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Fico: Restituents Want Land, Not Financial Compensation

Bratislava, December 2 (TASR) - A proposal to give only financial compensation to land restituents in order to prevent shady transactions has met with great disapproval from the restitutents, said Premier Robert Fico at the Government session on Wednesday. Fico said that he would vote in favour of such a proposal without hesitation, however. "This should have been introduced… read more

Child Benefit to Be Increased for Some Parents

Bratislava, December 2 (TASR) - According to a law approved by Parliament on Wednesday, several levels of child benefit will be introduced according to the period that parents work before having a child. Parents, who used to be employed but give up their jobs in order to take care of a child will be given higher benefit reaching €256 a month as of January. Such parents… read more

Medved: Slovakia Didn\'t Lose €15 million, We Never Had It

Bratislava, December 2 (TASR) - According to Environment Minister Jozef Medved, Slovakia can't have lost €15 million from the sale of its carbon-dioxide emission quotas as it hasn't had the money yet. Medved was reacting to information in the media that the shady American Interblue Group, which bought Slovakia's carbon-dioxide emission quotas in 2008, will not pay an… read more

Government Dismisses Slovak Land Fund Director and His Deputy

Bratislava, December 2 (TASR) - The Government on Wednesday dismissed Slovak Land Fund (SPF) general director Miroslav Mihalik (a Smer-SD nominee) and his deputy Adrian Sandorcin (LS-HZDS) from their posts in accordance with a proposal submitted by Agriculture Minister Vladimir Chovan (HZDS). Mihalik and Sandorcin should leave their posts by December 7. The minister… read more

Caplovic: Slavs Deserve to Have Own Language in EU

Bratislava, December 2 (TASR) - Deputy Premier for a Knowledge-based Society, European Affairs, Human Rights and Minorities Dusan Caplovic said at a conference on Wednesday that a Slav language should become one of the EU's working languages alongside French and English, TASR was told by the Deputy Premier's spokesman Michal Kalinak on the same day. There are three large… read more

Stefanov Denies Construction Ministry Paid Twice for Single Website

Bratislava, December 1 (TASR) - Construction and Regional Development Minister Igor Stefanov on Tuesday rejected the statement made by M.R. Stefanik Conservative Institute (KI) that the ministry has paid twice in a public procurement for one website - and to two companies, respectively. "It's not true," Stefanov said at a press conference, held in response to the KI monitoring.… read more

Lajcak: OSCE Should Address Energy Security at Ministerial Level

Athens/Bratislava, December 1 (TASR) - The Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) should deal with the matter of energy security at the ministerial level, Slovak Foreign Affairs Minister Miroslav Lajcak said at an OSCE ministerial meeting in Athens on Tuesday. "It's obvious that security and reliability of energy supplies has a direct impact on overall… read more

Lajcak Holds Talks with Israeli Foreign Affairs Minister in Athens

Athens, December 1 (TASR) - Slovak Foreign Affairs Minister Miroslav Lajcak met his Israeli counterpart Avigdor Lieberman on the sidelines of the Organisation For Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) summit in Athens on Tuesday, TASR learned from ministry spokesman Peter Stano on the same day. Both ministers have appreciated the good quality of bilateral relations… read more

School Act Amendment Might Not End Up at Constitutional Court

Bratislava, December 1 (TASR) - The governing Slovak National Party (SNS) and LS-HZDS parties might not bring the School Act amendment to the Constitutional Court in spring 2010 as originally planned, HZDS Vice-Chairman Jozef Habanik told TASR on Tuesday. "There is no agreement on this issue yet," said Habanik. According to SNS Vice-chair Anna Belousovova, SNS has stood… read more

Lipsic: Those Beyond Latest SPF Scandal Ought to Face Music

Bratislava, December 1 (TASR) - Prime Minister Robert Fico dismissed the then Agriculture Minister Miroslav Jurena over a scandal surrounding land in Velky Slavkov (Presov region) two years ago, with the same ocurring now in a newly-emerged scandal concerning land in Velka Lomnica (also Presov region), head of Opposition KDH caucus Pavol Hrusovsky told a press conference on… read more

Fico Asks Chovan to Table Proposal to Oust Land Fund Management

Bratislava, December 1 (TASR) - Prime Minister Robert Fico on Tuesday asked Agriculture Minister Vladimir Chovan to submit a proposal on dismissing head of the Slovak Land Fund (SPF) Miroslav Mihalik (Smer-SD party nominee) and his deputy Adrian Sandorcin (LS-HZDS nominee) at the upcoming session of Government on Wednesday, TASR learnt on Tuesday. In addition, the Government… read more

Lajcak Unaware of Reasons to Build Up New Europe-wide Security Body

Bratislava/Athens, December 1 (TASR) - Slovakia sees no need to set up a new Europe-wide security institution, Slovak Foreign Affairs Minister Miroslav Lajcak said on Tuesday in response to Russia's proposal to sign a new European Security Agreement. This proposal from Russian President Dmitry Medvedev is among the topics to be discussed at an Organisation for Security… read more

Opposition MPs Will Relluctantly Vote for Amendment Limiting Immunity

Bratislava, December 1 (TASR) - The Constitutional Act amendment drafted by Smer-SD MP Renata Zmajkovicova aimed at restricting parliamentary immunity is regarded by the Opposition parties as steeped in hypocrisy, chairmen of the Christian Democrats (KDH), SDKU-DS and ethnic-Hungarian SMK parties agreed after a joint meeting on Tuesday. However, the Opposition will vote… read more

Young Man Dies With A(H1N1) Virus Dies in Stara Lubovna

Stara Lubovna, December 1 (TASR) - A 21-year old man died on Thursday, November 26, in Stara Lubovna (Presov region) due to multi-organ failure as a consequence of the A(H1N1) virus, TASR was told by the town's hospital director Peter Bizovsky on Tuesday. The man was admitted into hospital on November 24. Bizovsky said that the presence of the virus in the man was confirmed… read more

Mesic: If Whole Europe Unites, There Will Be No More Wars

Bratislava, December 1 (TASR) - Uniting the whole of Europe, including its south-eastern states, will bring peace, and war as a political means will completely disappear from the continent, said Croatian President Stipe Mesic during his visit to Slovakia on Tuesday. Mesic was speaking during his last official visit to Slovakia, as his second terms of office will end at… read more