EconomyOther Economy

Fico: Slovakia Will Sign Agreement to Provide Loans to Greece

Bratislava, May 7 (TASR) - Slovakia will sign a General Agreement that will allow eurozone members to provide bilateral loans to Greece, Prime Minister Robert Fico said in Bratislava on Friday before setting out for a Euro Group session in Brussels. Fico, who was speaking after a meeting with representatives of trade unions and employer associations, claimed that providing… read more

RUZ Critical of Alliance Between Smer-SD and KOZ

Bratislava, May 6 (TASR) - An association of employers warned on Thursday that the alliance between the strongest coalition party Smer-SD and trade unions – Confederation of Trade Unions (KOZ) – could lead a further rise in joblessness and a loss of competitiveness for businesses. The Republic Union of Employers was responding to KOZ unions' call on their members… read more

NDS Admits to Problems in Way Hauliers are Charged Highway Toll

Bratislava, May 6 (TASR) - The National Highway Company (NDS) on Thursday conceded faults in the way the toll is charged for motorway use to trucks over 3.5 tonnes after a group of hauliers filed a complaint with prosecutors over fraud and business data distortion earlier this week. On Tuesday the Union of Hauliers (UNAS) complained, among other things, that they are… read more

SaS: Loan to Greece Will Help Banks and Not Country

Bratislava, May 6 (TASR) - The financial assistance to Greece is a bad solution for the indebted country, as well as for the whole eurozone, said chairman of non-parliamentary party Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) Richard Sulik on Thursday, adding that the loan will only help the banking sector, which has lent so much money to Greece at such high rates. "This system of loans… read more

SkyToll: Almost €38 million Collected From Road Tolls to Date

Bratislava, May 5 (TASR) - Almost €38 million has been collected in road tolls in the first four months that the toll system has been operating, TASR was told Wednesday by Lenka Lendacka from SkyToll, the company that runs the system. Electronic tolls on Slovak motorways, highways and first-class roads were introduced for vehicles weighing more than 3.5 tonnes on January… read more

Ministry: Pension System Probably Won\'t Run Into Problems Until 2015

Bratislava, May 5 (TASR) - The first pay-as-you-go pension pillar probably won't experience any significant financial difficulties until 2015, Labour, Social Affairs and the Family Ministry reacted on Wednesday to an analysis published by the Institute for Economic and Social Reforms (INEKO) earlier in the day. "The situation would be better without the impact made by… read more

Tatravagonka Launches Production of New Rail-Wagon for Russia

Trebisov, May 5 (TASR) - After last year's development and prototype manufacture - tested on Russian tracks – by the rail-wagon manufacturer Tatravagonka in Trebisov (Kosice region) has led to the launch of production of rail-freight wagons for Russian Railways on Wednesday. Tatravagonka, based in Poprad (Presov region), moved its manufacturing operation to Trebisov… read more

Pociatek: Slovakia Is Coming Out Of Crisis

Secovce, May 5 (TASR) - Data from the spring prognoses of the European Commission show that the Slovak economy might be the fastest growing economy in the EU in 2010, Slovak Finance Minister Jan Pociatek said after Wednesday's Government session in the town of Secovce (Kosice region). "All the parameters, which the EC is expecting, are in accordance with our own expectations,"… read more

Most-Híd: PPP Project Analysis a Diversionary Tactic

Bratislava, May 5 (TASR) - The analysis studying the effects of abolishing the road construction via PPP projects is nothing but a diversionary tactic on the part of the Robert Fico-led Government, as the true beneficiaries of the PPP projects are the companies close to the Coalition, Most-Hid Vice-Chair Zsolt Simon said at a press conference on Wednesday. "This material… read more

Vazny: PPP Projects More Advantegous Than Public Procurement

Secovce, May 5 (TASR) - Carrying on with the construction of roads via private-public partnership (PPP) projects would bring a benefit of €12 billion to Slovakia, Transport Minister Lubomir Vazny said after the Government 'away' session in Secovce (Kosice region) on Wednesday. Vazny was referring to the PPP projects analysis drawn up by Transportation Research Institute… read more

Pociatek: We\'ll Do Our Utmost to Lower Deficit to 5.5 percent This Year

Secovce, May 5 (TASR) - Lowering the public-finance deficit from 6.8 percent of GDP in 2009 to 5.5 percent this year represents quite a challenge, but the Government is determined to meet its obligations, Finance Minister Jan Pociatek (a Smer-SD nominee) said after the Government's away session in Secovce (Kosice region) on Wednesday. The European Commission doesn't expect… read more

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

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

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