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SDKU Pushes for MPs\' Inquiry Into SIS Over Emissions Deal

Bratislava, November 24 (TASR) - The opposition SDKU-DS party has asked chairman of the parliamentary special committee for supervising the Slovak Intelligence Service (SIS) Pavol Prokopovic (an SDKU nominee) to summon a session of the committee and initiate an MPs inquiry into SIS, SDKU MP Pavol Freso announced on Tuesday. The initiative is aimed at finding out whether… read more

Fico Wins Court Case Against Plus Jeden Den and €33,140 in Damages

Bratislava, November 24 (TASR) - Prime Minister Robert Fico has won another court case against Plus Jeden Den (Plus One Day), a tabloid issued by Company 7 Plus, which will have to pay out €33,140 in line with a ruling by Bratislava Regional Court on Tuesday. The court confirmed a ruling handed down by Bratislava District Court in January 2007. Apart from the aforementioned… read more

Analysis: Slovak Real Estate Market Will Crystallise in 2010

Bratislava, November 23 (TASR) - The supply of houses and apartments in Slovakia will still outstrip demand in the near future, says an analysis of the Slovak Central Bank's (NBS) specialist journal Biatec on Monday. As a result, following the significant drop this year, real estate prices are expected to stagnate in 2010. The analysis expects 2010 to be a year of fundamental… read more

Downturn in International Travel Hitting Kosice Airport Too

Kosice, November 23 (TASR) - The number of passengers at Kosice Airport has been dropping every month since the beginning of this year, the airport reported on Monday. The largest drop was observed in October, when a total of 19,240 passengers were served by the airport, down by 54 percent compared to the same month last year. This year's largest number of people… read more

Catholic University Rector in Ruzomberok Wants to Annul Crucifix Ban

Bratislava, November 23 (TASR) - Rector Tadeusz Zasepa of Catholic University in Ruzomberok (Zilina region) has sent an open letter to the European Court of Human Rights asking the judges to annul the verdict that forbids the displaying of crucifixes in Italian public schools, TASR has learned from university spokesman Vladimir Buzna on Monday. "Honourable judges of… read more

St Kitts and Nevis to Open Embassy in Slovakia, Covering Also Neighbours

Bratislava, November 23 (TASR) - Slovakia's Foreign Affairs Minister Miroslav Lajcak is to meet Denzil Llewellyn Douglas, Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister of the Federation of Saint Christopher and Nevis, on Tuesday, Slovak ministry spokesman Peter Stano told TASR on Monday. Tuesday's meeting will follow up on talks the two representatives conducted in New… read more

Ministry: Compensation for Damage Incurred by Gas Crisis Unlikely

Bratislava, November 23 (TASR) - Slovakia's chances to receive compensation for damage caused by the gas crisis in January 2009 is negligible, as Slovakia is not a party involved in the gas-supply contracts concerning, head of the Economy Ministry's gas section Jan Petrovic said at a conference devoted to the EU's energy policies and Slovakia's energy security in Bratislava… read more

Energy Conference: Construction of Gas Reserves Too Pricey

Bratislava, November 23 (TASR) - The construction of state gas reserves would be exorbitantly costly, which would naturally translate into higher gas prices, Karel Hirman from the Slovak Innovation and Energy Agency (SIEA) said at a conference devoted to the EU's energy policies and Slovakia's energy security that was held in Bratislava on Monday. "I believe that nobody… read more

Siroky: Slovakia Should Push For 40-percent Cut in Emissions by 2020

Bratislava, November 23 (TASR) - Not only Environment Minister Jozef Medved but also Prime Minister Robert Fico should attend the United Nation Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen in December, Slovak Climate Alliance co-ordinator Pavol Siroky said at a press conference on Monday. According to Siroky, Slovakia should push for a decrease in emissions by 40 percent vis-a-vis… read more

Lajcak Speaks with Quanrud on Strengthening Presence in Afghanistan

Bratislava, November 23 (TASR) - Slovak Foreign Affairs Minister Miroslav Lajcak and US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State in the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs Pamela Quanrud on Monday discussed Slovakia's plans to strengthen its military presence in Afghanistan, Lajcak's spokesman Peter Stano told TASR on the same day. "Slovakia is determined to strengthen… read more

State Has €118 Millions to Combat Unemployment, Ministries Want More

Bratislava, November 23 (TASR) - Slovak ministries have submitted proposals to support employment to the social partners – trade unions, employers and government (also known as the tripartite) – for discussion on Monday that called for €300 million as the minimum needed, while only €118 million is available in the state budget. The ministries' proposal did not… read more

Sefcovic: Our Post in EU Commission Should Reflect Slovakia\'s Progress

Bratislava, November 23 (TASR) - The portfolio that Slovakia will occupy in next EU Commission should reflect the headway that Slovakia has attained over the past five years, Slovakia's current EU Commissioner Maros Sefcovic, who is in charge of education, training, culture and youth, said following his meeting with Prime Minister Robert Fico on Monday. "I believe that… read more

Gasparovic: Energy Porfolio in Commission Uncertain, Back-up Plan Needed

Bratislava, November 23 (TASR) - Although chances are that Slovakia will occupy the post of European Commissioner for Energy in the new EU Commission, it doesn't necessarily mean that it will indeed receive the post, President Ivan Gasparovic said on Monday. Speaking following a meeting with Maros Sefcovic, Slovakia's EU Commissioner currently in charge of education,… read more

Tripartite Agrees to Raise Fines for Illegal Work up to €200,000

Bratislava, November 23 (TASR) - The Labour, Social Affairs and the Family Ministry proposes increasing fines for illegal employment to between €2,000-200,000, Ministry State Secretary Emilia Krsikova said on Monday after a meeting of the social partners (the so-called Tripartite that includes representatives of the Government, trade unions and employers). "Enough nice… read more

New Volkswagen Project to Create 1,500 Jobs

Bratislava, November 23 (TASR) - The New Small Family vehicle project was launched at Volkswagen's Bratislava facility on Monday with the laying of a foundation stone in a ceremony attended by Prime Minister Robert Fico. New innovative small vehicles will be produced under the project. Production of the new Volkswagen model UP!, which is part of the New Small Family group,… read more