,"… read more

FinMin Slaps Heavy Fines on Supreme Court for Blocking Inspection

Bratislava, August 2(TASR) - The Finance Ministry has decided to mete out a fine of €33,000 and €1,000 on Slovakia's Supreme Court and its chairman Stefan Harabin for blocking an audit of the institution for a second time within a week, said Finance Minister Ivan Miklos later on Monday. Miklos, invoking provisions of the Financial Audit Act, said he will again dispatch… read more

SPP General Assembly Votes Down Higher Gas Prices

Bratislava, August 2 (TASR) - A general assembly of Slovakia's gas utility Slovensky Plynarensky Priemysel (SPP) voted down the proposal to increase gas prices for households that was supposed to come into effect as of October 1, TASR was told by SPP spokesman Lubomir Tuchscher on Monday. It was the National Property Fund (FNM), a majority shareholder (51 percent) in… read more

Radicova Says Coalition MPs Voice Support for Government Manifesto

Bratislava, August 2 (TASR) - Prime Minister Iveta Radicova has told Parliament that all lawmakers of the ruling coalition have pledged unequivocal support for Government's Manifesto ahead of the vote in the House on Tuesday which is tantamount to a vote of confidence. She was speaking after meeting the MPs from the four governing parties in the legislature's screening… read more

Chmel: State Language Act Must Be Amended

Bratislava, August 2 (TASR) - Slovakia's State Language Act, amended last year much to the consternation of ethnic-Hungarian organisations and political parties, needs to be re-amended, Deputy Premier for Minorities Rudolf Chmel (Most-Hid) said on Monday. New provisions should be placed not only in sections concerning sanctions and the supervisory (oversight) authority,… read more

Tripartite Fails to Reach Accord on Rise in Minimum Wage

Bratislava, August 2 (TASR) - Members of the so-called tripartite, a three-sided social dialogue involving employers, trade unions and the state, failed on Monday to agree on a proposal to raise the minimum wage by 3 percent from €307.7 to €317 per month as of 2011, Labour, Social Affairs and the Family Minister Jozef Mihal told TASR on the same day. The initiative,… read more

Krajcer: Culture Ministry Saved More Than Million in Short Time

Bratislava, August 2 (TASR) - The Culture and Tourism Ministry has saved more than €1 million since the new Government took office, said Culture Minister Daniel Krajcer on Monday, adding that this was achieved by cancelling certain inefficient public procurements concluded by the former government. Krajcer views efficient dealing with public money as one of his main… read more