OtherOther Economy

Janis: Fico Should Look in Mirror When Talking About Corruption

Bratislava, February 2 (TASR) - If Premier Robert Fico wants to talk about money laundering, corruption and clientelism, he should look in a mirror and consider the Government's scandals such as those involving the sale of carbon-dioxide emissions, road-tolls, transfers of land in the High Tatra mountains and the notice-board tender, opposition SDKU-DS caucus leader Stanislav… read more

Fico: SPF Can\'t Operate If Opposition Doesn\'t Propose Representatives

Bratislava, February 2 (TASR) - If the opposition parties don't nominate their representatives for the Slovak Land Fund (SPF) Council, which they are currently refusing to do, they will prevent it from functioning, said Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico after the Coalition Council session on Tuesday. The election of all 11 members of the SPF council should be included… read more

Sramko Meets OECD Chief Gurria to Discuss This Year\'s Agenda

Bratislava, February 2 (TASR) - Slovakia's Ambassador to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Ivan Sramko, who is based in Paris, handed a letter from Slovak Foreign Affairs Minister Miroslav Lajcak to OECD Secretary-General Angel Gurria on Monday, TASR was informed by the ministry's press department on Tuesday. During the first meetings between… read more

Fico: SDKU Becoming Most Dangerous Party in Slovakia

Bratislava, February 2 (TASR) - The scandal involving money laundering by the opposition SDKU-DS party must be discussed in Parliament, Smer-SD head and Premier Robert Fico said after a Coalition Council session on Tuesday. Fico noted that the chiefs of the other two coalition parties (Jan Slota - Slovak National Party/SNS and Vladimir Meciar - LS-HZDS) both concur. He… read more

Eleven Lorries Halted by Police at Triblavina Lay-by

Bratislava, February 2 (TASR) - As many as 11 lorries are reported to have been detained by the police at the Triblavina lay-by on the D1 motorway just before the motorway enters Bratislava, TASR was told by Bratislava Regional Police spokesman Frantisek Peczar on Tuesday morning. Peczar said that the police have detained the lorries in line with the law, in order to… read more

SaS Open to New Talks With SDKU After Dzurinda\'s Announcement

Bratislava, February 2 (TASR) - The Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) party hasn't changed its stance vis-a-vis the possibility of creating a pre-election coalition with SDKU-DS on condition that SDKU head Mikulas Dzurinda isn't its leader. SaS therefore is not averse to the renewal of negotiations, said SaS vice-chair Jozef Mihal on Tuesday. Dzurinda announced on Monday that… read more

Smer-SD to Seek Support for Debate of SDKU Murky Funding in Parliament

Bratislava, February 1 (TASR) - The strongest ruling party Smer-SD will seek support from its coalition partners LS-HZDS and SNS for its proposal to call a special parliamentary session to debate the SDKU-DS money laundering practices, Premier and Chairman of Smer-SD Robert Fico said after Smer's presidium proceedings late on Monday. Fico said he had already agreed with… read more

Hauliers End Their Strike in Many Towns

Bratislava, February 1 (TASR) - The second strike of hauliers against the electronic road-toll system has been stopped short in some cities on Monday, with lorry drivers withdrawing from roads on the very first day. Ten lorries that blocked the right lane of two-laned first class road near South Riverbank in Kosice left after being called on by police. Protesting transporters… read more

Analyst: Dzurinda\'s Move Aimed at Curbing Fall in Voter Support

Bratislava, February 1 (TASR) - With his decision not to run in the upcoming general election, Opposition SDKU-DS party chairman Mikulas Dzurinda is aiming to curb a negative impact of the scandal involving SDKU's financing on the party, political analyst Grigorij Meseznikov told TASR on Monday. Dzurinda announced earlier in the day that he won't be on the party slate… read more

Fico Pooh-Poohs Creation of Hungarian Fund to Pay for Language Fines

Bratislava, February 1 (TASR) - Premier Robert Fico on Monday played down as part of the local election campaign the plans of Hungary to set up a fund to pay for the fines imposed on its minority members in Slovakia for using their mother tongue in violation of the state language law pushed through Fico's Cabinet last year. Hungarian Prime Minister Gordon Bajnai said… read more

Dzurinda Won\'t Run in General Election, But Remains SDKU Head

Bratislava, February 1 (TASR) - Opposition SDKU-DS party chairman Mikulas Dzurinda announced on Monday that he won't be on the party slate in the upcoming general election. He didn't specify who will head the party's candidate list in the plebiscite, as this will be decided on by the party's primary election due later in February. "I'm going for this move largely because… read more

Caplovic: Merger of Ministries Won\'t Lead to Exodus of Experts

Bratislava, February 1 (TASR) - The Government won't allow the exodus of experts that some people have claimed will follow the projected merger of the Environment and Agriculture Ministries, as "this would be a real step backwards and not a step towards the issues and meeting the goals of the EU's environmental policy," Deputy Prime Minister and former acting Environment Minister… read more

Ryanair Announces New Air Links From Bratislava

Bratislava, February 1 (TASR) - Ireland's budget airline Ryanair announced on Monday that it intends to add several new European flight destinations from Bratislava airport by the middle of this year. Ryanair marketing manager Henrike Schmidt said that as of April 1 the carrier will introduce daily flights to London, while as of May 4 it will add flights to Palma de Mallorca… read more

Judge Dubovcova to Stand for SDKU in General Election

Bratislava, February 1 (TASR) - Banska Bystrica District Court judge Jana Dubovcova said on Monday that she will run as an independent candidate for a parliamentary seat on the slate of the opposition SDKU-DS party in the general election in June. Dubovcova was speaking at a news briefing after tendering her resignation from the bench to President Ivan Gasparovic earlier… read more

Paska: Parliamentary Elections Set for June 12

Bratislava, February 1 (TASR) - This year's parliamentary elections will be held on June 12, with the political parties required to submit their candidate lists for registration by March 14 (i.e. 90 days prior to election day), Parliamentary Chairman Pavol Paska (a Smer-SD nominee) announced on Monday. All political parties will also need to pay a €16,596 deposit. The… read more