OtherOther Economy

PAS: Elimination of Corruption Is Top Priority for Business Environment

Bratislava, July 2 (TASR) - According to the Slovak Business Alliance (PAS), the elimination of corruption is the absolute priority as far as improving the business environment is concerned, PAS executive director Robert Kicina said at a press conference in Bratislava on Friday. According to Kicina, speaking during the presentation of 'A Report on The Business Environment… read more

Fico: SDKU Wants to Lie to Its Voters About EFSF and Put Blame on Us

Bratislava, July 1 (TASR) - A public statement from the Premier-designate Iveta Radicova (SDKU-DS) whether her finance minister will be prepared to sign the framework agreement is enough for unblocking the European safety net framework (European Financial Stability Facility/EFSF), said departing Prime Minister Robert Fico on Thursday. Fico said this in reaction to Radicova's… read more

Economy Ministry Fails to Publish Alternative Oil Pipeline Routes

Bratislava, July 1 (TASR) - Environmentalists from Greenpeace said on Thursday that the Economy Ministry has broken its promise to publish the planned routes of an oil pipeline to Austria which exclude its crossing of the protected area of Zitny Ostrov by the end of June. Representatives of the Slovak unit of Greenpeace, campaigning against the Government's perceived… read more

Poverty Threatens 11 percent of Slovak Households

Bratislava, July 1 (TASR) - Around 11 percent of households in Slovakia representing around 595,000 people are threatened by poverty, according to a survey on incomes and living conditions of households in the European Union (EU SILC 2009) that was presented in Bratislava on Thursday. "The border of poverty is set at €283 per person per month. Compared to 2008, the… read more

SDKU: Fico Blocked EU Safety Net, He\'s Responsible for Consequences

Bratislava, July 1 (TASR) - Outgoing Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD) has definitely blocked the signing of the financial safety-net framework (European Financial Stability Facility/EFSF) even though he had the power to unblock it, according to the strongest party in the emerging centre-right coalition SDKU-DS. Slovakia was supposed to sign the EFSF, designed to aid… read more

Public Finance Deficit Increased to €2.439 billion in June

Bratislava, July 1 (TASR) - The public-finance deficit increased by almost €400 million month-on-month in June - from €2.078 billion in May to €2.439 billion, the Finance Ministry said on Thursday. At the same time last year, the deficit reached less than a half of the current figure, standing at €1.108 billion. According to the Finance Ministry's expectations,… read more

Poll: Seven out of Ten Slovaks Against Loan for Greece

Bratislava, June 30 (TASR) - Seven out of ten Slovaks don't agree with Slovakia providing Greece with financial assistance, while less than a quarter thinks that Slovakia should help the indebted EU member, according to a poll carried out by TNS SK in May and published on Wednesday. The survey was carried out on a representative sample of 988 respondents over 18. About… read more

Volkswagen Production in Bratislava Soon to Run Seven Days a Week

Bratislava, June 30 (TASR) - Carmaker Volkswagen is set to launch seven-days-a-week production at its Slovak facilities, TASR was told by Volkswagen Slovakia spokesman Vladimir Machalik on Wednesday. Higher demand for the Volkswagen Touareg and Audi Q7, produced at the carmaker's Bratislava plant in Devinska Nova Ves, are cited as reasons behind this move. The upshot… read more

Mihal: More Jobs and Levy Reform Will Be Priorities of Labour Ministry

Bratislava, June 30 (TASR) - A reform of the levy system in Slovakia will be the main priority of Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) member Jozef Mihal in case he really becomes the future Labour, Social Affairs and the Family Minister, he told TASR on Wednesday. "Family policy and social services are other key issues where major mistakes made by the outgoing minister (Viera Tomanova/Smer-SD)… read more

Miskov: Economy Ministry Will Concentrate on Business Sector Reforms

Bratislava, June 30 (TASR) - Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) nominee for the future Economy Minister Juraj Miskov wants to carry out overall reforms of the business environment in Slovakia, he told TASR on Wednesday. "Raising the level of business freedoms and removing barriers to business will be priorities of the ministry," said Miskov, former general director of MUW Saatchi… read more

Defence Minister-designate Plans Changes in Tendering Procedures

Bratislava, June 30 (TASR) - Defence minister-in-waiting Lubomir Galko (Freedom and Solidarity/SaS), unveiling his priorities if he is appointed to the post, said on Wednesday that he would increase efficiency in public procurement procedures relating to military purchases by making them more transparent. "I will not buy dud and unusable goods at prohibitive prices,"… read more

Slovakia Taking up Visegrad Four Presidency on Thursday

Bratislava, June 30 (TASR) - Slovakia is due to preside over the Visegrad Four (V4/the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia) for one year as of Thursday. Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesman Peter Stano informed that Slovakia will take up the presidency from Hungary at the upcoming V4 summit, which should most probably take place in mid-July. Its main slogan will… read more

Radicova: Decision on EU Guarantee Mechanism Irreversible

Bratislava, June 30 (TASR) - The new government has inherited a political decision concerning the creation of a new EU guarantee mechanism that is designed to give a helping hand to countries that find themselves in financial trouble. It's irreversible, said Premier-designate Iveta Radicova (SDKU-DS) at a meeting with Slovak President Ivan Gasparovic in Wednesday.… read more

English Hiker Dies in Slovak Mountains

Slovensky raj, June 30 (TASR) – Mountain rescuers in Slovensky Raj assisted in the attempted resuscitation of a 69-year-old hiker from England. The hiker was then treated by a doctor who came via helicopter, but resuscitation attempts failed to work. According to one of Slovensky Raj mountain rescuers Dusan Leskovjansky, the Englishman may have experienced sudden… read more

Debt in Healthcare Sector Close to €200 million as of End of 2009

Bratislava, June 30 (TASR) - The overall debt in Slovakia's healthcare sector dropped by nearly €80 million year-on-year to stand at €194 million at the end of 2009, according to a report by the Health Ministry out on Wednesday. The largest share of debt belonged to state-run facilities, with their debts amounting to €115 million. The report also makes it… read more