EconomyOther Economy

PAS: Entrepreneurial Environment Improves for First Time Since 2006

Bratislava, November 3 (TASR) - The entrepreneurial environment in Slovakia improved slightly in the third quarter of 2010, Slovak Business Alliance (PAS) senior analyst Matej Tunega said on Wednesday. The Business Environment Index (IPP) rose to 91.9 points between July-September, up 0.39-percent on 2Q10, the first rise in the index since July 2006, when the government… read more

Finance Ministry: Proposal to Tax Banks Ignores Negative Impact

Bratislava, November 2 (TASR) - The Finance Ministry said on Tuesday that it disagrees with the proposal drafted by the opposition Smer-SD party to introduce special levies on banks and that it won't recommend that this measure should be passed in Parliament. "The proposal ignores the ongoing European discussion, contains technical imperfections, and is even based on… read more

FinMin: State Budget Deficit Climbed to €3.4 billion in October

Bratislava, November 2 (TASR) - The state-budget deficit rose from €3.110 billion in September to €3.373 billion in October, the Finance Ministry announced on Tuesday. The deficit was more than double the figure recorded in October 2009, which stood at €1.537 billion. A total deficit of €3.746 billion is projected for the whole of 2010, with the figure… read more

Simon: Higher Prices Compensating Farmers\' Flood Damage

Bratislava, October 30 (TASR) - Slovakia's agriculture will suffer losses in 2010, but the economic results shouldn't be worse than in 2009, Agriculture Minister Zsolt Simon (Most-Hid) has observed. "I think agriculture will be in loss this year, but I hope that it won't be worse than last year... because whether we like it or not, the market reacts," Simon told TASR,… read more

Austrian Analyst: Price Level in Slovakia Approaching Austria

Vienna/Bratislava, October 30 (TASR) - Austrians' shopping tourism in Slovakia has fallen after Slovakia introduced euro almost two years ago, Peter Havlik from Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies has told TASR. At the same time, the price levels in the two countries are slowly balancing out, albeit the overall price level in Slovakia is still lower than… read more

Radicova: EU Crisis Mechanism Has Nothing to Do With Taxing Banks

(Slovak Radio, October 30, Sobotne dialogy) European Union's permanent crisis mechanism that should minimise the risk of emerging further financial crises will include rules for participation of the banking sector in the cost for potential problems. The issue of special taxation of banks has nothing to do with this, however, Prime Minister Iveta Radicova (SDKU-DS) emphasised… read more

Bratislava Airport to Operate Links to 19 Destinations in Winter

Bratislava, October 29 (TASR) - Bratislava's M.R. Stefanik airport will operate regular links to 19 destinations during this year's winter season. Hence, the passengers will be able to fly to Belgium, the Czech Republic, France, Ireland, Israel, Poland, Spain, Switzerland, Sweden, Italy and the United Kingdom, with one intrastate link to Kosice in operation as well. "Bratislava's… read more

Havlik: Euro Has Made Slovak Economy Stable

Vienna/Bratislava, October 29 (TASR) - Slovakia's economy won't see a repeat of the rapid growth that it experienced in 2006-08, but it's economy coped quite well with the economic crisis, Vienna Institute for International Economic Comparison chief economist Peter Havlik has told TASR. GDP is predicted to increase by a maximum of 3-5 percent in the next few years due… read more

NDS Opens R3 By-pass Around Trstena

Trstena, October 29 (TASR) - The National Highway Company (NDS) opened a new by-pass around the town of Trstena (Zilina region) on Friday afternoon. The more than 7-kilometre-long section of the R3 express road was completed almost a year ahead of schedule, with the total costs reaching around €40 million. "This will be a great relief for Trstena and the immediate… read more

New Investor in Siderit Plans to Craete Some 100 New Jobs

Nizna Slana, October 28 (TASR) – A new investor, Zilina-based investment and consultancy firm SEVIS, bought into the iron-ore producer Siderit in Nizna Slana (Kosice region) and wants to re-launch production of furnace pellets (fuel) in the near future, TASR has learnt on Thursday. As a stand-alone company, Siderit stopped production in its premises in 2008. Now, together… read more

Airport Handled 186,000 Travellers in September, Over Half with Ryanair

Bratislava, October 27 (TASR) - Bratislava's M.R. Stefanik Airport (BTS) handled 186,784 passengers in September, which represents a rise of 34,161 year-on-year, airport spokesperson Dana Madunicka told TASR on Wednesday. A total of 1,353,458 passengers used the airport over the first nine months, a 3-percent drop in annual terms. No-frills Ryanair tops the list of airlines… read more

Chinese Firms Want to Take Part in Building Slovak Infrastructure

Bratislava, October 27 (TASR) - Chinese investors are interested in taking part in projects of building infrastructure in Slovakia, TASR has learnt in an interview with the new Chinese Ambassador to Slovakia Gu Ziping. "However, private companies in China are still only awaiting the announcement of the tender for building Slovak highways. They need to know what conditions… read more

Harald V: Economic Forum Is Great Chance to Learn From Each Other

Bratislava, October 27 (TASR) - Norwegian King Harald V and his wife Queen Sonja opened a Slovak-Norwegian economic forum in Bratislava on Wednesday. In his opening speech at the event, entitled 'Modern Companies in a Modern Society', the King said that meetings such as these are a great opportunity for the two countries to learn from each other. He also expressed his… read more

Radicova Signs Agreement on Norwegian Financial Mechanism

Bratislava, October 26 (TASR) - Slovakia and Norway have agreed on the further drawing of resources by Slovakia from the Financial Mechanism of the European Economic Area (EEA) and Norwegian funds worth €80.75 million in order to introduce anti-flood measures, combat climate change and domestic violence and develop a civil society. A memo of understanding setting the… read more

Car Manufacturers Want Changes in Labour Code and Infrastructure

Bratislava, October 25 (TASR) - Representatives of automobile producers Volkswagen Slovakia, Kia Motors and PSA Citroen and Prime Minister Iveta Radicova all agreed at their meeting Monday in Bratislava on the need to continue the construction of motorways, improve the public infrastructure and introduce changes to the Labour Code. The car manufacturers would like to… read more