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Fico to Summon Security Council Over Hungary\'s Dual Citizenship Law

Bratislava, May 14 (TASR) - The Slovak Security Council will be summoned in response to the law on dual citizenship that may well be approved by the Hungarian Parliament on Friday, Prime Minister Robert Fico announced at a press conference after an extraordinary session of the Slovak Government on Friday morning. According to Fico, the law in question will probably have… read more

Fico: Energy Production Using Renewable Sources Should Go Up By 20%

Martin, May 13 (TASR) - Slovakia has made serious commitments vis-a-vis the EU when it comes to renewable energy sources, Slovak Premier Robert Fico said at the Martinska Teplarenska (MT) heating company headquarters on Thursday. Fico took part in the ceremonial operational launch of the new fluid 60 MW boiler, designed to incinerate biomass. The purpose, according to… read more

IVO: Fico\'s Government Has Worsened Socio-economic Situation

Bratislava, May 13 (TASR) - The current Government has worsened the situation in Slovakia since it was sworn in four years ago, according to a Summary Report on State of Society in Slovakia 2009 presented by the Institute for Public Affairs (IVO) on Thursday. "It was the rule of non-liberal populists in conditions of liberal democracy which influenced the quality of the… read more

Gasparovic: Dual Citizenship Isn\'t Only Hungary\'s Matter

Bratislava, May 13 (TASR) - The steps conducted by the Government vis-a-vis Hungary's amendment to the Dual Citizenship Act - declarations by Premier Robert Fico and Foreign Minister Miroslav Lajcak, and summoning ambassador in Budapest Peter Weiss for talks - are a clear sign that the whole affair doesn't concern only Hungary but also Slovakia, President Ivan Gasparovic told… read more

SDKU-DS: Nothing to Worry About, Slovakia is Strong Enough

Bratislava, May 13 (TASR) - Representatives of the Opposition party SDKU-DS stand convinced that Slovakia will enjoy a measure of protection against the Hungarian law on dual citizenship, as was the case with the Hungarian Status Act, SDKU-DS Chairman Mikulas Dzurinda said at a press conference on Thursday. [Dzurinda was referring to legislation in effect in Hungary as… read more

SNS Wants Extraordinarry Parliamentary Session on Dual Citizenship

Bratislava, May 13 (TASR) - If there is an extraordinary parliamentary session summoned, nationalist SNS will strongly insist on having the Slovak Ambassador to Hungary (Peter Weiss) withdrawn if the Hungarian law on dual citizenship is passed in Budapest, according to SNS leader Jan Slota. "It's fine that we've asked over our ambassador from Budapest to Bratislava, but… read more

SDKU: June Election Will Be Referendum on Slovakia\'s Future Direction

Bratislava, May 13 (TASR) - The parliamentary elections in June will also be a referendum on Slovakia's future direction, said opposition SDKU-DS election leader Iveta Radicova on Thursday in connection with the failed attempt to summon an extraordinary parliamentary session on the Greek rescue package. According to Radicova, there are two alternatives for Slovakia -… read more

Foreign Affairs Committee to Meet to Discuss Dual Citizenship Bill

Bratislava, May 13 (TASR) - The parliamentary committee for foreign affairs said on Thursday that it will discuss a contentious bill on dual citizenship that the Hungarian Parliament plans to begin debating on Friday morning, at the request of its member Pavol Hrusovsky (Christian Democrats/KDH). Hrusovsky asked committee chairman Juraj Horvath (Smer-SD) earlier in the… read more

Inflation in April Accelerated to Level of August 2009 - 1.3 percent

Bratislava, May 13 (TASR) - Slovakia's inflation rate stood at 0.4 percent month-on-month in April, bringing the annual rate to 1.3 percent, which was last seen in August 2009, the Slovak Statistics Office said on Thursday. Core inflation, which excludes the effects of administrative measures such as hikes in regulated prices and excise taxes, and net inflation (core… read more

Opposition Unable to Hold Parliamentary Session on Greek Package

Bratislava, May 13 (TASR) - The Opposition on Thursday was again unable to hold an extraordinary parliamentary session on the Greek rescue package that was summoned earlier this week by Parliamentary Chairman Pavol Paska (Smer) in line with a petition signed by opposition MPs. Too many lawmakers were missing even at the fourth attempt to open the session. Only 62 out… read more

Slovakia Summons Its Ambassador From Hungary for Consultations

Budapest/Bratislava, May 13 (TASR) - Slovakia on Wednesday evening summoned its Ambassador in Hungary Peter Weiss for consultations concerning a legislative amendment on dual citizenship prepared by the Hungarian Parliament, Slovak Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesman Peter Stano told TASR on Thursday. At a meeting with Slovak Foreign Affairs Minister Miroslav Lajcak in… read more

Fico: We\'ll View Hungarian Dual Citizenship Law as Security Threat

Bratislava, May 13 (TASR) - Slovakia will consider the adoption of an amendment on dual citizenship by the Hungarian Parliament as a security threat that will immediately be submitted to the OCSE High Commissioner for Minorities for assessment, said Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico at a press conference on Thursday morning. According to Fico, if the Hungarian Parliament… read more

Addressing Unemployment Key Priority Across Political Spectrum

Bratislava, May 12 (TASR) - The unfavourable development of the employment rate in Slovakia, interconnection of the labour market and education or abuse of the social system by the long-term unemployed were discussed at a conference organised by the Employment Institute on Wednesday in Bratislava. The conference was attended by representatives of Coalition, Opposition… read more

Martonyi: FIDESZ to Provide Help to SMK Ahead of General Election

Bratislava, May 12 (TASR) - It's in the interest of Hungary's FIDESZ party to see ethnic-Hungarian parties in the surrounding countries post good results in elections, Hungary's incoming foreign minister Janos Martonyi said after meeting Slovakia's ethnic-Hungarian SMK party chairman Pal Csaky in Bratislava on Wednesday. Martonyi pledged that FIDESZ will provide all necessary… read more

EU Commission to Decide on EIB Loan for D1 Motorway Next Week

Bratislava, May 12 (TASR) - Slovakia said on Wednesday that it will have secured all the finances needed to build the D1 motorway before May 18, by which time the European Commission has agreed to have the European Investment Bank (EIB) lend one-quarter of the €4 billion bill if the country has resolved specified environmental issues. "The European Commission and the… read more