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INEKO: Next Government Must Hold Back Pension Increases

Bratislava, May 5 (TASR) - The future government should reduce pension increases to match the inflation level and gradually increase the retirement age to 65 in order to make the pension system tenable, according to an analysis drawn up by the Institute for Economic and Social Reforms (INEKO). 'These changes are necessary if the system is to stay in place until at least… read more

Rehn Confident That Slovakia Will Deliver on Promise vis-a-vis Greece

Brussels, May 5 (TASR) - European Commissioner for Economic and Monetary Affairs Olli Rehn on Wednesday expressed his firm belief that Slovakia will keep its pledge and participate in rescuing Greece's public finances. "I'm confident that Slovakia will live up to its pledge regarding financial assistance for Greece under the agreed system. I don't doubt that Slovakia… read more

Zahradnik Advocates Lower Taxes and Deductions, Higher Pension Age

Bratislava, May 5 (TASR) - Even though developments in the area of public finances may make it appear unrealistic, there is scope in the Slovak economy for a 1-percent reduction in taxes, said head of the extra-parliamentary Union-Party for Slovakia Branislav Zahradnik in an interview for TASR on Wednesday. "As far as the quantity of taxes collected are concerned, it… read more

European Commission Predicts 2.7-percent Growth in Slovakia in 2010

Brussels, May 5 (TASR) - The European Commission in its regular spring economic prognosis has given the chapter on Slovakia the headline: 'Moderate Growth Ahead'. According to the Commission's estimates, Slovakia and Poland will see the fastest economic growth in 2010, namely 2.7 percent of GDP. The prognosis for 2011 is even more optimistic, with Slovakia experiencing… read more

Transport Ministry: Analysis Shows That PPP Projects Are Cheaper

Bratislava, May 5 (TASR) - The Transport Ministry said on Wednesday that another analysis that it is putting forward for approval by the Government at its policy making session in Secovce (Kosice region) later in the day has shown that building motorways via private-public partnership (PPP) projects is less costly than via public procurements. The cost-benefit analysis… read more

UNAS Filing Complaint With General Prosecutor\'s Office

Bratislava, May 4 (TASR) - Association of hauliers UNAS filed a complaint with the General Prosecutor's Office over a suspicion of crime on Tuesday, due to imperfections that the new road-toll system contains despite being in operation for 120 days. "This complaint was filed over the suspicion of fraud, unjust enrichment, distortion of economic data and harming of consumers,"… read more

Janis: Fico\'s Meeting With Social Partners Is Bypassing of Parliament

Bratislava, May 4 (TASR) - An extraordinary meeting between Slovak Premier Robert Fico, the social partners (the Unions and employers' organisations), representatives of Slovakia's banking sector and the Slovak Central Bank, set for Friday (May 7) is "the unacceptable bypassing of Parliament", said SDKU-DS parliamentary caucus chairman Stanislav Janis on Tuesday. "So… read more

Experts Discuss Improving Water Quality in Cierna Voda River

Vinne, May 4 (TASR) - Options for improving protection and 'reviving' the basin of the Cierna Voda River near Michalovce (Kosice region) were discussed by representatives of local and state authorities, entrepreneurs and civil associations at a working conference near Vinianske Jazero (Kosice region) on Tuesday, TASR learnt on the same day. The annual conference of the… read more

Opposition Aims to Cut Contributions, Leaving Taxes Intact

Bratislava, May 4 (TASR) - As is the case with the coalition parties, the opposition parties in their election programmes are pushing for the prompt unification of the system of collecting taxes, customs duties and contributions, TASR learnt at Hospodarske Noviny daily's discussion forum on Tuesday. In addition, the opposition parties disapprove of tax rises, and aim… read more

KDH: People Planning to Radically Cure Judiciary Caused Its Illness

Bratislava, May 4 (TASR) - The Slovak judiciary is seriously ill and the people who are talking about the need to introduce a radical cure are the ones who caused the illness in the first place, Christian Democratic Movement (KDH) vice-chair Daniel Lipsic said at a press conference on Tuesday. Lipsic was speaking in reaction to a meeting of the country's three highest… read more

HZDS Signs Agreement Concerning Non-Banking Instutitions

Bratislava, May 4 (TASR) - LS-HZDS chairman Vladimir Meciar and Stefan Jagercik, who represents people cheated out of their savings by non-banking financial institutions that went bust in 2002, signed an agreement on mutual support on Tuesday. "Even though no compensation has been approved under the current Government, we have pledged to promote at least partial compensation… read more

Coalition Parties Want to Unify Collection of Taxes and Deductions

Bratislava, May 4 (TASR) - Not only Smer-SD but also its coalition partners LS-HZDS and the Slovak National Party (SNS) concur that the collection of taxes, deductions and tariffs needs to be unified under a single system, LS-HZDS vice-chair Jozef Habanik said on Tuesday. "The savings that such a system would bring could be translated into alleviating employers' deduction… read more

Fico to Talk to Social Partners and Banks Before Leaving for EU Summit

Bratislava, May 4 (TASR) - Before Prime Minister Robert Fico leaves for the upcoming extraordinary EU summit in Brussels, summoned primarily to seek solutions to Greece's financial troubles, he wants to meet his Government's social partners (the Unions and employers' organisations), as well as representatives of Slovakia's banking sector and the Slovak Central Bank in order… read more

Gasparovic: ECHR Shouldn\'t Become Court of Appeal for Slovak Cases

Bratislava, May 4 (TASR) - It would be a bad thing if the European Court for Human Rights became a court of appeal against verdicts made by Slovak courts, President Ivan Gasparovic said on Tuesday. Gasparovic was speaking following his meeting with Parliamentary Chairman Pavol Paska, Premier Robert Fico and Constitutional Court Chair Ivetta Macejkova in Bratislava, at… read more

JAC Motors in Talks With Slovakia About Investment

Bratislava, May 4 (TASR) - Another foreign-owned car-maker is looking to invest in Slovakia, with Chinese company JAC Motors declaring interest in building a factory in the country during the EXPO Shanghai 2010 exhibition in China. JAC Motors regional director David Wang confirmed that he is in talks with Slovak officials about terms and conditions. He said that… read more