Articles
Commission approved state aid for Slovak farmers
European commission approved state aid for Slovak farmers to overcome impact of the current crisis. Support of 3,32 milion euro will take form of a direct grant of up to 15,000 euro.
Elections could "strengthen extremes" in Central Europe
Nationalist and extremist parties could do well in forthcoming national elections in Poland, Slovakia and Hungary, warned political scientists at a recent debate held in Paris. EurActiv France reports.
Ministers seek measures to reduce price volatility of agro commodities
Majority of mamber states, including Slovakia, consider current tools of market regulation as inefficient. According minister of agriculture Vladimir Chovat they do not offer enough space to react on natural market volatility, recently under attack of speculators.
PAS: Slovakia business climate deteriorates further
Business climate in Slovakia further deteriorated in the last quarter of 2010 due to insufficient government activities against crisis and business barriers, The Business Alliance of Slovakia (PAS) says.
Eurovision 2010: Who will go to Oslo?
The Eurovision Song Contest 2010 is the 55th Eurovision Song Contest. It´s taking part in Oslo, Norway´s capital and the home of the last year´s winner Alexander Rybak.
Government promises balanced budget by 2015
Slovak government has two goals - to lower deficit under 3 % by 2012 and to achieve balanced budget in 2015.
Slovak commissioner-designate Maros Sefcovic had to face difficult hearing. At the very beginning he had to explain his alleged anti-Roma statements, then he was grilled on couple of difficult institutional issues. First reactions indicate that he has sailed through these dire straits.
Šefčovič eases through hearing, fends off accusations
Veleriu Nicolae, author of the paper with Sefcovic´s statement on Roma, said he considers the EPP attack on Slovak candidate "unbelievable".
EU confirmation hearings take nasty turn
Put in a difficult position by Rumiana Jeleva"s weak performance at her parliamentary hearing earlier this week, the centre-right European People"s Party (EPP) is threatening to counter-attack by asking for a socialist head to roll.
Slovak government behaves like the energy monopoly
Two years ago, Robert Fico"s government decided to make energy customers pay special fee, when changing energy supplier. Today, retail customers in Slovakia loose one alternative supplier.
Nord Stream "a waste of money", says Poland
The Nord Stream pipeline project is "a waste of European consumers" money," Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski told the Polish National Assembly"s foreign affairs committee last week.
EU governments seek to offload flu vaccines
Governments in Western Europe are selling off surplus stocks of H1N1 flu vaccine and cancelling orders for additional supplies due to low demand from the public. However, the World Health Organisation is warning that flu transmission is still on the rise in Central and Eastern Europe.
EC shocked by Roma settlements in Slovakia
At the end of september 2009 EC delegation visited Slovakia to study Roma problematics. According to delegation leader Katarina Mathernova, Deputy Director General of DG Regio of European Comission, the EU Officers were shocked that in the 21st century there are people living the similar way like in the Middle Ages.
Pan-European Coordination of Roma Integration
Pan-European Coordination of Roma Integration is to support innovative and integrated projects promoting the inclusion of Roma through educational, social, and economic activities, cross border cooperation and exchange of best practices while integrating existing (local, national, European and international) instruments.
Sefcovic on changes awaiting the EU
Lisbon Treaty defined the basic framework of changes in the position and competences of the EU institutions. Now we have to agree on details, says Maros Sefcovic, who should take responsibility over the institutional issues in the new Commission.
Oil crisis in Slovakia averted
On Monday, Russia warned EU before cutting oil supplies due to problems with Ukraine. Later in the afternoon, Moscow and Kiev reached the agreement on oil transit in 2010. The risk of oil crisis in Slovakia, Hungary and Czech republic had been averted.
U.S. missile shield holding up nuclear deal: Putin
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said Tuesday U.S. plans for a missile defense system were the main obstacle to reaching a new deal on reducing Cold War arsenals of nuclear weapons.
Slovakia voted. Do you want to know how?
Institute for public affairs (IVO), Bratislava based thin-tank introduced its new publication on European and presidential elections in Slovakia entitled "Slovakia votes".
Smer-SD formalized its PES membership
European socialists party Congress in Prague formalized the membership of party Smer-SD of Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico. Only Belgian and Hungarian delegates voted against.
Operational Programme Information Society: Calls for proposals worthy of half of billion euros
Representatives of Slovak government met today with journalist in order to keep them informed about the progress under Operational Programme Information Society, supported by EU money.
Netherlands lifts veto on Serbia
After 18 months Netherlands agreed to unblock trade agreement between Serbia and EU. The impulse came after main prosecutor of ICTY said country is progressing with cooperation.
Portfolio attributions puzzle Eastern EU countries
Public opinion and politicians alike are questioning the weight and importance of the portfolios attributed to their national commissioners, a roundup by EurActiv"s network in Eastern Europe reveals.
Long way to go for EU common health care system
On the 27th of November the second regional debate in the framework of the European Citizens Consultations (ECC) was held in Bratislava, Slovakia. The debate involved experts from Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria to discuss the recommendations and further issues related to the subject of health.
Criminals cashing in on fake swine flu medicines
European medicine authorities are growing increasingly alarmed by the number of bogus swine flu remedies being sold over the Internet. The news comes as MEPs gear up to debate new rules covering counterfeit medicines.
Citizens expect stronger involvement of EU in health
Bratislava will be the place of discussion on citizen´s recommendations in the field of public health. European Commission has promised to listen.
Barroso II: Sefcovic to reign interinstitutional relations
The president of the European Commission José Manuel Barroso announced the attribution of portfolios in the new executive. Šefčovič will be one of his seven vice-presidents.
Barroso´s choice - Šefčovič´s opportunity
Slovakian designate-commissioner Maroš Šefčovič is believed to have received important and influential portfolio.
Russians proposed "common security"
Russia published on 29 November its proposal for a new Euro-Atlantic security treaty that would restrict its ability to use military force unilaterally if the United States and its European allies agreed to do the same.
Eastern commissioners compete for energy, enlargement
Four Eastern European commissioners are finding themselves in competition after their countries expressed preferences for the energy and enlargement portfolios in the next European Commission.
The gas crisis: It can reoccur
Slovak Foreign Ministry hosts 2-day conference "EU Common Energy Policy and Energy Security of Slovakia". The panelists did not exclude the possibility of repeating the gas crisis, but added that Slovakia has prepared much better than it had been one year ago.
Female entrepreneurs still vastly outnumbered in Europe
As the European Commission pushes for greater gender balance in its own ranks, the EurActiv network takes a look at how women across Europe fare in the business world.
SMEs pay for administrative burdens more than 91 million euro
Administrative burden costs Slovak entrepreneurs 91 million euros, according to latest measuring made by Slovak economy ministry.
Slovak female enterpreneurs have 8 female ambassodors
National Agency for Development of Small and Medium Enterprises (NADSME) with associated partners chose eight Female Entrepreneurship Ambassadors from 38 national candidates. Their role is to encourage more Slovak women to become entrepreneurs and start their own companies.
Jerzy Buzek celebrated 20. anniversary of Velvet revolution in Slovakia
In 1989 we embarked on the immensely important process of building a new European identity, said Jerzy Buzek in Bratislava.
Kosovo regional elections relatively quiet
PM´s party PDK won the most votes in the first regional elections in Kosovo. International observers say that the voting was "generally fair".
Slovaks are now closer to Czechs in perception of November 189 and the development that followed afterward. However, Hungarians are deeply disappointed with the democracy building in their country. These are some of the outcomes of the opinion poll carried out in Visegrad countries.
Slovak parliament approves protectionist law
Slovakia"s parliament approved on 5 November a widely-criticised law which protects so-called strategic companies from bankruptcy by giving the government the option to buy, restructure and find new investors for a firm.
EU leaders fail to hammer out climate funding details
EU leaders have agreed on the need to provide €100 billion a year to fund climate efforts in developing countries, but failed to define any specific sums, as pushed by the group of 9 new member states, delaying their decision until after December"s UN conference in Copenhagen.
World Bank sees Eastern Europe contracting 4.2 % in 2009
The European Union"s 10 ex-communist economies will contract by 4.2 percent as a whole this year and eke out growth of around just 1 percent next year, the World Bank said in a report on Wednesday.
Extremists of (nearly) all countries unite!
Another attempt to establish a pan-European extreme-right party was made in Budapest last weekend (24-25 October) by extremist forces from a variety of European countries, targeting better representation in the European Parliament. But because Jobbik is one of the key initiators, Slovak and Romanian nationalists stay out.
Poland about to sell emissions to Spain and Ireland
Poland is about to sign agreement on selling carbon credits to Spain and Poland, Polish minister announced. Warsaw will get 40 mil. EUR.
Polish President has signed the Lisbon Treaty on Saturday. Now everything is in hands of his Czech counterpart, Václav Klaus, who has recently demanded Czech opt-out from the Charter of Fundamental Rights. Czech President claims that on ots basis, Sudeten Germans expelled after the WWII could claim back their properties through the EU courts. It remains to be seen if this was his final demand, or just another part of his hold-back tactics.
V4 ministers to Balkans: Help each other!
Foreign ministers of Visegrad countries expressed their wish to enable Western Balkan countries to benefit from successful transformation and Euroatlantic integration, just like V4 countries have.
Slovakia faces EU budget discipline action
European Commission launchced disciplinary action against Slovakia over excessive budget deficit. Twenty of the EU"s 27 member states are now facing disciplinary procedures.
Slovakia strengthens ties with Macedonia
Slovakia hopes row with Athens will not block accession process of Macedonia for much longer. Bratislava eyes more business oportunities with Macedonia, but not privatization of strategic assets, said Prime Minister Robert Fico during the visit of his Macedonian counterpart Nikola Gruevski in Bratislava.
Ukraine awaits stronger cooperation with EU, Slovakia will face another gas crisis
Slovakia will support European path of Ukraine as well as the perspective of membership, if there will be a real opportunity, experts said. However, they seems to agree that Slovakia won"t probably avoid another gas crisis.
Russia triumphant as EU’s Georgia war report sees light
Russia has expressed satisfaction with an independent report on its five-day war with former Soviet Republic Georgia in August 2008. The report was commissioned by the EU and published yesterday (30 September). Poland has led a number of initiatives in support of Saakashvili since the conflict, in conjunction with the Baltic countries and the Czech Republic, but this initiative seems to failed.
EU: We shoud focus mainly on Roma education
A lack of good education can lead to a vicious cycle of unemployment, poverty, poor housing and bad health and it also widens the gap between the Roma minority and majority communities, bringing with it a risk of social instability, expert said yesterday on 2nd meeting of the integrated platform on Roma inclusion. It was also one of the last events where Ján Figeľ, outgoing Slovak commissioner for education participated.
Europe wary of sending more troops to Afghanistan
European defence ministers expressed reluctance yesterday (28 September) to send more troops to the NATO-led mission in Afghanistan, anticipating their response to a possible US call for reinforcements.
Poland won lawsuit regarding emission plans
Poland won challenge over European Commission and would be allowed to set more generous national emission caps under EU emissions trading scheme (ETS).
Unemployment will be a long-term problem
Despite economic contraction is easing, the fear of longterm unemployment is rising. In the comming months, governments should focus on how to help people without jobs trying to find a new position on labor market, OECD warns.
Politicians in Bosnia to get only half of their salary
EU will help Bosnia and Herzegovina to overcome the economic downturn with 40 million euro injection in the association process. Furthermore, top politicians in the ethnically divided country will get lower salary, finance minister has announced.
Fico: No change of position on Kosovo
Prime minister Robert Fico assured Serbian counterpart Mirko Cvetkovič, Slovakia will not change it´s position.
NATO proposes new era of cooperation with Russia
NATO proposed a new era of cooperation with the United States and Russia on Friday, calling for joint work on missile defense systems after Washington scrapped a planned anti-missile system in Czech republic and Poland.
Self-governing regions can use €200 million to help Roma minority
Self-governing regions and micro-regions can submit applications for provision of support for projects to elevate the social status, employment and education level of marginalised Roma communities and to improve their living standards.
U.S. to shelve Europe missile shield plans: report
The United States will shelve plans to deploy anti-missile systems in Poland and the Czech Republic, a step that would ease tensions with Russia.
Slovakia examines what to do with Belarus
Slovakia chooses the way of simultaneous support of democratization and fostering socio-economic ties, as was proved by the recent visit of the Slovak foreign minister Miroslav Lajčák to Minsk. He was gathering background information to form Slovak position on the reassessment of EU-Belarus relations due in December.
Fico and Bajnai in a move to calm tensions
Hungarian opposition is not satisfied with the outcome of the meeting of Slovak and Hungarian prime ministers. However, it´s leader believes EU should not be called to be a "nanny" in bilateral disputes.
World Bank: Slovakia is the best country for doing business in V4
Slovakia is the best country for doing business among V4 countries. In World Bank’s Doing Business 2010 report is placed on the 42. position. Figures also show worsening business climate, last year it was on the 35. position.
The most competitive economy among V4 countries is Czech republic
According to World Economic Forum the world´s most competitive economy is Switzerland, which replaced USA on the first position. Among V4 countries Czech republic gained the highest position (31.), followed by Poland (46.) and Slovakia (47.). The lowest score has Hungary (58.).
Will division over Kosovo block Serbia from entering EU?
A uniform position would be needed before Serbia joins the EU, believes former UN special envoy for Kosovo Marti Ahtisaari. Slovakia does not recognize independence of Kosovo, however is a keen supporter of Serbia’s EU ambitions.
"Holodomor" Memorial to be introduced in Poland
In times of warming Russia-Poland relations, Ukrainian President Yuchenko comes to Warszawa in order to introduce The "Holodomor" Memorial, among the other tasks on list.
MEPs criticize different approach in visa scrapping for the Balkans
Commissioner for enlargement Olli Rehn explained to the foreign affairs committee, why EC has decided to scrap visa for three Balkan countries, while keeping them for Bosnia and Herzegovina and Albania. Slovakia assists Bosnia and Herzegovina in its effort to fulfill the criteria for being included on "Schenegn White List" by sharing know-how, says Slovak Foreign Ministry.
Putin in Poland remembered WWII
Russian PM Putin surprisingly remembered 70th Anniversary of the WWII"s beginning in Poland.
Russia accuses Ukraine over Georgia war
Russian prosecutors have said they hold "irrefutable evidence" that an Ukrainian nationalist organisation had supported Georgian troops in the brief war that opposed Moscow and Tbilisi last year.
Medvedev wants the change of Ukrainian political leadership
Moscow decided not to nominate own ambassador in Kyev. Russian President Dmitri Medvedev asked for the change of Ukrainian politics and for removing ant-Russian mood.
The biggest GDP fall in first quarter 2009 recorded in Slovakia
According to the second Eurostat estimates for the first quarter of 2009 the biggest drop in GDP was recorded in Slovakia – 11,4 %. All EU member states registered negative growth exept Poland and Cyprus.
EC asked Slovakia to ease spending
European Commission examined the updated Stability and Convergence Programmes and recomended deadline for correction of the deficit in Hungary and asked Slovakia to cut spending.
Slovakia helps Montenegro to discuss NATO accession
Slovak development project "Montenegro on the way to the euroatlantic family" enjoys unexpected attention of the local media. Expert warranter of the project supported by Slovak Aid is František Lipka, who oversaw the Montenegrin referendum on independence in 2006.
Early recovery of Slovak economy may cause another crisis
Rise in demand is essential for emerging from recession, experts say and predict the end of crisis in ten years. State secretary Peter Kažimír stresses that early recovery of slovak economy may cause us another crisis.
