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SaS: Referendum Results Are Binding, President Was Wrong

Bratislava, July 16 (TASR) - The results of a referendums are binding and have to be proclaimed in the same way as a law, said representatives of the Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) party on Friday, rejecting President Ivan Gasparovic's opinion that MPs aren't obliged to respond. Robert Mistrik, member of the SaS petition committee that collected signatures for an SaS referendum… read more

Czech Premier\'s First Official Trip Will Be to Slovakia

Bratislava, July 16 (TASR) - Slovakia will be the first country that New Czech Prime Minister Petr Necas will officially visit after his appointment, with the date set for Monday, July 19, TASR learnt on Friday. In Bratislava, Necas will meet his Slovak opposite number Iveta Radicova, who has announced that the two premiers will then set off for Budapest, where a summit… read more

Radicova Planning to Abolish Unuseful Proxies and Introduce New Ones

Bratislava, July 16 (TASR) - Prime Minister Iveta Radicova told journalists at an informal meeting on Thursday evening that she's planning to do away with government proxies whose activities don't hold great importance, introducing new, more useful posts instead. According to Radicova, the changes will certainly not concern the government proxy for the Roma communities,… read more

Toll System Brings In €63.5 million in 1H10

Bratislava, July 15 (TASR) - Slovakia's electronic toll system collected more than €63.5 million in toll payments between January-June 2010, Skytoll, the system operator, told reporters on Thursday, adding that the payments feature 46 percent from foreign-based hauliers. The toll is charged on trucks of 3.5 tonnes and more for the use of selected motorway stretches,… read more

Horsky: Proposal on Cutting MPs\' Immunity May Be Mere Populism

Bratislava, July 15 (TASR) - Only if Prime Minister Iveta Radicova's constitutional law proposal on restricting an MP's immunity gains certain support in advance from the Opposition is it viable, political analyst Michal Horsky told TASR on Thursday. "If it is submitted to Parliament without preliminary agreement with the Opposition and without a wide-ranging public… read more

Premier and ZMOS Discuss Hasty Solutions for Municipalities

Bratislava, July 15 (TASR) - Premier Iveta Radicova (SDKU-DS) has met with representatives of municipalities the Association of Towns and Villages of Slovakia (ZMOS) and regions (VUCs) to discuss ways to help the floods-affected areas, she announced afterwards at the Government Office on Thursday. They have jointly agreed to secure substitute housing for those people… read more

Dzurinda in Prague Confirms Interest in Exceptional Mutual Relations

Prague, July 15 (TASR) - Bilateral relations, Visegrad co-operation, energy issues and the EU agenda were discussed by Slovak Foreign Affairs Minister Mikulas Dzurinda and his Czech counterpart Karl Schwarzenberg in Prague on Thursday. This was Dzurinda's first foreign working visit and Schwarzenberg appreciated that he headed straight for Prague. "I have always… read more

EC Welcomes Decision to Sign EFSF, but Wants to Discuss Greece

Bratislava/ Brussels, July 15 (TASR) - The European Commission on Thursday welcomed the decision of the Slovak Government to sign the framework agreement on launching the European Financial Stability Facility (EFSF), but the Commissioners want to discuss the recommendation given by Government to Parliament not to support a loan to Greece. "The European Commission welcomes… read more

Miklos Signs Framework Agreement on EFSF

Bratislava, July 15 (TASR) - Slovakia's Finance Minister Ivan Miklos on Thursday signed a framework agreement on the European Financial Stability Facility (EFSF), head of the ministry's communications department Mikulas Gera told TASR on the same day. Miklos's signing follows the consent that the Government gave to the agreement at its extraordinary session earlier in… read more

IVO Comments on Quality of Democracy Barometer Results

Bratislava, July 15 (TASR) - The Institute for Public Affairs (IVO) think-tank, which gave Slovakia a democracy mark of 3.4 in its Barometer survey for the second quarter of 2010, the same mark as in the first, said on Thursday that it focused on the way in which the media and political elites weathered the period before, during and after the June general election along with… read more

Investors Want Open Dialogue With Government

Bratislava, July 15 (TASR) - Foreign investors expect the new Government to lead an open and productive dialogue with the business community in Slovakia, reads a statement by both foreign and domestic companies represented by the American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham). "We hope to see an open and constructive dialogue between the decision-makers and business representatives… read more

Radicova: We\'ll Publish Tender Contracts by End of August

Bratislava, July 15 (TASR) - The Government plans to publish contracts stemming from public procurements by the end of the summer, Prime Minister Iveta Radicova (SDKU-DS) said after an extraordinary government session on Thursday. "By the end of August we'll publish a list of existing, not completed contracts," she said. According to the Government's decision, contracts… read more

Government Approves Bill to Curb Parliamentary Immunity

Bratislava, July 15 (TASR) - Immunity from prosecution for MPs should be limited to voting and statements made in Parliament, according to a constitutional law proposal and Criminal Code amendment drawn up by Prime Minister Iveta Radicova (SDKU-DS) and okayed by the Government at its extraordinary session on Thursday. Curbs on immunity should also affect judges, so that… read more

Gov\'t Expected to Okay EFSF But Reject Loan to Greece on Thursday

Bratislava, July 15 (TASR) - The Government at its extraordinary session on Thursday is expected to agree to sign the European Financial Stability Facility (EFSF). The move has been proposed by the Finance Ministry and support was also indicated by the leaders of the governing Coalition parties (SDKU-DS, Freedom and Solidarity/SaS, the Christian Democrats/KDH and Most-Hid)… read more

Lipsic Proposes Depriving Harabin of His Guard, Harabin Hits Back

Bratislava, July 14 (TASR) - New Interior Minister Daniel Lipsic (Christian Democrats/KDH) has proposed that Supreme Court Chairman and his long-time opponent Stefan Harabin should be deprived of his guard, Sylvia Machalova from Harabin's office told TASR on Wednesday. "By this proposal to recall Supreme Court Chair Stefan Harabin's guard, Interior Minister Daniel Lipsic… read more