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Slovakia Puts Integration of Western Balkans Into EU Among Priorities

Bratislava, February 25, (TASR) - Slovakia backs the process of further European Union enlargement during Spain's current six-month presidency and the following two periods under Belgium and Hungary, seeing more stability in the Union and its own membership benefits, wrote the Foreign Ministry in a strategic document cleared by the Government on Thursday. Among its priorities,… read more

Poll: Smer Still Far Ahead of Others, SaS Does Well Again

Bratislava, February 25 (TASR) - The governing-coalition Smer-SD party still has a considerable lead over all other political parties, with the latest poll showing that it would have received 38.6-percent support in February. The survey, carried out between February 3-9 by the Focus agency on a sample of 1,031 respondents, also showed that voter support for Smer shrank… read more

Analysts More Optimistic, Now Expecting 2.6% Economic Growth in 2010

Bratislava, February 25 (TASR) - Analysts working for commercial banks became more optimistic about the economy in February, with estimates for economic growth reaching 2.6 percent, up by 0.5 percentage points from January, according to the latest macroeconomic predictions by selected banks published by the Slovak central bank (NBS). Analysts haven't changed their expectations… read more

Nike Launches Mercurial Vapor SuperFly II

Nike Launches Mercurial Vapor SuperFly II, Delivering Greater Speed and Exclusive Insider Access to the World’s Top Players Revolutionary football boot features Nike adaptive traction technology and helps players improve their performance with expert tips and training through Nike Football+ London, February 25 (Business Wire/OTS) - At a global media event featuring… read more

Kia: More Than 200,000 Cars to Be Produced in Teplicka this Year

Bratislava, February 24 (TASR) - Kia Motors Slovakia intends to produce around 210,000 cars at its facility in Teplicka nad Vahom near Zilina this year, of which the new model Hyundai ix35 will make up between 70,000-100,000, Kia Motors Slovakia president In-Kyu Bae said in Bratislava on Wednesday on the occasion of introducing the new model. According to In-Kyu Bae,… read more

Slovakia Asks Hungary to Speed Up Pipeline Connection Works

Budapest, February 24 (TASR) - Slovakia has welcomed the initiative of Visegrad Four (V4) countries to support North-South interconnection of gas pipelines and asked Hungary in this respect to speed up the connection of Slovak and Hungarian pipelines, Slovak Premier Robert Fico said after the V4 summit session on Wednesday. According to Fico, Croatian Premier Jadranka… read more

Lipsic: Corruption and Organised Crime Thrive Under This Government

Bratislava, February 24 (TASR) - Corruption and serious organised crime cases are not being investigated properly, Christian Democratic Movement (KDH) vice-chair (and former justice minister 2002-06) Daniel Lipsic said on Wednesday in Bratislava. This was Lipsic's reaction to the police statistics presented earlier in the day by Interior Minister Robert Kalinak, according… read more

UNAS to Take Part in Rally in Bratislava Thursday, Won\'t Block Roads

Lucenec, February 24 (TASR) - The Union of Slovak Road Hauliers (UNAS) is to take part in an anti-government rally that should take place at SNP Square in Bratislava on Thursday, but drivers won't block the roads in Slovakia's capital with lorries, TASR was told by UNAS organisation committee member Jaroslav Polacek on Wednesday. "We'll support the gathering of the initiative… read more

EU Commission Launches In-depth Probe into 2009 Loan for ZSSK Cargo

Bratislava/Brussels, February 24 (TASR) - The European Commission has begun an in-depth investigation into whether a loan that Slovakia provided to the country's state-owned rail freight transport operator ZSSK Cargo Slovakia in 2009 is compatible with the EU's rules on state aid, TASR learnt from the Commission's Representation in Slovakia on Wednesday. "At this stage… read more

Radicova: Second Pension Pillar Has Proven Stable

Bratislava, February 24 (TASR) - The Second Pension Pillar provides its savers with stable financial resources despite Premier Robert Fico's claims that the pension management companies (DSSs) will go bankrupt due to the global crisis, SDKU-DS vice-chair Iveta Radicova said at a press conference on Wednesday. "The Government has used this scare as a pretext to open up… read more

Visegrad Four Summit on Energy Issues Begins in Budapest

Budapest, February 24 (TASR) - Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico on Wednesday went to Budapest for a three-day summit of the Visegrad Four (V4) countries to discuss energy-security issues. As well as the V4 (Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia) there are also premiers from Romania, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Serbia and Slovenia, and representatives… read more

Kalinak: Crime Rate Fell by 13 Percent between 2003-05 and 2007-09

Bratislava, February 24 (TASR) - The crime rate between 2007-09 dropped by 13 percent, or 46,501 criminal offences, compared to the respective figures for 2003-05, Interior Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Robert Kalinak told a press conference on Wednesday. An average rate of crime resolution went up by 3 percent in 2007-09, compared to 2003-05. The highest, 54-percent… read more

Medvedev Likely to Visit Slovakia Soon, Sarkozy\'s Visit Up in the Air

Bratislava, February 24 (TASR) - Russian President Dmitry Medvedev will most likely visit Slovakia in April to mark the 65th anniversary of Bratislava's liberation from Nazi occupation (April 4, 1945), well-informed sources told TASR on Wednesday. Medvedev's visit to Slovakia was agreed upon at a meeting between the two countries' foreign affairs ministers Miroslav Lajcak… read more

SDKU: Dzurinda Won\'t Be Candidate for Premier Whatever Happens

Bratislava, February 24 (TASR) - The opposition SDKU-DS party, which led the Slovak government of 2002-06, said on Wednesday that its chairman and former premier Mikulas Dzurinda will not be a candidate for the post of prime minister even if the party forms the new government after the June 12 election. Vice-chairman and lawmaker Ivan Miklos further stated that the party's… read more

SDKU Publishes List of Smer\'s Unkept Promises

Bratislava, February 24 (TASR) - The Government led by Prime Minister Robert Fico has lost touch with reality in Slovakia, watching on passively as unemployment and corruption grow rapidly, and burdening Slovakia with heavy debts, representatives of the main opposition party SDKU-DS said at a press conference on Wednesday. "The prime minister is going round on his inspection… read more