EconomyOther Economy

Makuch: Slovakia Should Increase Exports and Diversify Production

Bratislava, May 11 (TASR) - Slovak companies are increasing their exports to EU countries but the contribution to the GDP from these exports is still lower than it should be, Slovak National Bank (NBS) Governor Jozef Makuch said Tuesday at an HN Club discussion forum focused on evaluating Slovakia's businesses. "Slovakia should focus on increasing its exports and also… read more

Jahnatek: We Want to Tidy Up System of Levies After General Election

Bratislava, May 11 (TASR) - Foreign investors are most interested in state support for investments and reducing corruption in the state and judiciary, said Economy Minister Lubomir Jahnatek (Smer-SD) on Tuesday after holding a session with representatives of the American Chamber of Commerce in Slovakia (AmCham). Changes in the tax system aren't the most important issue… read more

Pociatek: Joining Guarantee Package Best Solution Available

Bratislava, May 11 (TASR) - The Slovak Government joined the Europe-wide guarantee mechanism because all the relevant institutions agreed that it is the best way out given the palette of choices, said Slovak Finance Minister Jan Pociatek (Smer-SD) in reaction to opposition SDKU-DS criticism concerning the Government joining the EU's guarantee package of more than €700 billion.… read more

OECD: Slovak Fiscal Consolidation Plans Reliable, But Reforms Needed

Bratislava, May 11 (TASR) - Slovakia's public finance consolidation plan is trustworthy, according to Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) main economist Pier Carlo Padoan, who met Prime Minister Robert Fico in Bratislava on Tuesday. However, Padoan stated that the process of fiscal consolidation should be accompanied by reforms designed to boost… read more

HZDS to Miss Extraordinary Session of Parliament on Greek Package

Bratislava, May 11 (TASR) - Coalition LS-HZDS MPs will not take part in the extraordinary parliamentary session on the Greek rescue package summoned for Wednesday, according to the party's vice-chairman for the economy Jozef Habanik. Speaking to journalists in Bratislava on Tuesday, Habanik said that once Slovakia has decided to adopt the euro, it has to back the idea… read more

SDKU: Fico Backs EU Fund Because Slovakia Could Well Need It

Bratislava, May 11 (TASR) - Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has steered Slovakia onto the same path followed by EU countries that are currently facing economic problems, said opposition SDKU-DS election leader Iveta Radicova at a press conference in Bratislava on Tuesday. "(Fico) supports loans for loans, because we're threatened by the same situation," she stated.… read more

Stats: Average Salaries in March Rose in All Sectors Except IT

Bratislava, May 11 (TASR) - On an annual basis, real salaries in Slovakia grew in March 2010 in all sectors except for IT, according to information published by the Slovak Statistics Office on Tuesday. The highest year-on-year real salary increases were seen in industry (8.2 percent), in wholesale (7 percent) and in accommodation (4.2 percent). Conversely, real salaries… read more

Slovakia Not in Need of Borrowing Money Towards EU Guarantee Package

Bratislava, May 10 (TASR) - At the moment, Slovakia is not in a situation to have to borrow money to make a deposit into a newly-created guarantee mechanism of the European Union, according to Prime Minister Robert Fico. Although the Union has already approved the supporting package worth more than €700 billion for its member states, the aid only has a form of guarantee,… read more

Banks: Public Not Interested in State Aid Scheme for Mortgages

Bratislava, May (TASR) - More than five months since its introduction, the state assistance scheme for people who have lost their jobs due to the economic crisis and aren't able to repay their mortgages has not been used by a single person, bank spokespersons approached by TASR concurred on Monday. "To this day we haven't received any requests for state aid in repaying… read more

Industrial Production Up 20.8 percent Y-o-Y in March

Bratislava, May 10 (TASR) - Industrial production in Slovakia in March grew by 20.8 percent year-on-year and by 4.5 percent month-on-month after seasonal effects are taken into consideration, the Statistics Office said on Monday. "The favourable March figures for German and Czech industry indicated in advance that Slovak industry could exceed expectations in March as… read more

SaS: Fico Should Collect Money from Smer Voters to Fund Greek Loan

Bratislava, May 10 (TASR) - Prime Minister and Smer-SD party chairman Robert Fico's election campaign should include a collection of money from his voters to fund the planned loan for debt-ridden Greece, as this would prevent him from putting future generations in deeper debt, vice-chairman of extra-parliamentary Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) party Juraj Miskov told a press conference… read more

Fresh Volcanic Ash Hasn\'t Disrupted Flights From Bratislava

Bratislava, May 10 (TASR) - Fresh plumes of ash from the Icelandic volcano that are currently moving across Europe aren't expected to affect flights from Bratislava's M.R. Stefanik Airport (BTS), airport spokesperson Dana Madunicka told TASR on Monday. "Air carriers haven't notified us of any flight cancellations for today (Monday)," she said, adding that the country's… read more

SDKU: Hasty Financial Assistance to Greece Is Suspicious and Improper

Bratislava, May 8 (TASR) - The time stress connected to the accelerated financial assistance to Greece is suspicious and improper for an appropriate discussion on loan equalling to €110 billion, TASR was told by SDKU-DS caucus leader Stanislav Janis on Saturday. Janis was speaking in reaction to the decisions made at the extraordinary Government's session earlier the… read more

SDKU Remains Opposed to Idea of Slovakia Providing Loan to Greece

Bratislava, May 7 (TASR) - Far it be from us to try to hamper parliaments of fellow eurozone countries in helping debt-ridden Greece, but we continue to be opposed to the idea of Slovakia providing a loan to Athens, election leader of major Opposition SDKU-DS party Iveta Radicova told a press conference on Friday. Her comments came in the wake of a statement made by Prime… read more

ZAP: As Predicted Volume of Car Sales Falls Year-on-Year in April

Bratislava, May 7 (TASR) - The number of passenger cars and vans (M1 and N1 categories) registered in Slovakia in April was down 51.75 percent to 5,260 year-on-year in April as expected due to the scrapyard contribution scheme in 2009, when Government stimulated sales with a cash incentive programme. The January-April period saw an annual drop of 27.74 percent to a total… read more