EconomyOther Economy

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

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

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

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

Simon Calls on Chovan to Stop Dubious Last-minute Land Transfers

Bratislava, June 30 (TASR) - Outgoing coalition party LS-HZDS wants to use the final moments after the parliamentary elections to "do something big", said Most-Hid vice-chair Zsolt Simon at a briefing on Wednesday. "In state forests (state-run forestry company Lesy SR), contracts with the Czech Republic are being signed concerning wood supplies with a penalty clause for… read more

SkyToll Says Its Road-Toll System Is Fully Functional

Bratislava, June 29 (TASR) - The electronic road-toll system is fully functional and meets all the criteria stemming from the contract with the National Highway Company (NDS), road-toll provider SkyToll spokesperson Lenka Lendacka said on Tuesday. She was reacting to the statement published earlier Tuesday by the Slovak Union of Hauliers (UNAS), according to which the… read more

UVO Orders Re-inclusion of Firms in Tendering for Motorway Building

Bratislava, June 29 (TASR) - The Public Procurement Office (UVO) said on Tuesday it has ordered the highway-maintenance state company NDS to re-include the firms STRABAG and VAHOSTAV-SK among the bidders for a tender competition to build the R4 motorway Kosice - Milhost stretch after they were wrongfully excluded. The Office decided that NDS has arbitrarily favoured… read more

Trust in Slovak Economy Grew in June after Drop in May

Bratislava, June 29 (TASR) - Trust in the Slovak economy grew in June 2010, with the Index of Economic Sentiment (IES) rising by 0.6 percentage points month-on-month and by 23.5 percentage points year-on-year to 91.1 points. It is still 7.3 points below the long-term average, however, the Statistics Office (SU) reported on Tuesday. According to SU, the increase was influenced… read more

Total Income of Public Finances to Go Down By €1.019 Billion This Year

Bratislava, June 28 (TASR) - Total incoming state revenues will be lower by €1.019 billion this year, a figure amounting to 1.6 percent of GDP, reports the tax prognosis published by the Finance Ministry on Monday. The drop is estimated to be as much as €1.360 billion (1.9 percent of GDP) in 2011 and by €1.768 billion (2.4 percent of GDP) in 2012. In comparison… read more

All Bratislava Flights Now Handled by New Terminal at M.R. Stefanik

Bratislava, June 28 (TASR) - All regular and charter flights at Bratislava's M.R. Stefanik Airport are being handled by the airport's new terminal as of Monday, airport spokesperson Dana Madunicka told TASR on the same day. As a result, the new terminal will have been used for 21 flights on Monday. The new terminal has been used in trial operation since June 10,… read more

KOZ: Government Needs to Support EFSF or Run Risk of Isolation

Bratislava, June 28 (TASR) - The emerging centre-right coalition should reconsider its stance on the European Financial Stability Facility (EFSF), Trade Union Confederation (KOZ) vice-president Vladimir Mojs told TASR after Monday's tripartite session in Bratislava. "The next government should definitely support EFSF. If it doesn't, then it has no place in Europe. I,… read more

Kosice Region MPs Give Up Bonuses to Bankroll Clear-up After Floods

Bratislava, June 28 (TASR) - The devastating floods that ravaged Kosice region after torrential rain in May and June are estimated to have caused €20.6 million worth of damage to roads, educational and medical facilities, Kosice governor Zdenko Trebula (Smer-SD) told reporters on Monday. Trebula stated that, in line with a proposal from his Smer colleagues, regional… read more