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Gasparovic Appoints 13 New Ministers

Bratislava, July 9 (TASR) - Slovak President Ivan Gasparovic appointed the new Slovak Government on Friday. The centre-right cabinet - presided over by Prime Minister Iveta Radicova (SDKU-DS), who was appointed on Thursday after former premier Robert Fico (Smer-SD) resigned earlier on the same day - will hold its first session immediately after the ceremony. The… read more

Profile: Iveta Radicova, Slovakia\'s First-ever Female Prime Minister

Bratislava, July 8 (TASR) - Iveta Radicova is Slovakia's first-ever female prime minister after being appointed to the post at the head of a centre-right government on June 23. TASR brings her profile below. Professor Iveta Radicova worked for years in the area of social affairs, focusing on employment, socially-disadvantaged groups and the protection of children's rights.… read more

President Appoints Iveta Radicova New Slovak Prime Minister (UPDATE)

Bratislava, July 8 (TASR) - President Ivan Gasparovic on Thursday appointed Iveta Radicova the new prime minister following the resignation of former premier Robert Fico approximately an hour earlier. The entire new cabinet – minus an expected environment minister appointment which will take place once the ministry is re-established – is expected to be appointed on… read more

Hort, Hrusovsky and Bugar Voted In as Parliamentary Deputy Chairmen

Bratislava, July 8 (TASR) - Milan Hort (SDKU-DS), Pavol Hrusovsky (Christian Democrats/KDH) and Bela Bugar (Most-Hid) were chosen in a secret ballot as deputy chairmen of Parliament at the opening session of legislature on Thursday, gaining 90, 129 and 122 votes respectively, from 146 lawmakers. Chairman of Smer-SD Robert Fico will be voted on as fourth deputy chairman… read more

Profile: Chairman of Parliament Richard Sulik

Bratislava, July 8 (TASR) - The Freedom and Solidarity party (SaS) head Richard Sulik was elected chairman of the 5th Parliament at its opening session on Thursday. TASR publishes his profile: Sulik, founder of the liberal free-market SaS and its chairman was born January 13, 1968 in Bratislava. Between 1987-1989, after his family emigrated to West Germany, he… read more

Richard Sulik Becomes New Parliamentary Chairman (UPDATE 2)

Bratislava, July 8 (TASR) - Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) leader Richard Sulik became the new parliamentary chairman in a repeated secret ballot on Thursday, replacing Pavol Paska (Smer-SD) in the post. In the repeated vote, 80 out of the 149 MPs present cast their votes in favour of Sulik. At least 76 votes are needed for a candidate to acquire the post. After… read more

SDKU General Secretary Hudec Should Become New SIS Director

Bratislava, July 8 (TASR) - SDKU-DS general secretary Stefan Hudec is set to become the new director of the Slovak Intelligence Service (SIS), news portal Aktualne.sk wrote on Thursday, referring to two independent sources from the party. Hudec has been active in SDKU since the party's inception in 2000. He worked as SDKU central office director between 2000-02, and has… read more

Miklos Soon to Discuss Emergency Aid to Municipalities

Bratislava, July 7 (TASR) - Municipality financing is in a bleak state as the centre-right government takes over the country, said future Finance Minister Ivan Miklos after talks with the Association of Towns and Villages of Slovakia (ZMOS) asking for emergency aid of €141 million. The figure represents €88 million as tax-revenue shortfall plus €53 million to cushion… read more

Dragun: Oil Pipeline Alternative Routes Not Available

Bratislava, July 7 (TASR) - The Economy and Construction Ministry officially confirmed that it does not have any alternative routes for the projected Bratislava-Schwechat pipeline prepared, TASR learned from chairman of civil association 'No to the Pipeline through Zitny Ostrov' Miroslav Dragun on Wednesday. According to Dragun, the members of the association came to… read more

Head of SaS Sulik Most Likely To Be Party\'s Parliamentary Caucus Chair

Bratislava, July 7 (TASR) - The head of the Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) parliamentary caucus will most likely be the leader of the party Richard Sulik, who should at the same time take up the post of the Parliamentary Chairman in the new government, TASR learned on Wednesday. "The reason for it is that we are all practically new MPs and I have the closest ties to the… read more

Analysts Downplay Chances of Referendum Succeeding

Bratislava, July 7 (TASR) - Slovakia's political analysts are sceptical about the success of a referendum on a variety of issues after it was declared Wednesday by President Ivan Gasparovic for September 18. Slovakia, in its short history, has a poor record of holding referendums, with only one of five - on the country's entry into the European Union - enjoying success.… read more

Man Who Flew to Ireland With Explosives Compensated

Bratislava, July 7 (TASR) - The Interior Ministry has agreed on financial compensation for Stefan Gonda, a man from Poprad (Presov region) who unwittingly flew to Dublin in January with explosives that had been put in his luggage by police during a training exercise, outgoing Interior Minister Robert Kalinak confirmed for TASR on Wednesday. Kalinak refused to specify… read more

Pociatek: Next Government Has €300 mn to Squeeze Deficit to 5.5 percent

Bratislava, July 7 (TASR) - Maintaining the originally envisaged 5.5-percent public-finance deficit is still a realistic plan for this year, even though the Finance Ministry's latest prognosis speaks about 6.98 percent, said outgoing Finance Minister Jan Pociatek (Smer-SD nominee) on Wednesday. Pociatek stated that the next government will be able to use a reserve fund… read more

Government Agrees to Submit Its Resignation on Thursday

Bratislava, July 7 (TASR) - The outgoing Government at its last session on Wednesday agreed that it will hand in its resignation to President Ivan Gasparovic on Thursday. According to the Constitution, the old cabinet resigns after the constituent session of the new parliament takes place. This session is scheduled for Thursday. MPs will be ceremonially sworn in, electing… read more

Gasparovic Announces SaS-initiated Referendum for September 18 (UPDATE)

Bratislava, July 7 (TASR) - President Ivan Gasparovic on Wednesday announced that a referendum made up of six questions will take place on September 18. The six questions included in the referendum, which was initiated by new parliamentary party Freedom and Solidarity, (SaS) involve: abolishing television and radio licence fees, curbing MPs' immunity, downsizing the number… read more