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SDKU Presidency Okays Mitrik as Candidate to Head SIS

Bratislava, July 19 (TASR) - Former MP and current mayor of Spisska Nova Ves (Kosice region) Karol Mitrik has been selected as the candidate of the strongest coalition party SDKU-DS for the post of director of the Slovak Intelligence Service (SIS), the party presidency decided unanimously on Monday. Mitrik's nomination was proposed by Prime Minister Iveta Radicova (SDKU).… read more

Radicova and Necas: Stability in Central Europe Necessary for Economy

Bratislava, July 19 (TASR) - Stability and co-operation in Central Europe is important in terms of coping with the effects of the economic crisis and strengthening the eurozone, said Slovak Prime Minister Iveta Radicova during talks with her Czech counterpart Petr Necas on Monday. Radicova ahead of her visit to Budapest on Tuesday further said that any bilateral tensions… read more

Jaroslav Spisiak Appointed as New Police Corps President (UPDATE)

Bratislava, July 19 (TASR) - Interior Minister Daniel Lipsic (Christian Democratic Movement/KDH) on Monday appointed former police vice-president Jaroslav Spisiak (2001-06) as the new Police Corps president. Lipsic explained his decision to appoint Spisiak by saying that "results have always been seen in his work". Speaking about the police's priorities, Lipsic highlighted… read more

Miskov: Japanese Investors Very Interested in Slovakia

Bratislava, July 19 (TASR) - Japanese investors are very interested in entering the Slovak market, stated Economy Minister Juraj Miskov (Freedom and Solidarity/SaS) after meeting representatives of the Japan Business Federation (Nippon Keidanren) in Bratislava on Monday. "We've discussed possible investments with our partners from Japan. We've mainly expressed our interest… read more

SOPK Sees Number of Members Rising by 115 In Half a Year

Bratislava, July 18 (TASR) - The Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SOPK) on Sunday reported a rise in membership in the first half of 2010 by 115 to stand at 1,208 at the end of June. In this period, Chairman Peter Mihok (SOPK chairman since 1993) further told TASR that 105 firms affiliated with the Chamber carried out 15 foreign business trips. No fewer than… read more

Political Parties Spend €6-million Plus on Campaign Funding

Bratislava, July 18 (TASR) - Eighteen political parties running for Slovakia's parliament in the 2010 election last month spent a total of some €6,235,000 on the campaign, show the parties' preliminary reports filed with the Finance Ministry, which has published them online at www.mfsr.sk. The ministry's website further reveals the Slovak National Party (SNS), the… read more

Number of New Grads Registering as Unemployed Continues to Rise

Bratislava, July 18 (TASR) - The number of this year's higher education graduates who have failed to find jobs has risen to 23,219 from 19,075 a year earlier, and many more are expected to be out of work after a second round of graduations in the autumn. "We expect that they will be joined by more university leavers during summer and this September," said Postova Banka… read more

SVP\'s Shortage of Funds Halts Flood Prevention Projects

Bratislava, July 17 (TASR) - Based on a strategy against floods that was approved in the early '00s, the Slovak Water Management Company (SVP) was supposed to receive €600 million from the state between 2003-10. "However, we've only received €150 million, so we're short €450 million," SVP general director Stefan Borusovic told TASR on Saturday. The shortage of funds… read more

Matovic: Referendum Turnout Won\'t Exceed 15 Percent

Bratislava, July 18 (TASR) - Even though many people vow to take part in the September 18 referendum, laziness will eventually prevail, MP representing Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) party Igor Matovic told TASR on Sunday. "I'm certain that the turnout won't exceed 15 percent, with such a figure actually being a great success," said Matovic, (elected as a member of 'Ordinary… read more

State-run Forestry Company Lesy SR Ended 1H10 in the Black

Bratislava, July 17 (TASR) - State-owned forestry company Lesy SR ended the first half of this year €4.71 million in the black, company spokesperson Veronika Petrikova has told TASR. Revenues from the sale of products and services stood at €109 million, with expenditure towards logging and related activities reaching approximately €56 million. "In the first… read more

Vozar Says MPs Cannot Be Forced to Approve Laws According to Referendum

Bratislava, July 17 (TASR) - Constitutional lawyers deny claims made by their colleagues on behalf of the Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) party that the results of a referendum are binding on lawmakers who should vote in favour of laws which put in practice such referendum goals. The referendum which was declared by president for September 18 at the instigation of SaS features… read more

Analyst: Slovakia\'s Signing EFSF Makes Cutting Budget Deficit Difficult

Bratislava, July 17 (TASR) - As a result of the Slovak Government's consent to the European Financial Stability Facility (EFSF), the country's budget deficit will almost certainly go up, F.A. Hayek Foundation analyst Andrej Beno has told TASR. "The politicians' task now is to cut the deficit, so by approving this commitment the accomplishment of this goal will get significantly… read more

ZPS Against Financial Aid to Greece and EFSF Guarantee Mechanism

Bratislava, July 16 (TASR) - The Slovak Government's consent to the European guarantee mechanism (EFSF) was expected, as Slovakia was under strong pressure from the EU, which sought to calm the financial markets, Association of Slovak Entrepreneurs (ZPS) president Jan Oravec told TASR on Friday. Oravec added, however, that the approval of the EFSF represents a departure… read more

Slovakia Officially Requests Relief from EU for Flood-stricken Areas

Brussels, July 16 (TASR-correspondent) - Slovakia on Friday afternoon officially requested relief from the EU's Solidarity Fund for areas hit by the floods in late May and early June, EU Commissioner for Regional Policy Johannes Hahn's spokesman Ton van Lierop said on the same day. "A period of evaluation will follow, during which experts will evaluate how justified the… read more

President: SaS Desperately Looking for Excuse for Useless Referendum

Bratislava, July 16 (TASR) - The coalition Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) party is desperately looking for an excuse for its meaningless and expensive referendum (September 18) that isn't even backed by its coalition partners, President Ivan Gasparovic's spokesman Marek Trubac told TASR on Friday. Trubac was reacting to claims by member of the referendum petition committee… read more