EconomyOther Economy

SE: Completion Work on Blocks at Mochovce Nuclear Plant Continues

Bratislava, August 24 (TASR) - Electricity-generator Slovenske Elektrarne (SE) is continuing work aimed at completing the 3rd and 4th blocks of the nuclear power plant at Mochovce (Nitra region) in line with the schedule, Economy Minister Juraj Miskov (Freedom and Solidarity/SaS) learnt during his meeting with SE representatives on Monday. "The aim of the first meeting… read more

Employers Disapprove of Raising Levies to Consolidate Public Finances

Bratislava, August 23 (TASR) - Employers are opposed to the Government's plan to consolidate public finances via, inter alia, raising levies, Martin Hostak of the Republic's Union of Employers (RUZ) told TASR in a statement on Monday. "An additional burden placed on labour would complicate dealing with the society-wide problem of unemployment," reads the statement.… read more

Statistics Office to Cut Budget by 30 percent in 2011

Bratislava, August 23 (TASR) - The Statistics Office plans to its budget by almost 30 percent next year to €20.8 million, Statistics Office spokesperson Eva Kelemenova told TASR on Monday. Within the planned austerity measures, the Stats Office is set to cut salary expenditures, which will be borne out in proportional staff reductions. At the same time, all planned… read more

PSA Peugeot-Citroen Resumes Production in Trnava

Trnava, August 23(TASR) - The Slovak subsidiary of French car-maker PSA Peugeot-Citroen has resumed two-shift production following a three-week shutdown for a company-wide holiday, a spokesperson told TASR on Monday. This week's afternoon shifts will last an extra hour in order to satisfy customer demand. The PSA unit in Trnava, which produces the Peugeot 207… read more

SNOPK: Slovakia Germany\'s 23rd Most Important Trade Partner

Bratislava, August 23 (TASR) - Germany is the largest customer of Slovak products, with Slovakia being in 23rd place among Germany's most important foreign business partners, TASR was told by spokesman of the Slovak-German Business and Industry Chamber (SNOPK) Markus Halt on Monday. At the same time, the trade balance between the two countries is roughly balanced, said… read more

Entrepreneurs Embrace Planned Abolition of Tax and Levy Exemptions

Bratislava, August 23 (TASR) - Entrepreneurs embrace the planned abolition of tax exemptions but suggest that public finances should also be consolidated via raising excise taxes, head of the Slovak Business Alliance (PAS) Robert Kicina told TASR on Monday. "We fully back rectification of the deformations in the system of taxes and levies, which nowadays include several… read more

Dutch Foundation Sends Aid to Roma Community in Hlboke

Liptovsky Mikulas, August 22 (TASR) - The Dutch foundation Hulpprojekt Slowakije has in the past few days donated eight computers, plus clothes and toys as part of an aid project for the Roma community in Hlboke (Zilina region), village mayor Jan Blchac has said. "We are striving to help children facing poverty, discrimination or disease. Last year we focused our attention… read more

Almost 6 million cubic metres of Gas Consumed in Slovakia in 2009

Bratislava, August 21 (TASR) - The consumption of natural gas in Slovakia in 2009 reached 5.9 million cubic metres, with the domestic gas output reaching 103 million cubic metres, according to a recent report released by the Economy and Construction Ministry. The ministry expects the domestic output to fall in long-term, if new deposits are not discovered. At any rate,… read more

Economy Ministry: Government Won\'t Build Pipeline Through Zitny Ostrov

Bratislava, August 20 (TASR) - The Government won't allow the Bratislava-Schwechat oil pipeline to be built through Zitny Ostrov, an area containing Slovakia's largest reserves of drinking-water, Economy and Construction Ministry spokesman Darius Bosjak told TASR on Friday. Bosjak was reacting to Agriculture, Environment and Regional Development Minister Zsolt Simon's… read more

SP to Benefit by Millions of Euros from Social Insurance Bill

Bratislava, August 19 (TASR) - A Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs and Family statement reaffirmed on Thursday that its amendment to the social insurance legislation will have everyone earning a taxable income - namely employees, entrepreneurs and self-employed persons - subject to social insurance payments. The bill introduces a common base for determining social insurance… read more

Unemployment Rate Dropped to 12.33 percent in July

Bratislava, August 19 (TASR) - Slovakia's unemployment rate dropped slightly by 0.01 percentage points month-on-month to 12.33 percent in July, the Labour, Social Affairs and the Family Office (UPSVaR) announced on Thursday. A total of 375,608 job-seekers were registered at job centres in July. Even though their number was 430 lower than in June, the same figure rose… read more

Sulik: Some People Paying Lower Taxes at Expense of Others

Bratislava, August 19 (TASR) - The prepared changes in tax and deductions recently announced by the Finance Ministry, the Labour, Social Affairs and the Family Ministry and the Health Ministry are steps in right direction for which the co-ruling Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) party will fight, Parliamentary Chairman and SaS head Richard Sulik said on Thursday. "Those who… read more

Ziping Gu: China Wants to Increase Its Trade Balance with Slovakia

Bratislava, August 18 (TASR) - China wants to continue in increasing its trade balance with Slovakia, new Chinese Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Slovakia Ziping Gu said while presenting his credentials to Slovak President Ivan Gasparovic on Wednesday. Gasparovic noted that Slovakia has built many industrial parks which provide scope for boosting economic… read more

PAS: Slovakia\'s Business Conditions Have Fallen Below Average

Bratislava, August 18 (TASR) - Corruption, problems with law-enforcement, frequently-changing laws and high levies remain major impediments to business in Slovakia, according to a report on the state of the entrepreneurial sector in Slovakia for 2010 released by the Slovak Business Alliance (PAS) on Wednesday. Conditions in the country have deteriorated from above average… read more

Ruzinsky: Interblue Group Europe Doesn\'t Want to Contract Out

Bratislava, August 17 (TASR) - Interblue Group Europe, which clams to be the legal successor of the U.S.-based Interblue Group that bought Slovakia's carbon dioxide emission quotas, disagrees with the termination of its contract on the sale of the emissions, Agriculture and Environment Ministry State Secretary Martin Ruzinsky told TASR on Tuesday. "In a letter (sent to… read more