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Fico: If Floods Get Worse We\'ll Co-operate With Czechs and Poles

Bratislava, May 18 (TASR) - Should the flood situation in Slovakia worsen, the country will co-ordinate further action with the Czech Republic and Poland, said Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico on Monday. "The situation in the south of Poland close to our borders is very complicated. It was even necessary for Slovak Interior Minister Robert Kalinak and his Polish counterpart… read more

Unemployment Fell to 12.52 percent in April

Bratislava, May 18 (TASR) - Unemployment in Slovakia dropped by 0.36 percentage points month-on-month to 12.52 percent in April 2010, the Labour, Social Affairs and the Family Centre (UPSVaR) announced on Tuesday. In an annual comparison, however, the jobless rate went up by 1.60 percentage points. "We see the main reasons for the drop in the unemployment rate… read more

Law on Charging University Studies Is in Accordance With Constitution

Kosice, May 18 (TASR) - Charging university students who exceed the standard number of years that studies should last or enrol at a second university is in accordance with the Slovak Constitution, the Constitutional Court headed by Chairman Ivetta Macejkova ruled on Tuesday. The complaint that led to the case was filed two years ago by 38 MPs, whose representative Tatiana… read more

Fico: Slovakia Will Take All Possible Diplomatic Steps on Dual Citizenship

Bratislava, May 18 (TASR) - It's time to stop smiling, said Prime Minister Robert Fico on Tuesday after a session of the Security Council summoned in reaction to the amendment to the law on dual citizenship submitted to the Hungarian Parliament on Monday. Slovak Parliamentary Chairman Pavol Paska said that the ceremonial parliamentary session that should mark the end… read more

Ondava River Breaks Dam, Interior Minister Kalinak on Site

Trebisov, May 18 (TASR) - A breach in a dam on the Ondava River only a few kilometres from Trebisov (Kosice region), which was caused by heavy rains and rising water levels, has grown to around 30 metres wide, it was reported on Tuesday. The water flowing through the gap is flooding fields between the Ondava River and a dam on the Trnavka River and is heading towards… read more

EU-harmonised Inflation Stood at 0.7 percent in April

Bratislava, May 18 (TASR) - Inflation in Slovakia as measured by EU methodology increased from 0.3 percent year-on-year in March to 0.7 percent in April, the Slovak Statistics Office reported on Tuesday. Over the last 12 months, inflation has averaged 0.3 percent. In April, alcohol and tobacco prices grew most rapidly (by 7.9 percent), followed by those of healthcare… read more

Lower Regulation of Economy May Reduce Corruption

Bratislava, May 17 (TASR) - Less intense regulation of the economy could contribute to reductions in corruption, according to Marian Tupy from Washington's Cato Institute, speaking at a conference in Bratislava on Monday. According to Tupy, regulation in Slovakia is higher than in countries of Western Europe. The combination of intense redistribution of regulatory powers… read more

EETS Should Solve Incompatibility of EU\'s Toll Systems

Bratislava, May 17 (TASR) - The incompatibility of road-toll systems in EU countries remains a problem, participants agreed at the roundtable discussion on Slovakia's road-toll system and its readiness for inter-operability organised by the Transport Research Institute (VUD) in Bratislava on Monday. The situation should be solved by a European Electronic Toll Service… read more

SMK: Fico Once Voted for Dual Citizenship Law Similar to That of Hungary

Bratislava, May 17 (TASR) - Prime Minister Robert Fico, who is harshly criticising Hungary's plans to adopt an amendment on dual citizenship, once voted for a proposal similar to the Hungarian one in Parliament, according to ethnic-Hungarian SMK party. The said vote, concerning an amendment to the Act on Slovak Citizenship, took place in Slovak Parliament in May 2005,… read more

Slovaks Living Outside Slovakia More Interested in Voting Than in 2006

Bratislava, May 17 (TASR) - Slovaks residing or temporarily living abroad are twice as interested in casting their votes in the general election via post than they were for the 2006 vote, TASR learnt from Slovak Post PR manager Juraj Danielis on Monday. According to the figures released by Slovak Post, around 6,900 Slovaks have claimed their right to vote via post before… read more

Novaky Municipality Welcomes Decision to Sell NChZ But Only As A Whole

Novaky, May 17 (TASR) - According to Novaky (Trencin region) local administration chairman Jan Martina, the municipality welcomes the decision of Novaky Chemical Works (NChZ) committee of creditors to launch the sale of this joint-stock company, which went bankrupt in October, he told TASR on Monday. According to Martina it is important that the NChZ situation will finally… read more

SaS: Past Four Years Wasted Years for Slovakia

Bratislava, May 17 (TASR) - The just-ending election period, with the current Government in power, have been "four wasted years" for Slovakia, according to extraparliamentary Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) vice-chairman Jozef Mihal. "Instead of continuing in reforms and building a modern Slovakia, everywhere you look now you can see pessimism, a bad mood, disgust and apathy,"… read more

Direct Flights From Bratislava to Warsaw Possible Again as of Monday

Bratislava, May 17 (TASR) - Bratislava's Milan Rastislav Stefanik Airport is connected to the Polish capital Warsaw as of Monday thanks to direct flights operated by LOT Polish Airlines. Passengers will be able to fly daily apart from on Saturdays - at 11.45 a.m. from Warsaw and at 1.45 p.m. from Bratislava. LOT also points out that Slovaks will gain good access to flights… read more

Murray: European Countries Need Reform of Social Security Systems

Bratislava, May 17 (TASR) - All European countries have to undergo extensive reforms of their social security system within the next 20 years, said social scientist, writer and academic at the American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research Charles Murray at a conference in Bratislava on Monday. "There won't be any other choice. If massive immigration doesn't… read more

Smer and HZDS Youth Groups Slam Slovak Right and Hungarian Bill

Bratislava, May 17 (TASR) - The youth organisations of coalition parties Smer-SD and LS-HZDS on Monday declared that they will do everything possible to help their respective parties remain in government after the June 12 election. According to chairman of Smer's Young Social Democrats (MSD) Andrej Kolesik, young people in Slovakia can choose between two alternatives.… read more