OtherOther Economy

NBS: Risks for Slovakia\'s Financial Stability Persist

Bratislava, December 11 (TASR) - Significant risks persist for Slovakia's financial stability in the medium and long term, as the country's economy is highly sensitive to developments in foreign demand, states the central bank's (NBS) report on Slovakia's financial stability in the first half of 2009, which was released on Friday. "The crisis has caused a drop in potential… read more

SaS Party: People Should Retire by End of Year in Order Not to Lose Money

Bratislava, December 11 (TASR) - Pensions will be lower due to this Government's way of management, vice-chairman of the extra-parliamentary Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) party Jozef Mihal told a press conference on Friday. "Pensions will drop by €16.5 per month in 2010. My message therefore is that those who are pondering receiving pensions should do so by the end of… read more

Slovakia Posted Foreign Trade Surplus of €225.3 million in October

Bratislava, December 11 (TASR) - Slovakia's foreign trade recorded a surplus of €225.3 million in October, €158.9 million higher than the surplus posted in the same month of last year, the Statistics Office (SU) reported on Friday. Exports of goods in October reached €3.81 billion, down by 18.1 percent y-o-y. Total imports fell even more, however - by 21.8 percent… read more

Stats: Inflation Rate Stays Put at 0.4 percent Y-o-Y in November

Bratislava, December 11 (TASR) - Inflation measured according to national methodology remained unchanged on the month at 0.4 percent year-on-year in November 2009, with core inflation at minus 0.5 percent and net inflation at 0.7 percent, Slovakia's Statistics Office announced on Friday. The most significant y-o-y price increases in November were recorded in alcoholic… read more

IAEA Report Shows Radiation from Border Scanner Not Dangerous

Bratislava, December 10 (TASR) - The operation of an x-ray scanner at the Uzhoorod-Matovce border checkpoint with Ukraine can be resumed, spokesman for the Slovak Foreign Affairs Ministry Peter Stano told TASR on Thursday. "According to a report by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), all conditions for restoring the scanner's operation for railway transport… read more

House Elects Remaining Nine Disciplinary Court Judges

Bratislava, December 10 (TASR) - Parliament on Thursday elected nine judges to sit on the 10-member disciplinary court at the initiative of LS-HZDS chairman Vladimir Meciar, TASR learnt on the same day. Along with Judita Dubjelova (also a HZDS nominee), who was elected for the same post on Wednesday, the judges who received a majority of votes and were thus elected on… read more

Report: Selection Process in Emission Quotas Sale Was Unprofessional

Bratislava, December 10 (TASR) - The selection process of the contractual party on the sale of emission quotas as well as the talks with potential partners and Interblue Group (IG) was not handled in a professional way, according to the Report on The Sale of Emission Quotas drafted by the Environment Ministry and submitted to Parliament on Thursday. The report adds that… read more

Pociatek: Alleviating Global Crisis More Important than Compensations

Bratislava, December 10 (TASR) - There are no resources allocated in next year's budget for partial compensation of the clients of the non-banking institutions, said Finance Minister Jan Pociatek (Smer-SD) on Thursday during Question Hour in Parliament. According to him, alleviating the impact of the global crisis on Slovakia's economy holds a higher priority. Pociatek… read more

Ministry: Slovakia Will Never Give Up \'Tokaj\' Designation

Bratislava, December 10 (TASR) - Slovakia hasn't given up and will never give up the geographic designation Tokaj, since Slovakia has the term as a protected designation of origin, and continues to exert this right, spokesperson for Slovakia's Agriculture Ministry Adriana Jobbikova said on Thursday. Speaking in response to claims made by MP Zsolt Simon (Independent/Most-Hid… read more

Kalinak: Opposition\'s Claims on Investors\' Lack of Interest Misleading

Bratislava, December 10 (TASR) - Claims by Opposition MPs about investors' diminishing interest in Slovakia and increasing doubts regarding the country's economic power are misleading and unsubstantiated, Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Robert Kalinak said during Question Hour in Parliament on Thursday. "Hardly anybody doubts that foreign investors always… read more

Fico Criticises Journalists for \"Terrorising Dead Father and Grandfather\"

Bratislava, December 10 (TASR) - Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico called on journalists at a press conference on Thursday to stop attacking his family, saying that he is their target and not his wife, mother, son or deceased father and grandfather. Fico thus reacted to the interest of an unnamed daily regarding the inheritance file of his father and grandfather. Fico… read more

HZDS: Continuity Must Be Central Motif of Slovakia\'s Foreign Policy

Bratislava, December 10 (TASR) - LS-HZDS party views foreign policy as an integrating element for political parties in the representation and application of interests of Slovak citizens, with the element having a major priority, party vice-chair for foreign policy Barbora Strakova told a press conference on Thursday. "It's impossible to alter Slovakia's orientation every… read more

Novotny: After Four Months We Have Contract But No Single Vaccine

Bratislava, December 10 (TASR) - Slovakia signed the contract for the purchase of A(H1N1) flu vaccines too late, said SDKU-DS MP Viliam Novotny at a press conference in Bratislava on Thursday. "After four months we have some sort of contract, but not a single vaccine on Slovak territory," said Novotny. "What I've been taught in epidemology and infectology is that you… read more

MPs Take Petition Aganst Uranium Mining Into Consideration

Bratislava, December 10 (TASR) - Parliament on Thursday took into consideration a petition against uranium mining that has been signed by more than 113,000 Slovak citizens and 41 local authorities from areas between Nove Mesto nad Vahom (Trencin Region) and Zemplin (Kosice Region). "We hope that the MPs will take time to deal with the petition and discuss the demands… read more

Parliament: ECHR Decision Goes Against Europe\'s Cultural Heritage

Bratislava, December 10 (TASR) - The ruling of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) regarding the placing of Christian crosses in Italian schools is in contrast with Europe's cultural heritage and its Christian history, according to a declaration approved by the Slovak Parliament on Thursday. Parliament published the declaration concerning the placing of religious… read more