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Fico: There\'s No Scope For Lowering Excise Tax on Motor Fuels

Bratislava, January 4 (TASR) - There's no room for lowering the excise tax on motor fuels that the Slovak small and medium-sized transport companies ask for, said Premier Robert Fico at a press conference on Monday. "They need to realise we're in the middle of global crisis. Their request is anything but relevant in light of the current financial situation," claimed Fico.… read more

Price for CO2 Emission Quotas Could Break €11 per tonne in March

Bratislava January 4 (TASR) - The market price of one tonne of CO2 emissions bound to so-called 'green projects' could reach €11.15 in Slovakia in March of this year, according to the expectations of the Price Exchange Committee, an advisory body to the Commodity Exchange in Bratislava, which had its latest meeting in December. The price for a tonne of CO2 emissions… read more

Non-parliamentary Parties View 2009 as Successful Year for Them

Bratislava, January 4 (TASR) - Last year was marked by the global crisis, scandals, disputes within political parties and three elections; but the chairmen of three non-parliamentary parties all said on Monday that they view 2009 as a successful year. According to Bela Bugar, chairman of the Most-Hid party created after a split from the ethnic-Hungarian SMK party, it's… read more

UPN\'s Former Building to House Supreme and Constitutional Courts

Bratislava, January 4 (TASR) - The building on Bratislava's SNP Square that previously housed the Nation's Memory Institute (UPN) will be used by the Supreme Court and the Constitutional Court, Justice Ministry spokesman Michal Jurci told TASR on Monday. "After all legal conditions have been met, the ownership of the building was transferred to the Supreme Court, where… read more

Around 800 Firms Expected to Go Bankrupt in Slovakia This Year

Bratislava, January 4 (TASR) - Slovakia should see only a slight decline in the number of bankruptcies this year. According to estimates published by multinational insurance group Euler Hermes, the reduction is set to be slightly more than 11 percent, meaning that the total number of companies going insolvent should reach around 800 over the next 12 months, 100 lower than was… read more

Fico Vows to Amend Constitution to Clear Path for Property Disclosure Act

Bratislava, January 4 (TASR) - The Government is slated to discuss a draft of the property disclosure act as well as a so-called small amendment to the Slovak Constitution at its session due on January 13, Prime Minister Robert Fico told a press conference on Monday. Both initiatives have already been submitted for fast-track legislative proceedings. The property… read more

NKU: Inspection on Notice-board Tender Continues in 2010

Bratislava, January 4 (TASR) - The inspection carried out by the Supreme Audit Office (NKU) at the Construction and Regional Development Ministry vis-a-vis the so-called notice-board tender is continuing into 2010, NKU PR manager Lenka Nosalova told TASR on Monday. "The inspection concerning the efficiency of using financial means from the state budget to carry out the… read more

NATO Wives Bazaar Donates €7,000 to Two Slovak Charities

Bratislava, January 4 (TASR) - Two Slovak non-profit making organisations will share between them the €7,000 that they received from NATO charity organisation Wives Bazaar at the Slovak Armed Forces HQ in Bratislava on Monday. Representing Slovakia at the NATO Wives Bazaar, which brings together the spouses of national representatives on the Atlantic Alliance's Military… read more

Dual Pricing Continues, But Slovak Korunas Disappearing Slowly

Bratislava, January 4 (TASR) - The practice of displaying the prices of goods in both euros and Slovak korunas in retail chains in Slovakia has continued in most cases into 2010, it was reported on Monday. Despite the fact that dual pricing was only compulsory until December 31, 2009, retailers prefer to remove tags with Slovak koruna prices only gradually. "Even… read more

Madaric: Months Ahead Won\'t See Changes in Press Act

Bratislava, January 4 (TASR) - Culture Minister Marek Madaric said on Monday that he doesn't expect that the Press Act will be made stricter or changed considerably within the next six months as was implied by Prime Minister Robert Fico in September 2009. Fico last year suggested shortening the period in which the right to reply should be effective from three days to… read more

Slovakia\'s Road Toll System Causes Lorry Tailbacks in Czech Republic

Prague, January 4 (TASR-correspondent) - A five-kilometre-long traffic jam of lorries was created in northern Moravia (the Czech Republic) on the Czech-Slovak border near the village of Mosty u Jablunkova on Monday, with Slovakia's new road-toll system blamed for the hold-up. According to the Czech police, the convoy was caused by the introduction of electronic road tolls… read more

Analyst: It\'s Standard to Reject Opposition Proposals in Parliament

Bratislava, January 4 (TASR) - Nobody can deny the Opposition the right to legislative initiatives, but it's debatable whether the Coalition will support its proposals in the end, political analyst Juraj Marusiak told TASR on Monday in response to a statement by Parliamentary Chair Pavol Paska, who said that it is folly to think that the Opposition has the right to take part… read more

State Budget Ended Year With Deficit Reaching €2.791 billion

Bratislava, January 4 (TASR) - The state budget saw out the year with a public-finance deficit of €2.791 billion, the Finance Ministry reported on Monday. The state did better than was predicted in the revised budget of October 2009, which counted on a deficit of €3.154 billion. In comparison, 2008 ended with a deficit of €704 million, which means that state… read more

Dual Display of Prices Voluntary until June 30, 2010

Bratislava, January 3 (TASR) - Dual display of prices on receipts made by electronic cash registers (ERP) was mandatory until December 31, 2009, but as of the beginning of 2010 this will be voluntary until June 30, 2010 – when the Slovak koruna will be consigned to history. The amended legislation on ERP use, in effect since March 2009, tightens up the regime for keeping… read more

Carriers: Road Toll Customer Spot Didn\'t Have A Single OBU

Lucenec, January 3 (TASR) - The introduction of the road-toll system has caused problems for several carriers from around Lucenec (Banska Bystrica region). "They haven't received the onboard units, even though they had been told that the OBUs will be delivered by the end of 2009," TASR was told by Jaroslav Polacek of the Union of Slovakia's Carriers (UNAS) on Sunday. "For… read more