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Gasparovic Announces SaS-initiated Referendum for September 18

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 referendum was initiated by new parliamentary party Freedom and Solidarity (SaS). read more

Many Slovaks Can\'t Distinguish Between Debit and Credit Cards

Bratislava, July 6 (TASR) - A significant number of bank clients in Slovakia doesn't know whether they own a debit or a credit card, according to a survey recently carried out by the Social Research Centre - Infostat. One third of the respondents claim that they withdraw cash with a credit card, while only 17 percent said they used their debit card. The information is… read more

Simon: I\'m Taking up Agenda of Thee Former Ministries and 11 Ministers

Bratislava, July 6 (TASR) - Most-Hid vice-chairman and future Agriculture Minister Zsolt Simon (Most-Hid nominee) will be taking up posts which 11 ministers in total have occupied during the past four years, he noted for TASR on Tuesday. Apart from the agriculture sector, Simon (agriculture minister 2002-06) will also be responsible for the agenda of the environment ministry… read more

Figel: Coalition Council Should Meet This Week

Bratislava, July 6 (TASR) - The Coalition Council will already hold a session this week, but the exact date hasn't been set yet, chairman of the Christian Democrats (KDH) Jan Figel said on Tuesday. "We'll certainly meet. This is not fixed, but I expect that, also with the regard to signing the Coalition Agreement (on the same day) and the expected scenario of taking up… read more

SDKÚ-DS, SaS, KDH and Most-Hid Sign Coalition Agreement (UPDATE)

Bratislava, July 6 (TASR) - Leaders of centre-right parties - SDKU-DS, Freedom and Solidarity (SaS), Christian Democrats (KDH) and Most-Hid - signed the Coalition Agreement in Bratislava on Tuesday. Chairmen of the four parties - Mikulas Dzurinda (SDKU-DS), Richard Sulik (SaS), Jan Figel (KDH) and Bela Bugar (Most-Hid) - signed the document, and the four were also joined… read more

Fico\'s Cabinet to Resign on Thursday

Bratislava, July 6 (TASR) - The outgoing government will resign on Thursday, July 8, Premier Robert Fico's spokesperson Silvia Glendova confirmed for TASR on Tuesday. Glendova said that Fico will officially hand the demission to President Ivan Gasparovic after the constitutive session of the newly-elected Parliament takes place on Thursday. read more

Social Enterprises Have Received More Than €2 million in EU Subsidies

Bratislava, July 6 (TASR) - Slovakia's social enterprises, set up with the stated aim of employing socially disadvantaged and disabled people, have to date received €2.08 million in European Social Fund (ESF) subsidies with government approval, the Labour, Social Affairs and the Family Ministry said on Tuesday. The subsidies were suspended pending investigations into… read more

Tourism to Come Under Transport Ministry, Not Culture

Bratislava, July 6 (TASR) - The outgoing and incoming governments have differing views on which ministry should have responsibility for tourism. The outgoing Government transferred the remit for tourism from the Economy Ministry to the newly-formed Ministry of Culture and Tourism as of July 1. However, the incoming rightist government wants to move responsibility… read more

SACR Promoted Slovakia at 26 Fairs in 1H10

Bratislava, July 6 (TASR) - The Slovak Tourism Agency (SACR) promoted Slovakia as a tourist destination at 26 expos and fairs in the first half of 2010, organising 50 presentations and workshops, as well as 23 info-trips for international journalists. "At the beginning of the year, the agency presented Slovakia at the Winter Olympics at Vancouver in Canada, addressing… read more

Survey: Fewer Tax Inspections But Higher Taxes Imposed

Bratislava, July 5 (TASR) - In spite of an ongoing year-on-year drop in tax inspections, the amount of taxes imposed after such inspections has been on the rise in the past few years, according to a survey by Deloitte Slovensko. According to the survey, which included more than 100 companies from across Slovakia, more than 70 of them recorded no or at most one inspection… read more

Most Companies Don\'t Appeal Additional Taxation, Even Though They Can

Bratislava, July 4 (TASR) - The majority (77 percent) of large-size companies in Slovakia don't appeal against rulings of tax inspectors, even if they have doubts as to whether tax officials imposed additional taxes correctly. This is according to a survey on tax inspections recently carried out by a business-consultancy company Deloitte Slovensko. "Even if the relations… read more

Slovaks Living Abroad Call for Elections and TV Broadcasting via The Net

Bratislava, July 4 (TASR) - The new government should prioritise internet elections, TV broadcasting for Slovaks abroad and maintaining the grant system of the Association of Slovaks Living Abroad (SZSZ), its chairman Vladimir Skalsky said in an interview for TASR. Enabling voting via the internet by 2013 is envisaged, said Skalsky. Internet voting was a plank in the… read more

RADICOVA: We\'ve Agreed on Signing Coalition Agreement

Bratislava, July 3 (TASR) - Leading of four parties of the emerging coalition - SDKU-DS, Freedom and Solidarity (SaS), the Christian Democratic Movement (KDH) and Most-Hid - have definitely agreed on signing their Coalition Agreement, premier-designate Iveta Radicova informed on Saturday. "We've got all the topics settled," she said after the talks, which were resumed… read more

Gasparovic Invites Newly Elected Hungarian President to Slovakia

Bratislava, July 2 (TASR) - Slovak President Ivan Gasparovic has written to newly-elected Hungarian President Pal Schmitt and German President Christian Wulff, congratulating them on being elected to the most senior public posts in their countries and wishing them a great deal of success and insight. Gasparovic invited Schmitt on an official visit to Slovakia, while in… read more

New U.S. Ambassador to Slovakia Theodore Sedgwick to Arrive Soon

Bratislava, July 2 (TASR) - U.S. Chargé d'Affaires Keith Eddins officially announced in Bratislava on Friday that the new U.S. Ambassador to Slovakia Theodore Sedgwick will take up his post in the next few weeks. Eddins did so at a reception held by the American Embassy to mark the Independence Day celebrations. He also introduced his successor, new U.S. Chargé d'Affaires… read more