OtherOther Economy

Restoring Death Penalty among Legislative Initiatives Proposed by SNS

Bratislava, January 14 (TASR) - Slovakia's Nationalist Party (SNS), a member of the Government coalition, has unveiled two legislative proposals to reinstitute the death penalty and strengthen the protection of the republic. "The media may construe this initiative as pre-election gimmick but the party could care less," party chief Jan Slota said after a meeting of SNS… read more

Lipsic: Cleaning Tender at Ministry Looks Ready-made for One Company

Bratislava, January 14 (TASR) - Opposition Christian Democrat (KDH) MP Daniel Lipsic is convinced that the latest tender for cleaning, construction-assembly and other works run by the Interior Ministry raises many questions. He said at a news conference on Thursday that these uncertainities are arousing suspicion that the tender is overpriced and "made" for one specific… read more

SNS Proposes Extensive Changes to Ministry Set-ups

Bratislava, January 14 (TASR) - The Slovak National Party (SNS) agrees with the idea of reducing the number of Slovakia's ministries after the general election in June and is ready to present its own proposals to the Government, said SNS chairman Jan Slota at a press conference on Thursday. "The Economy Ministry actually doesn't manage anything at present. The ministry… read more

Radicova: Social Enterprises in Slovakia Are Sad Experiment on People

Bratislava, January 14 (TASR) - According to the opposition SDKU-DS party, Slovakia is facing another fiasco of international dimensions due to the ill-managed running of the country's so-called social enterprises. "Social enterprises in the way that they have been introduced in Slovakia represent a sad experiment on the unemployed, an example of the camouflage of a social… read more

Slovakia Ready to Send Humanitarian Aid to Haiti

Bratislava, January 14 (TASR) - Slovakia is ready to send a rescue team made up of four medics, four dog-handlers and their dogs and material humanitarian aid to help earthquake-stricken Haiti, Lucia Garajova from the Interior Ministry told TASR on Thursday. According to Garajova, the material aid should consist of 15 large tents for 10-12 people, four 30-kilowatt generators,… read more

Bankers: Government Ignoring Memorandum on Co-operation With Banks

Bratislava, January 14 (TASR) - The Government doesn't respect the proper legislative process and the memorandum on co-operation signed with the Slovak Banking Association (SBA), said SBA president Igor Vida on Thursday, referring to last-moment changes made to the law on consumer credit that was approved by the Government on Wednesday. Bankers have reservations towards… read more

Average Salaries in November Rose Most in Industry - by 3.5% Y-o-Y

Bratislava, January 14 (TASR) - Average nominal monthly salaries in November 2009 rose most year-on-year in industry - by 3.5 percent, the Statistics Office (SU) reported on Thursday. The average nominal monthly salary increase in retail in November stood at 1.5 percent year-on-year, while only a slight increase was seen in restaurants and pubs - by 0.1 percent. Conversely,… read more

No Tolls on 1st Category Roads Until End of January

Bratislava, January 14 (TASR) - As of Thursday and until the end of January, tolls won't be collected on almost 1,500 kilometres of 1st category roads in Slovakia. This is a result of an agreement at a meeting on Monday between Prime Minister Robert Fico and carriers, representatives of employers, unions, oil refinery Slovnaft, and the Finance and Transport Ministries.… read more

Pociatek Wants Banks to Introduce Standard Package of Services

Bratislava, January 14 (TASR) - Slovak banks will probably have to introduce a new product in their portfolios - a package of basic services for "ordinary clients" that would be identical at all banks, according to a law proposal on consumer credit submitted by Finance Minister Jan Pociatek and approved by the Government on Wednesday. Pociatek said that the new measure… read more

Premier of Montenegro Djukanovic to Visit Slovakia on Monday

Bratislava, January 13 (TASR) - Prime Minister of Montenegro Milo Djukanovic will visit Slovakia on Monday, January 18, for the first time since Montenegro's declaration of independence on June 6, 2003, TASR learned on Monday. Slovak Premier Robert Fico and Djukanovic will asses the state of bilateral relations and the opportunities for intensifying the political dialogue… read more

Vazny Expands List of Those at Fault for Poprad-Dublin Flight Incident

Bratislava, January 13 (TASR) - Transport Minister Lubomir Vazny said Wednesday he thought that an airport employee from the Air Traffic Control shared the blame for the incident at the airport in Poprad (Presov region) last week where police left behind explosives in the luggage of an unsuspecting Slovak passenger on a flight to Ireland. On Monday the ministry had confirmed… read more

President Greets VUC Governors at New Year Meeting

Bratislava, January 13 (TASR) - President Ivan Gasparovic held a New Year's meeting with governors from the eight higher territorial units (VUCs) and congratulated them on their being (re-)elected late last year. Gasparovic said that he hoped the governors will be able to live up to the pledges they made to citizens prior to the regional elections in November. Governors… read more

Jahnatek: Current Government Has Supported More FDI with Less Money

Bratislava, January 13 (TASR) - Since 2006 and the current Government coming to power in mid-year, as much as €687.39 million has been allocated from the state budget to support 76 foreign direct investment (FDI) projects. In total, these projects have created 25,861 jobs to date, Economy Minister Lubomir Jahnatek said on Wednesday. Jahnatek admitted that the amount… read more

Interior Minister Kalinak Defends Police Work

Bratislava, January 13 (TASR) - The Opposition is entitled to seek the removal of a Government member, but its current initiative is part of a pre-election campaign, said Interior Minister Robert Kalinak on Wednesday in reaction to the Christian Democrats'(KDH) announcement earlier in the day to that effect. The three Opposition parties in Parliament are about to begin… read more

NBS Ex-Governor Sramko Will Become Slovak Ambassador at OECD

Bratislava, January 13 (TASR) - Former governor of Slovakia's Central Bank (NBS) Ivan Sramko will soon become Slovakia's Ambassador to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in Paris. Slovak Foreign Affairs Minister Miroslav Lajcak confirmed following the Government session on Wednesday. Lajcak added that Sramko is expected to take office in… read more