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Lajcak: Slovakia Not Only One Reacting Negatively to Dual Citizenship

Bratislava, May 18 (TASR) - The amendment to the Dual Citizenship Act that may be approved soon by the Hungarian Parliament has provoked negative reactions not only in Slovakia, said Slovak Foreign Affairs Minister Miroslav Lajcak on Tuesday. "We have various signals that the new Hungarian Parliament's measure is viewed with incomprehension, confusion, but also with an… read more

Fico: If Floods Get Worse We\'ll Co-operate With Czechs and Poles

Bratislava, May 18 (TASR) - Should the flood situation in Slovakia worsen, the country will co-ordinate further action with the Czech Republic and Poland, said Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico on Monday. "The situation in the south of Poland close to our borders is very complicated. It was even necessary for Slovak Interior Minister Robert Kalinak and his Polish counterpart… read more

Law on Charging University Studies Is in Accordance With Constitution

Kosice, May 18 (TASR) - Charging university students who exceed the standard number of years that studies should last or enrol at a second university is in accordance with the Slovak Constitution, the Constitutional Court headed by Chairman Ivetta Macejkova ruled on Tuesday. The complaint that led to the case was filed two years ago by 38 MPs, whose representative Tatiana… read more

Fico: Slovakia Will Take All Possible Diplomatic Steps on Dual Citizenship

Bratislava, May 18 (TASR) - It's time to stop smiling, said Prime Minister Robert Fico on Tuesday after a session of the Security Council summoned in reaction to the amendment to the law on dual citizenship submitted to the Hungarian Parliament on Monday. Slovak Parliamentary Chairman Pavol Paska said that the ceremonial parliamentary session that should mark the end… read more

Ondava River Breaks Dam, Interior Minister Kalinak on Site

Trebisov, May 18 (TASR) - A breach in a dam on the Ondava River only a few kilometres from Trebisov (Kosice region), which was caused by heavy rains and rising water levels, has grown to around 30 metres wide, it was reported on Tuesday. The water flowing through the gap is flooding fields between the Ondava River and a dam on the Trnavka River and is heading towards… read more

SMK: Fico Once Voted for Dual Citizenship Law Similar to That of Hungary

Bratislava, May 17 (TASR) - Prime Minister Robert Fico, who is harshly criticising Hungary's plans to adopt an amendment on dual citizenship, once voted for a proposal similar to the Hungarian one in Parliament, according to ethnic-Hungarian SMK party. The said vote, concerning an amendment to the Act on Slovak Citizenship, took place in Slovak Parliament in May 2005,… read more

Slovaks Living Outside Slovakia More Interested in Voting Than in 2006

Bratislava, May 17 (TASR) - Slovaks residing or temporarily living abroad are twice as interested in casting their votes in the general election via post than they were for the 2006 vote, TASR learnt from Slovak Post PR manager Juraj Danielis on Monday. According to the figures released by Slovak Post, around 6,900 Slovaks have claimed their right to vote via post before… read more

SaS: Past Four Years Wasted Years for Slovakia

Bratislava, May 17 (TASR) - The just-ending election period, with the current Government in power, have been "four wasted years" for Slovakia, according to extraparliamentary Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) vice-chairman Jozef Mihal. "Instead of continuing in reforms and building a modern Slovakia, everywhere you look now you can see pessimism, a bad mood, disgust and apathy,"… read more

Murray: European Countries Need Reform of Social Security Systems

Bratislava, May 17 (TASR) - All European countries have to undergo extensive reforms of their social security system within the next 20 years, said social scientist, writer and academic at the American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research Charles Murray at a conference in Bratislava on Monday. "There won't be any other choice. If massive immigration doesn't… read more

Smer and HZDS Youth Groups Slam Slovak Right and Hungarian Bill

Bratislava, May 17 (TASR) - The youth organisations of coalition parties Smer-SD and LS-HZDS on Monday declared that they will do everything possible to help their respective parties remain in government after the June 12 election. According to chairman of Smer's Young Social Democrats (MSD) Andrej Kolesik, young people in Slovakia can choose between two alternatives.… read more

Third-level Flood Alert in Force on Morava and Myjava Rivers and in Kosice

Bratislava/Kosice, May 17 (TASR) - The level of the Morava River (which runs along Slovakia's borders with the Czech Republic and Austria) on Monday morning reached 459 centimetres in Kopcany in the far west of Slovakia, triggering a third-level flood alert. Slovakia's biggest river by volume, the Danube, is still below the first flood-alert level, however. "Due to the… read more

Bad Weather Rampaging in Bratislava, Banska Bystrica and Kosice

Bratislava, May 16 (TASR) - Bratislava, Banska Bystrica and Kosice regions have been hit the hardest by the spring storms, TASR learned from Fire and Rescue Brigade Presidium (HaZZ) spokesperson Silvia Jancovicova on Sunday. Strong winds and unrelenting rain have caused short-term power outages in western Slovakia, with electricity supplier Zapadoslovenska Energetika… read more

SMK: Slovak Constitution Makes Hungarians Second-Class Citizens

Bratislava, May 16 (TASR) - If Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD) is wondering why some ethnic-Hungarians living in Slovakia are interested in gaining Hungarian citizenship on top of Slovak, he should take a look at the preamble of the Slovak Constitution, ethnic-Hungarian SMK party spokesperson Eva Dunajska told TASR on Sunday. Dunajska was reacting to Fico's… read more

Smer and Flasik to Sue SME and Novy Cas for Reports on Illicit Deal

Bratislava, March 15 (TASR) - Both the main governing party Smer-SD and its erstwhile marketing wizard Fedor Flasik on Saturday announced that they will take legal action against dailies SME and Novy Cas for their Saturday's reports on alleged Flasik's illicit deal with a wealthy entrepreneur. The deal between Flasik and entrepreneur in energy Lubomir Blasko from 2002… read more

Csaky: Fico Causes Pointless Hysteria Over Dual Citizenship Law

Budapest, May 14 (TASR) - Opposition ethnic-Hungarian SMK chairman Pal Csaky is confused at what Slovak Premier Robert Fico really wants as to the dual citizenship for foreign Hungarians which lawmakers in Hungary are considering enacting, said Csaky after the Slovak Cabinet condemned Hungarian Parliament's plans to that effect on Friday. "This game of Premier Fico reminds… read more