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Chovan: Producers and Retail Chains Should Play Fair in Setting Prices

Bratislava, March 11 (TASR) - When retail chains do business in Slovakia in the food sector, fair participation in prices between retailers and producers stands as an important issue, Agriculture Minister Vladimir Chovan on Thursday told ambassadors of EU countries from which the chains come from. Andrew Pittam from Great Britain, Daphne Bergsma from the Netherlands,… read more

Slota Presents SNS Elections Slate with Stefanov in Top Ten

Bratislava, March 11 (TASR) - The national presidium of the Slovak National Party (SNS) on Thursday approved the 150-member party slate for the general election set for June 12, SNS chairman Jan Slota announced at a press conference on the same day. "These are the candidates who should pull up the entire list, which contains 150 names," said Slota in reference to himself,… read more

KDH: Smer-SD Leading Party Both in Government and Scandals

Bratislava, March 11 (TASR) - The evaluation of the current Government, as presented by Premier Robert Fico after inspections carried out at individual ministries in recent weeks, was lacking some important facts, Christian Democrats (KDH) chief Jan Figel said at a press conference on Thursday. "The four-year reign by the three Coalition parties (Smer-SD, Slovak National… read more

Fuhl: Jobbik Boasts Best Programme for Minorities in Hungary

Budapest, March 11 (TASR) - Extremist right-wing party Jobbik has the best programme for minorities in Hungary, according to a survey published on Thursday by Ludove Noviny (luno.hu), a web portal for Slovaks living in Hungary. "If I had to cast my vote based on minorities programmes alone, I would have to vote for Jobbik," LuNo.hu reporter and member of Statewide Slovak… read more

Slovaks Had to Pay More For Healthcare and Foodstuffs in February

Bratislava, March 11 (TASR) - In February 2010, it was the prices in healthcare and foodstuffs that have risen most sharply, reports the Slovak Statistics Office on Thursday. According to the Stats Office, the prices for shelter, water, electricity and fuels stayed at January's levels. The prices in healthcare increased in February month-on-month by 0.8 percent.… read more

Gasparovic Sacks Stefanov, Appoints Mikolaj as Interim Minister

Bratislava, March 11 (TASR) - President Ivan Gasparovic on Thursday dismissed Construction and Regional Development Minister Igor Stefanov (Slovak National Party/SNS), and commissioned Education Minister Jan Mikolaj (SNS) to lead the ministry on a temporary basis. Prime Minister Robert Fico on Tuesday called on Stefanov to step down in the wake of an inspection at his… read more

Inflation Accelerated in February, Reaching 0.4 percent Y-o-Y

Bratislava, March 11 (TASR) - Inflation measured by the national methodology reached 0.4 percent in February 2010, accelerating from the 0.2-percent level the previous month, the Slovak Statistics Office reported on Thursday. The y-o-y net inflation reached 1.1 percent in February, remaining on the same level as in January. Conversely, the y-o-y core inflation grew to… read more

Gasparovic to Dismiss Stefanov on Thursday Morning (2)

Bratislava, March 10 (TASR) - President Ivan Gasparovic is slated to dismiss Construction and Regional Development Minister Igor Stefanov (an SNS nominee) on Thursday at 11. a.m., the president's spokesman Marek Trubac told journalists on Wednesday evening. The date of Stefanov's ouster was agreed upon between Gasparovic and co-governing SNS party leader Jan Slota at… read more

Companies Expect 5-10-percent Growth in Hire-Purchase Market in 2010

Bratislava, March 10 (TASR) - Hire-purchase companies expect 5-10 percent growth in the Slovak HP market in 2010, Association of Hire-purchase Companies (ALS) board chairman Juraj Ebringer said at a press conference on Wednesday. All segments of the market saw a 45-50 percent contraction in 2009 due to the global crisis, with companies adopting measures to reduce operating… read more

Simon: Food Act Gives Inspectors Room for Corruption

Bratislava, March 10 (TASR) - Inspectors who check food items in stores are susceptible to corruption as the newly-amended Food Act sets only an upper limit for penalties and neglects to state a bottom level, Most-Hid party vice-chairman and independent MP Zsolt Simon told TASR on Wednesday. In line with the amendment, which Parliament approved earlier in the day, the… read more

Hundreds Gather in Bratislava to Protest Against Patriot Act

Bratislava, March 10 (TASR) - Approximately 1,000 people, most of them students, gathered outside the Presidential Palace on Wednesday to protest against the newly-approved Patriot Act, TASR learnt on the same day. "On behalf of all students, I want to call on President Ivan Gasparovic not to sign the act ... We disagree that a democratic state should force an emotion… read more

Jahnatek: No Further Anti-Crisis Measures Are Needed

Bratislava, March 10 (TASR) - There's no need for the Government to introduce any further anti-crisis measures, as the situation in Slovakia has already been stabilised, Economy Minister Lubomir Jahnatek said on Wednesday. "GDP has even increased by 1.2 percent, and that's a positive thing," he said. The Economy Ministry has met employers every two weeks to discuss… read more

Stefanov: Situation Around My Ministry Has Turned Into Circus

Bratislava, March 10 (TASR) - The situation surrounding the Construction and Regional Development Ministry is a political circus, said its head Igor Stefanov (Slovak National Party/SNS nominee) on Wednesday. "The notice-board tender is just a big bubble that has burst. Not even my predecessor Marian Janusek (SNS) should have been ousted, which has now been proven by the… read more

SDKU and KDH: We\'re Ready to Create Clear Alternative to Smer

Bratislava, March 10 (TASR) - Opposition parties SDKU-DS and the Christian Democratic Movement (KDH) are ready to create a clear alternative to the current Smer-SD-led Government, SDKU-DS election leader Iveta Radicova said after meeting KDH chairman Jan Figel on Wednesday. Creating an alternative to the current Government is a necessity for Slovakia. "There's a need… read more

Slota: Fico Isn\'t God, Stefanov Should Stay in His Post

Bratislava, March 10 (TASR) - It wouldn't make any sense for the Slovak National Party (SNS) to leave the Government following Premier Robert Fico's call for the resignation of its nominee in the post of Construction and Regional Development Minister Igor Stefanov, SNS head Jan Slota said at a press conference on Wednesday. "Are we camel drivers? [sic] Are we supposed… read more