Singapore as a business role model

SINGAPORE is the new business

role model for Slovakia: the gov-
ernment now says it is fired up
with the ambition to cut red tape
and create an environment
where businesses spend their
time doing business rather than
satisfying the whims of bureau-
crats.
Prime Minister Iveta Radiov
and Economy Minister Juraj
Mikov have set out 100 measures
that in five years should, they say,
result in a 25-percent drop in
Slovakias administrative burden,
which is currently estimated to be
around 2 billion per year, or about
3 percent of the countrys GDP.
It is not accidental that the
project is called Singapore,
Radiov said as she introduced the
Singapore Project, which aspires to
vault Slovakia into the group of 15
countries with the best business
environments inthe world.
Radiov also said that com-
pleting the 100 measures within
the red-tape cutting scheme is one
of her personal political priorities.
The package includes, for example,
a simpler process for setting up a
firm, simpler construction proced-
ures, better enforcement of claims,
as well as simpler administration
of taxes and payroll taxes.
SeeROLEpg9
SELECT FOREX RATES
benchmark as of June 9
CANADA CAD 1.43
CZECHREP. CZK 24.14
RUSSIA RUB40.47
GREAT BRITAIN GBP 0.89
HUNGARY HUF 264.68
JAPAN JPY 116.86
POLAND PLN 3.96
USA USD 1.46
NEWS
Gaypridemarch
Some 1,500 people
gathered for festivities in
Bratislavas Hviezdosla-
vovo Square for Slovakia's
second RainbowPride
march, accompanied by
heavily armed police.
pg 2
Malinovcaseupdate
The lawyer of a young wo-
manaccused of falsely re-
porting anassault says an
expert medical report that
claimed her injuries were
froma blood disorder is
hogwash.
pg 3
OPINION
Nominationshuffle
SaS, Smer and eventhe en-
tire government have failed
to get nominees into key
jobs. Is it case of ineptiti-
ude, a lack of talented can-
didates or is somehting
else going on?
pg 5
BUSINESSFOCUS
SharingItalianculture
The Italianambassador to
Slovakia is a firmbeliever
that culture is one of the
best tools of diplomacy and
hopes to further broaden
Slovaks experience with
her country's best offerings.
pg 6
Swappinggoodideas
Two Slovak firms withItali-
anowners explainhowthe
exchange of knowledge and
know-howwithinglobal
companies brings concrete
benefits.
pg 7
CULTURE
Music for liberation
BenjaminZander, conduct-
or of the YouthPhilharmon-
ic Orchestra at the New
England Conservatory in
Boston, talks about anup-
coming concert inBratis-
lava and shares his life
philosophy.
pg 11
Ascene of devastationinthe westernSlovak village of Plaafter heavy raininthe Small Carpathians mountains on
June 8 ledtoflashfloodingthat destroyedroads, bridges andproperty inseveral communities. Photo:SITA
Flash flood strikes
MANY people lost practically
everything they owned after a
flood wave swept through several
villages lying just below erven
Kame Castle in the Small
Carpathians on the evening of
June 8. Several other nearby vil-
lages were left without drinking
water, electricity and gas by the
heavy rains.
Slovak media reported that the
village of Pla suffered the most
devastation from the floodwaters.
The village, home to about 300
people, is situated in a narrow val-
ley only several dozen metres wide.
The massive flood wave came as a
surprise to the residents, after a
fairly brief thunderstorm in the
mountains, but it swept away cars
and destroyed many gardens as
well as homes. The village was left
without electricity, drinking water
and natural gas. Bridges across the
small and normally tranquil local
brook, the Gidra, were also des-
troyed as it was turned into a ra-
ging torrent by water cascading
downfromthe mountains.
We are removing the con-
sequences of the disaster, but it is
going very slowly, Radoslav
Minek, the mayor of Pla, told
the Sme daily, adding that dozens
of residents were affected by the
floodwaters.
SeeSTORMpg3
Fitch warns
over deficit
targets
RATING agencies have confirmed their
current rating grades for Slovakia but at
the same time expressed scepticism
about whether the Slovak government
will meet its fiscal consolidationplans.
Slovak Finance Minister Ivan Miklo
believes that the government will be able
to squeeze the public finance deficit be-
low 5 percent of gross domestic product
(GDP) this year, but admits that expenses
associated with the health-care system
and reorganisation of the state railways
could endanger the government budget.
But he added that if it is necessary, the
government will adopt further austerity
measures.
SeeRATINGpg4
Third SaS
candidate
for NB fails
THE FREEDOM and Solidarity (SaS) partys
continued inability to find a suitable can-
didate for the top post at Slovakias secur-
ity vetting agency that is, someone with
an untainted moral and professional his-
tory, and who is acceptable to all SaSs rul-
ing coalition partners is, observers says,
beginning to prove worrisome.
Three attempts by SaS to fill the chair-
manship at the National Security Office
(NB) left vacant by the departure of
Frantiek Blanrik, an alleged former
agent for the communist-era military in-
telligence agency have now fallen flat.
The latest SaS nominee, Supreme Court
judge Juraj Kliment, withdrew as a can-
didate after learning that he does not enjoy
the support from all parties of the ruling
coalition.
SeeCASEpg2
BYBEATABALOGOV
Spectator staff
BYBEATABALOGOV
Spectator staff
BYMICHAELATERENZANI
Spectator staff
see pages 6-9
Te Italian community in Slovakia
Villages in the
Small Carpathians
are inundated
Vol. 17, No. 23 Monday, June 13, 2011 - Sunday, June 19, 2011
On sale now On sale now
FOCUS
of this issue
FOCUS
of this issue
ITALY
BYJANALIPTKOV
Spectator staff
Slovak Press Code amended
THE MUCH-debated and
much-criticised Slovak Press
Code has beenamended, just
one year after the govern-
ment of Iveta Radiov came
into office. Parliament
passed the amendment on
May 31, softening some of its
more controversial aspects,
while retaining its most-cri-
ticised provision, the one
that establishes public offi-
cials right to publisha reply
inthe media.
The governments pro-
gramme statement adopted
last July obliged it to seek to
amend the lawgoverning the
media, stating that the gov-
ernment will make the ne-
cessary legislative changes,
mainly cancelling the right
of reply for a public official.
According to the amended
Press Code, public officials
will no longer be able to insist
ona published reply to stories
about themproviding these
are about their performance
of public functions. But public
officials will still enjoy a right
of reply for articles written
about themas private indi-
viduals, inaccordance with
the Slovak Constitution, the
Culture Ministry stated.
The amended Press Code
states that the right to reply
is effective only for anun-
true, incomplete or truth-
bending statement that af-
fects the honour, dignity or
privacy or the name or good
image of a personthat canbe
clearly identified.
Press freedominSlovakia
became anissue after the 2008
Press Code was passed. It
granted the right to correct
and to reply to anyone who
felt their honour and dignity
were harmed by a published
article; they needed only to
request that their reply be
printed within30 days of the
original publicationdate.
Publishers of dailies were
required to print the reply
withinthree days of receipt of
the reply and other periodicals
had to include it intheir next
issue. The 2008 Press Code
provided a right of reply even
if the published information
was totally truthful and also
provided a right to a correc-
tionevenif the published in-
formationwas not libellous,
establishing fines of up to
4,980 against publishers.
Hungary's speaker sparks outrage
COMMENTS by the speaker
of the HungarianParlia-
ment, Lszl Kvr, have
prompted anangry backlash
inSlovakia.
Kvr, inaninterview
published by the Czech
Hospodsk Noviny daily
during his visit to the Czech
Republic inearly June, said
that Hungarians inSlovakia
need not respect the 1919 Paris
Peace Treaty that ended World
War I. He also stated that
Slovakia had moved its border
withHungary whenbuilding
the Gabkovo-Nagymaros
damand that Hungary could
have legitimately responded
withmilitary force.
Kvr said as well that all
Slovak politicians have a
piece of nationalist JnSlota
inside themand that they
could use a little bit more
self-consciousness.
The Hungarianofficials
statements outraged the op-
positionSmer party, withits
leaders and MPs immedi-
ately calling onthe govern-
ment to react witha
dmarche and to take imme-
diate steps toward designing
a strategy for the defence of
Slovak national interests in
relationto Hungary.
Smers Marek Maari,
the former culture minister,
said the statements dishon-
our Slovakia, ignore the ver-
dict of aninternational court
(a reference to the Interna-
tional Court of Justices rul-
ing inSlovakias favour inthe
Gabkovo-Nagymaros dam
case 14 years ago), and imply
that the use of military force
against Slovakia is justified.
He blamed the current Slovak
governments foreignpolicy.
It's quite clear that Hun-
gary interprets our silence not
as empathy but as weakness,
Maari said, as quoted by the
TASRnewswire.
The ForeignAffairs Min-
istry rejected the criticism
and onJune 8 Richard Sulk,
the Slovak Speaker of Par-
liament, held a press briefing
to condemnthe statements
made by his Hungarian
counterpart. He said Kvr
was lying and had dishon-
oured Slovak citizens. Sulk
especially criticised Kvrs
statements about the
Gabkovo-Nagymaros dam.
This statement is
outrageous, Sulk said, as
quoted by the SITAnewswire.
Threatening military inter-
ventionor evenmentioning
it inlight of the friendly rela-
tions betweenthe two coun-
tries is something that has no
place inthe vocabulary of
good neighbours.
Sulk said he understands
Kvrs statements as anat-
tempt to distract attention
fromwhat he called the in-
ternational isolationof Hun-
gary and the countrys unfor-
tunate economic situation.
Sulk added, however,
that althoughhe found it ne-
cessary to react to the state-
ments, whichhe believes are
lies, he does not believe that
the Slovak government
should act inresponse to
Kvrs statements and the
best solutionwould be to pay
themno more attention.
CompiledbySpectator staff
Pride's successful march
FOLLOWING Slovakias first
Rainbow Pride gay-rights
parade in 2010, which was dis-
rupted after being attacked by
far-right extremists, there was
a good deal of apprehension
surrounding the second run-
ning of the event on June 4.
The lesbian, gay, bisexual and
transgender (LGBT) com-
munity also welcomed the
coming out of Slovakias first
openly gay MP, Stanislav Fot,
of Freedom and Solidarity
(SaS).
As some 1,500 people
gathered for pre-march festiv-
ities in Bratislavas Hviez-
doslavovo Square, a heavily
armed police presence, includ-
ing SWAT units in full riot
gear, were on hand, restrict-
ing entrance to the square and
checking all purses, bags and
parcels. But in the end
everything came together as
planned withbarely a hitch.
Many dignitaries were on
hand and addressed the crowd
in the square. They included
two European Parliament
members, Ulrike Lunacek and
Marije Cornelissen; Milan
Ftnik, the mayor of Bratis-
lava; Speaker of Parliament
Richard Sulk; and Labour
Minister Jozef Mihl. Several
members of the opposition
Smer party also attended the
event.
Unlike last year, the
parade march was completed
without interruption, making
its way from Hviezdoslavovo
Square, in central Bratislava,
across the New Bridge to a
ship anchored on the south-
ernbank of the Danube.
The marchers were mon-
itored all the way by well-
armed police units who even
had water cannons at their dis-
posal. Police detained 45 people
during the event but laid crim-
inal charges against only one.
A few dozen of members of
udov Strana Nae Slov-
ensko, a far-right party,
showed up bearing banners
carrying mottos such as For
the traditional family and
against deviation, but there
were no major incidents.
The organisers were
pleased that the whole event
was handled so well.
Bratislava can call itself
an open city now, Romana
Schlesinger, one of the organ-
isers, told the Sme daily.
SeePRIDEpg5
CASE: OKS objects to Kliment's verdict
Continuedfrompg1
The Civic Conservative Party (OKS), a
faction of four MPs that was elected to
parliament on the Most-Hd partys slate,
raised objections to Kliments candidacy.
OKS pointed to his involvement inthe re-
confirmationof a Communist-era verdict
to the Cervanov case. OKS stated that
Kliment, along with the other judges
hearing the case, failed to consider new
evidence.
OKS leader Peter Zajac, speaking on
public-broadcaster Slovak Radio, posed
the question of whether it is possible to
accept into such a significant position a
man who de facto had a share in the fact
that the Supreme Court of a democratic
state decided in line with a communist
court which had avoided many element-
aryfactsabout thewholecase.
After facing criticism for its failure to
remove Blanrik earlier, SaS first pro-
posed Jn Stano as his replacement.
However, Stano did not satisfy the other
ruling parties because of his previous em-
ployment, albeit in a junior position, at
the Slovak Information Service (SIS),
Slovakias main spy agency, during its
period under Ivan Lexa. Lexa is the one-
time right-hand man of controversial
former prime minister Vladimr Meiar
and it was under Lexas leadership that
the SIS was accused of involvement in
numerouscriminal activities.
SaS then proposed Supreme Court
judgePeter Paluda, andfor abrief periodit
seemed that he enjoyed broad approval.
Paluda has a long record as a senior judge,
served as Slovakias representative to the
EU's justice organisation, Eurojust, and
has been a staunch critic of Supreme
Court head tefanHarabin. Nevertheless,
the SlovakDemocratic andChristianUni-
on (SDK) poured cold water on Paludas
chances by voting to oppose his nomina-
tion, citing a legal actionhe hadlaunched
against thestate, amongother reasons.
Observers have warned that the con-
tinuedfailuretofill thepost couldprompt
more tensionand risk further loss of trust
amongthecoalitionparties.
Without the four votes of the OKS
deputies, the ruling coalition would not
havehadenoughvotes toelect Kliment.
Despite honouring the work of
judges, mainly those who fight for an
open judiciary, we cannot support
Kliment, Zajac said, as quoted by the
SITA newswire. He was a member of the
[Supreme Court senate that judged the]
case of Cervanov, which is a key case for
Slovakiasjudiciary.
Kliment announced on June 6 that he
hadwithdrawnhis candidacy.
I take it back, he told TASR, adding
that he would also have had a moral prob-
lem, because he stands by his legal opin-
ionintheCervanovcase.
SaS chairman Richard Sulk mean-
while said that his party would submit
another name and see what the coalition
partners say. Given that the benchmark
has nowbeen set so high, he warned, SaS
will act accordinglywhenit comes to oth-
er parties futurenominations.
TheCervanovcase
udmila Cervanov disappeared from
Mlynsk Dolina, a university dormitory
area in Bratislava, in July 1976 and a body
reported to be hers was later found in a
brooknear Krovpri Senci. Sevenyoung
men from Nitra Juraj Lachman,
Frantiek erman, Stanislav Dbravick,
Pavol Bea, Roman Brzda, Milo Kocr
and Milan Andrik were detained by
police in 1981. The prosecution charged
that they had kidnapped Cervanov from
a Bratislava disco, repeatedly raped her
andthenmurderedher.
All seven suspects were found guilty
by the Bratislava Regional Court in 1982
and sentenced to between four and 24
years in prison. Originally the prosecu-
tion had requested death sentences for
four of the accused despite their repeated
claims of innocence. In1990, after the fall
of the communist regime, the Supreme
Court of Czechoslovakia overruled the
original sentences and returned the case
to the lower court while ordering the re-
leaseof themenwhowerestill inprison.
Critics who have followed this case
for many years say that evenafter the fall
of communismthe courts ignorednewly-
revealed testimony as well as a new ex-
pert medical report by forensic medicine
expert Peter Fiala and again found the
menguilty onthe basis of their commun-
ist-era confessions. The men said they
had signed these under severe psycholo-
gical pressure they say they were
offered a choice between confessing or
beingsentencedtodeathbyhanging.
The prosecutionof the sevenmenhas
become one of the most well-known and
controversial cases in the history of the
Czechoslovak and Slovak judiciary. The
case was closed in 2006 when Slovakias
Supreme Court confirmed the guilty ver-
dicts.
Critics charge that the Slovak lower
court ignored all the imperfections in the
communist-era investigation and pro-
secution that had been noted by the
Czechoslovak Supreme Court in 1990 and
ordered even longer prison terms for
three of the defendants, forcing two of
them to return to prison to serve addi-
tional years. Andrik was the last of the
sentenced men to be released from cus-
todywhenhe left Leopoldovprisononpa-
role on October 14, 2009. His release,
however, was not based on any progress
in resolving the questions that had been
raised about the legitimacy of his original
conviction.
Earlier this year in February, Milan
Andrik and Milo Kocr underwent
polygraphtests inBratislava, stating that
they had nothing to do with the crime
and that their previous admissions had
been coerced during the original police
investigationin1981.
Robert E. Lee, a US expert on poly-
graphs, tested Andrik and Kocr and
then sent the results for review by other
examiners in the US who knew nothing
about the questions that were admin-
istered during the test. These additional
examiners confirmedLees conclusions.
If there was any participation in the
murder of udmila, it would have been
proved, Lee told a press conference held
on February 18, as quoted by the SITA
newswire.
He said the screening technique he
used would have detected the two mens
participation in the murder and added
that the results could not have been in-
fluenced by the long period of time which
had passed since Cervanovs death in
1976.
The results of polygraph tests,
however, are not admissible as evidence
inSlovakcourts.
MichaelaTerenzani contributed
tothis report
APride marcher inBratislavaonJune 4. Photo: Sme- V. imek
2
NEWS
June 13 19, 2011
Malinovs lawyer rejects
blood disorder claims
THE DEAN of Comenius
Universitys medical school
wrote ina recent versionof his
expert report that a blood dis-
order had led to the extensive
bleeding suffered by Hedviga
kov, ne Malinov, who
claimed she had beenattacked
in August 2006 for speaking
Hungarian in public in Nitra.
She was later accused of fab-
ricating the attack by the in-
terior minister inRobert Ficos
government.
Malinovs attorney re-
sponded that there is no evid-
ence of any kind that she has a
blood disorder and added that
the deans report is irrelevant
to further investigation into
what happened nearly five
yearsago.
Slovak society has been di-
vided over what happened to
Hedviga Malinov since Au-
gust 25, 2006, thedaywhenshe
reported to police that she had
been attacked. The police say
their investigation into the
case involved over 250 officers
and interviews with 600 per-
sons and led them to the con-
clusion that an attack never
occurred. The police findings
were released at a press con-
ference by former interior
minister Robert Kalik and
former prime minister Fico,
withKalik stating it is bey-
onddoubt that the case didnot
happen. He presented several
pieces of evidence, including
DNA samples, to support his
assertion.
Malinov was then
charged in May 2007 with per-
jury and making false claims
and those charges against her
have been left pending with
the prosecutors office for the
past four years.
Several officials of the cur-
rent ruling coalition have cri-
ticised the conduct of the state
bodies in the past. Rudolf
Chmel, theDeputyPrimeMin-
ister for Human Rights and
National Minorities, formally
apologised to Malinov in
December 2010, with his
statement saying that
Malinovs right to due pro-
cess had been breached by
politicians premature inter-
vention into the investigation
and that her human dignity
hadbeenharmed.
The fact that we let her
literally be tortured for over
four years is a big exclamation
mark particularly visible on
Human Rights Day and there-
fore Id like to apologise to
Hedviga Malinov-kov for
these grave injuries, Chmel
wrote in a statement issued
last December 10 on Interna-
tional HumanRights Day.
Dean's report states blood
disorder causedbleeding
Slovak media reported on
May 11 that the General
Prosecutors Office had previ-
ously received an expert opin-
ion prepared by Peter Laba,
the dean of the Faculty of
Medicine of Comenius Uni-
versity, which had been sub-
mitted in 2009 but the
prosecutors office returned
the report, requesting clarific-
ations.
Laba maintains, as he had
stated in his 2009 opinion,
that Malinov was not at-
tacked. In the most recent re-
port from May 2011 he argued
that her extensive bleeding
from bruises and a lip lacera-
tionwere causedby poor blood
coagulation, the Sme daily
wrote.
Malinovs attorney, Ro-
man Kvasnica, stated that she
hadnoblooddisorder.
She had her blood tested
and the result is that she has
no problems with blood
coagulation, Kvasnica told
TheSlovakSpectator.
Kvasnica said he does not
believe Labas report can be
used for criminal prosecution,
saying that one of his objec-
tions is that the dean, a sur-
geon by profession, gave an
expert opinion on topics of
neurosurgery, pharmacology,
psychiatry and psychology.
Kvasnica also told The Slovak
Spectator that Laba had dis-
qualified himself as an inde-
pendent expert by supporting
President Ivan Gaparovi in
his past election campaign as
well as by making statements
to the media about Malinovs
health even though he was
boundtosilence.
Kvasnica added that the
report had beensignedonly by
Laba even though it was the
Faculty of Medicine which
was asked to give an expert
opinionandthereport should
have been done by experts as-
signed by the rector, and this
didnot happen.
The2009report
Laba refused to comment
further to the media but did
tell Sme, after submitting the
latest version of his report,
that he regretted having given
mediastatementsonthecase.
It was a rough error and I
will never ever do it again, he
said, as quotedbySme.
His medical report sub-
mitted in September 2009 was
expected to end the police in-
vestigationand assist the pub-
lic prosecutor in making a fi-
nal decision about whether to
continue prosecution against
Malinov for false statements
or to end the case. The report
received extensive criticism
andintheendtheprosecutors
office returned it to the dean
for further clarification.
The prosecutors office had
originally requested the Fac-
ulty of Medicine of Comenius
University to answer 11 ques-
tions, among them what her
real injuries were after the al-
leged attack. The September
2009 report tended to support
the polices version of events,
stating that Malinov most
likely bit her own lower lip. It
was signed by Laba and in-
cluded the names of another
12 experts associated with the
faculty. However, at least
three contributors distanced
themselves from the reports
conclusions.
What was regarded as the
most damaging statement in
the report was attributed to
dental surgeon Peter Stanko, a
vice dean of the Medical Fac-
ulty. According to the report
the wound on her lower lip
was most probably caused by
the biting of the upper teeth
into the lower lip, or by outer
violent pressure of the lower
lip against the lower teeth. In
2009 Stanko told Sme that the
words used by Laba in the re-
port were unfortunate be-
cause Stanko had not ruledout
the possibility that Malinov
had been struck or pushed to
theground.
Malinovsues Kalik
The most recent develop-
ment in the case is that Kvas-
nica announced that he had
filed a lawsuit against former
interior minister Robert
Kalik, who repeated the ac-
cusation of lying against
Malinov inaninterviewpub-
lishedbySmeonMay23.
My tongue is tied, but I
would be so glad to tell the
story finally, Kalik said in
the interview. It can only
happen here in Slovakia that
an unprecedented liar is
turned into almost a human
rights advocate. Sheis apatho-
logical liar. Its unbelievable.
Nothing is in her favour, not a
single[pieceof] proof.
Kvasnica said Malinov is
suing Kalik for making false
statements because Doctor
Kalik keeps returning to his
press conference from 2006
and it has now culminated in
his statement that Hedviga
Malinov is a pathological
liar, Kvasnica told The Slovak
Spectator.
Kalik told The Slovak
Spectator that he accepts the
right of anyone to file a law-
suit, but no lawsuit can
change the truthandthe truth
is what I said; so my opinion
cannot be changed by any
lawsuit.
BYMICHAELA
TERENZANI
Spectator staff
Hedvigakov-Malinov Photo: Sme- Tibor Somogyi
STORM: 9,000
people affected
Continuedfrompg1
Badconstructiondecisions?
MartinKov, the gov-
ernment plenipotentiary for
self-government and integ-
rated river basinmanage-
ment and landscape, criti-
cised what he called poor de-
cisions by municipal author-
ities inundertaking past con-
structionactivities insome of
these villages.
Pla constantly kept nar-
rowing downthe banks [of
the brook] inthe village and
inast the water streamwas
covered and laid ina pipe un-
der the freshly reconstructed
square, Kov said, as quoted
by Sme.
Kov added that the vil-
lages will need to remove or
repair the inappropriate wa-
ter drainage systems, openup
the streams that were covered
withinthe villages, and give
space for overflowing water to
drainaway more freely.
Renovations to the village
square inast were com-
pleted less thana year ago, in
autumn2010. The project cost
830,000 and was mostly
covered by EUfunds. The
mayor of ast, Stanislav
Jablonovsk, denied that the
designof the modified square
was to blame and had con-
tributed to damage inthe
town.
The basinwas calculated
sufficiently, Jablonovsk
told Sme. The project design-
er fromthe water utility who
calculated it said that brooks
like this are usually calculated
only for 100-year
floodwaters.
Jablonovsk added that
experts who visited the vil-
lage after the flood disaster
said that the wave of water in
this case was muchhigher
thanthat level.
Evenif the duct was
three times bigger it wouldnt
have helped, the mayor said.
The water had already spilled
out inthe forest and flewout
of control already from
there.
Damages not yet assessed
As The Slovak Spectator
went to press, the villages
had not yet started to calcu-
late the financial damage
caused by the disaster, but
were waiting for streets,
gardens and homes to dry
out. But Oliver Solga, the
mayor of Pezinok, the dis-
trict town, granted 6,000
to three of the villages inthe
district hit hardest by the
floodwaters Pla, ast and
Doany.
The speaker of the Slov-
ak parliament, Richard
Sulk, offered shelter to
about 30 families in
parliaments recreational
facility inast-
Papiernika, near the
flooded areas. But homeless
residents apparently did not
take advantage of his offer
and the media reported that
most of the families were
staying withrelatives in
other villages or towns.
The villages of Dlh,
Borov, Vituk, Budmerice,
tefanov and Dubov, in
additionto ast, Pla, and
Doany, also lost drinking
water, electricity and gas
supplies. Altogether, about
9,000 residents were
thought to be affected.
Bratislavsk Vodrensk
Spolonos (BVS), the local
water utility, was providing
substitute water supplies
fromtanks. Electricity ser-
vices had beenrestored but
Ivana Zelizkov, the
spokespersonfor SPP, said
that restoring gas might
take several weeks as supply
pipelines needed repair.
Rainy weather contin-
ued across nearly all of Slov-
akia onJune 9 and another
strong stormhit several
areas inBratislava Region,
including the capital city it-
self, inthe early hours.
Firefighters worked in
the citys westerndistricts,
Karlova Ves, Lama and
Dbravka, to help remove
excess rainwater fromthe
streets.
E. coli infection found in Slovakia
TWOweeks after the first re-
ports of enterohaemorrhagic
E. coli (EHEC) infections in
Germany, the first diagnosis
of anE. coli infectionhas
beenreported inSlovakia.
A25-year old manfrom
easternSlovakia was trans-
ported to the Louis Pasteur
University Hospital inKoice
fromPreov Hospital onthe
evening of June 8 ina serious
condition.
The hospital confirmed
that his illness was caused by
E. coli bacteria.
However, according to
IvanSchrter, the head of
the hospitals infectious dis-
ease and travel medicine
clinic, the exact strainof E.
coli bacteria found inthe pa-
tient had not yet beenidenti-
fied, adding for the moment
we cannot fully rule out that
it is the epidemic strainof E.
coli, the SITAnewswire re-
ported. The results of micro-
biological tests were expec-
ted to be available onJune 10.
The patient was dia-
gnosed withhaemolytic-ur-
aemic syndrome, a life-
threatening conditionwhich
candevelop fromanE.coli
infection.
The Sme daily reported
that the results of unofficial
tests made at Preov Hospital
did not detect the EHEC
strainof the bacteria but
only a more commonstrain
of E. coli.
CompiledbySpectator staff
frompress reports
3 June 13 19, 2011
NEWS
Former interior
minister to be
sued over recent
comments
GDP up 3.5 percent y-o-y in Q1
THE SLOVAKeconomic out-
put was 3.5 percent larger in
the first quarter of 2011 com-
pared to the same quarter
last year, according to infla-
tion-adjusted data released
by the Statistics Office,
whichconfirmed its earlier
May 2011 estimates.
Nominal GDP inthe first
three months of 2011 reached
15.83 billionincurrent
prices, 4.5 percent more than
the first quarter of 2010.
Overall growthwas
fuelled mainly by foreign
demand, the SITAnewswire
reported.
Slovakias export of
products and services grew
by 15.8 percent inthe
quarter, whichwas 2.5 per-
centage points less thanin
the first quarter of 2010. Im-
ports grewby 11.3 percent.
Total domestic demand
fell by 0.2 percent year-on-
year, mainly due to a 2.5-per-
cent drop inpublic adminis-
trationconsumptionand a
0.1 percent drop inhouse-
hold consumption.
Fromthe point of view
of the structure [of GDP] it
canbe seenthat the econom-
ic growthof Slovakia contin-
ues to be drivenmainly by
exports, Eduard Hagara, an
INGBank analyst, told SITA
whencommenting onthe
statistics.
Domestic demand is lag-
ging behind other drivers of
economic growthand
Hagara attributed this to the
fall-off ingovernment
spending as well as a slow-
downininvestment growth.
The more significant
growthof investment inthe
previous months probably
reflected some catching-up
of investment for renewal of
technologies, whichhad
beenneglected during the
crisis, rather thananinflow
of newinvestment, Hagara
told SITA.
Volkswagen to build a press shop
THE SLOVAKbranchof Volk-
swagenis finalising prepar-
atory works for construction
of a newpressing shop that
will specialise inthe manu-
facture of car bodies at its
Bratislava automobile pro-
ductioncomplex.
The newinvestment is
valued at 85 millionand
will create around 100 new
job positions, the SITA
newswire reported.
The pressing shop will
allowus to broadenthe
depthof the productionof
vehicles made at our plant,
said Andreas Tostman, the
chairmanof the board of
VolkswagenSlovakia, as
quoted by SITA.
It will help to reduce the
time for circulationof mater-
ials and therefore costs, he
added.
Actual constructionof
the pressing facility is
planned to start inthe
second half of 2011 and it is
expected to start production
inthe third quarter of 2013.
The facility will cover an
area of over 19,000 square
metres.
U.S. Steel Koices revenues grow
REVENUES at one of the driv-
ing forces of the Slovak eco-
nomy, the U.S. Steel Koice
facility, have almost re-
turned to their pre-crisis
level. After recording a
40-percent decline inreven-
ues in2009, to about 1.9 bil-
lion, the company posted a
revenue increase of over 39
percent last year to 2.621
billion.
Operating profit last year
jumped by over 110 million
to reach 133 million, while
taxable profit rose by 82
million to 96 million, the
SITAnewswire reported.
According to the
companys annual financial
statement, the significant
improvement was due to bet-
ter use of capacity as a result
of recovery indemand after
the global financial and eco-
nomic crisis, and was suffi-
cient to balance increased
prices paid by the company
for rawmaterials.
Output increased from3
milliontonnes of pig ironin
2009 to 3.6 milliontonnes
last year and steel produc-
tionjumped from3.5 million
tonnes in2009 to 4.3 million
tonnes in2010.
The company made cap-
ital investments that totalled
105 millionlast year.
U.S. Steel Koice expects
moderate growthindemand
and further improvement of
the economic environment
in2011 but added that this is
still not certain.
The share capital of U.S.
Steel Koice was 839.4 mil-
lionas of December 31, 2010.
The company employed an
average of 11,129 employees
last year, downfrom11,465
in2009.
U.S. Steel Koice focuses
onmanufacturing products
for the automotive, pack-
aging, electrotechnical, con-
sumer and constructionin-
dustries.
The steel mill inKoice
dates back to the 1960s. The
original Vchodoslovensk
eleziarne (VS) became part
of U. S. Steel in2000.
CompiledbySpectator staff
frompress reports
RATING: Risks still exist
Continuedfrompg1
I believe that Slovakia
will prove the baselessness of
these prognoses, Miklo said
in response to the agency
warnings, as quoted by the
SITA newswire. We will do
all we canto meet the planned
deficit of 4.9 percent of GDP. I
believe that ongoing devel-
opments are under control. If
necessary, we will adopt fur-
ther measures.
Following earlier warn-
ings by Standard and Poors
(S&P) last December, both
Fitch and Moodys warned
against a potential overshoot
in the planned fiscal deficits
for both2011 and 2012.
Fitch was the last rating
agency to confirm Slovakias
current rating. On June 6 it
stated Slovakias long-term
foreign and local currency Is-
suer Default Ratings (IDRs)
would remain at A+, with the
outlook also remaining stable,
the SITAnewswire reported.
Slovakias rating contin-
ues to be supported by the
economys track record of
strong growth, low inflation
and a relatively strong bank-
ing sector, SITA quoted
Fitchs Douglas Renwick.
However, with a budget defi-
cit of 7.9 percent in 2010, the
government will need to im-
plement sustained fiscal con-
solidation to prevent down-
ward pressure onthe rating.
Slovakias deficit of 7.9
percent of GDP for 2010 rep-
resented significant slippage
from the original target of 5.5
percent. This reflected a
shortfall in tax revenues, fisc-
al stimulus measures and un-
budgeted expenditures caused
by summer floods and in-
creasing liabilities for state
railway companies and hos-
pitals.
Even though Fitch stated
the centre-right coalition
government is strongly com-
mitted to fiscal consolidation
and expects significant pro-
gress, Fitch expects moderate
slippage in the targets due to
the possibility of weaker-
than-expected growth, im-
plementation risks and fur-
ther problems in some expen-
diutre areas. As a result, Fitch
forecasts a base-case budget
deficit of 5.7 percent of GDP for
2011 and 4.0 percent for 2012.
The Slovak governments
plan for 2011 is 4.9 percent and
3.8 percent for 2012. Miklo
has admitted that meeting
the fiscal targets may not be
simple. Risk areas include
management of hospitals and
revenues from the sale of
emissions allowances that the
budget initially counted on
but that are unlikely to be
fully realised. The minister
assessed the overall develop-
ment of the budget in the first
five months of the year posit-
ively, according to SITA.
Slovak analysts regard the
rating grades as supporting
the ongoing standing of Slov-
akia but share the agencies
concerns.
Affirmation of the cur-
rent rating grades is an im-
portant signal, which sup-
ports the position of Slovakia
as the best-rated sovereign
among the CE4 countries [i.e.
Visegrad Four countries],
Volksbank Slovensko chief
analyst Vladimr Vao told
The Slovak Spectator. One
should not forget that a cru-
cial milestone in achieving
this status was the successful
introduction of the euro in
2009. However, the June 2011
rating reports should be read
in conjunction with the em-
bedded scepticism of the rat-
ing agencies with regards to
ongoing fiscal consolidation.
According to Vao, al-
though rating agencies have
acknowledged the commit-
ment of the current coalition
to fiscal consolidation, they
have raised doubts about the
anticipated strength of
Slovakias economic recovery
this year, the risk of slower
implementation of necessary
reforms and expenditure cuts.
Given the paramount
importance of disciplined and
credible fiscal consolidation
after two years of deficit over-
shoots to the tune of almost 8
percent of GDP, in 2009 and
2010, the message of these rat-
ing reports is a rather bitter
one, said Vao.
According to Vladimr
Zlack, chief economist at
UniCredit Bank Slovakia, the
confirmation of the rating
means that the agencies have
not found any significant
change in the risk that Slov-
akia will be unable to meet its
obligations.
This means that
Slovakias access to foreign
financial markets should not
worsen in the near future,
which is important for the
ability to finance the state
debt under reasonable finan-
cial conditions, Zlack told
The Slovak Spectator. He ad-
ded that the ratings prove
that financial markets and
rating agencies sensibly per-
ceive the potential risks of
failed government fiscal tar-
gets. Fitch lists three sources
of risk: lower than expected
economic growth, imple-
mentation risks of fiscal
measures, and political pres-
sures which may result in
failure to meet fiscal targets,
said Zlack. We also see these
risks and believe that it would
be prudent for the govern-
ment to deal with adoption of
additional measures now, as
later it may be too late.
According to Vao, the
warning signals from the rat-
ing agencies point to the need
for further structural reform
measures, as well as further
fiscal consolidation steps both
on the side of expenditures as
well as tax revenue.
One of the reasons for the
concerns of the rating agen-
cies is the apparently over-op-
timistic reliance of the Slovak
budget plan on the positive
contribution from ongoing
recovery, which is driven and
hence also vulnerable to de-
velopments in the eurozone
Slovakias key export
territory, said Vao.
Vao stated that fiscal
consolidation must be the top
priority of Slovak policy-
makers. Slovakia should not
rest on its laurels when it
comes to its public debt posi-
tion and the need for discip-
lined deficit reduction.
IvanMiklo saidthe deficit targets will be met. Photo: TASR
Heavy fines for illegal construction
IT WILL no longer be wise for developers
and investors to lay the cornerstone of a
building or other structure in Slovakia be-
fore they have obtained a construction
permit. If they embark on construction
without one they will risk hefty fines, in
some cases up to 350,000. The cabinet of
Iveta Radiov on June 8 approved a
minor revision to the Construction Act
that will introduce heavier fines for un-
authorised construction. The heaviest
fines will fall on those building illegally
constructed inprotected areas.
Fines will range from 30 to 170,000
for minor offences, and from 500 to
350,000 for more serious offences, the
SITA newswire reported. Building
projects in Slovakia often start without all
the necessary permits having been ob-
tained, with developers safe in the know-
ledge that they can be obtained retroact-
ively and that no major structure has ever
been torn down due to a failure to con-
formto planning regulations.
Prime Minister Iveta Radiov said
she considers the revisionto the Construc-
tion Act to be an important tool for halting
illegal construction. She noted that the
lawhad last beenchanged in2005.
However it was too general to the
point that illegal construction sites have
been growing in front of our very eyes just
like mushrooms after the rain while the
state has helplessly looked on, Radiov
said, as quoted by SITA.
She added that the proposed change
will more precisely regulate construction
supervision and introduce measures to
halt construction work by installing
mechanisms that apply not only to the
construction company but also to other
people involved inthe building process.
The draft law was submitted by the
Ministry of Transport, Construction and
Regional Development and, providing it
is approved by MPs, will become valid on
November 1. The ministry is meanwhile
working on a completely new construc-
tion law, to replace the existing, 35-year-
old legislation.
The law really comes from 1976,
which means that also mentally and
generationally it has beenovertakenand
has been modified via several revisions,
even revisions of revisions, Transport
Minister Jn Fige said in an earlier inter-
view with The Slovak Spectator. This is
why we are working on a new law, which
will take into account the current situ-
ationinthe 21st century.
According to Fige, the minor revision
now agreed by cabinet will widen the
circle of so-called responsible persons who
are assessed during the whole process of
construction. Fige said that the revision
will be submitted to parliament along
witha revisionto the Penal Code.
According to the Sme daily, the Asso-
ciation of Construction Businesses of
Slovakia has warned that the proposed
fines are too high and that the revision
does not distinguish between a large de-
veloper and an owner of a small house.
The association commented that this
could mean that a large investor as well
as a regular citizen who is just repairing
the roof ona house could bothbe fined up
to 40,000.
ByBeata Balogov
withpress reports
4
BUSINESS / NEWS
June 13 19, 2011
Singapur
IF THERE is a country which
has a long history of wanting
to be like other countries, its
surely Slovakia. So Economy
Minister Juraj Mikovs plan
to turn it into the Singapore of
central Europe is not com-
pletely surprising. Even be-
fore sharing a common state
Slovaks compared themselves
against the Czechs, who, un-
fortunately, tended to be bet-
ter at most things.
There were decades, when
the slogan Soviet Union, our
example was official state
doctrine. Yes, those were the
same decades when emig-
rants risked their lives to get
to Germany, France, or the
US. Commercials for Haribo
gummi bears, Milka chocol-
ate, and Billa supermarkets
on Austrian television prob-
ably did more for the fall of
communism than the yearn-
ing for political rights.
Later came the dreams of
Swiss pensions, the road to
which was to be paved by
copying the Chilean pension
system. And for years, the
political right wanted the
country to become as dynam-
ic and successful as Ireland.
Still, Mikovs idea seems
a little odd. The first associ-
ation most Slovaks have with
Singapore is nothing. And a
second thought doesnt help
mucheither.
Perhaps the former ad-
vertising guru believes that a
touch of the exotic can help
the ratings of his SaS party.
Since polls revealed two
weeks ago that its popularity
is now just above the 5 per-
cent mark required for getting
into parliament, not a day
goes by without party repres-
entatives introducing some
sort of initiative the legalisa-
tion of cannabis for medical
purposes, support for the gay
pride march, savings in par-
liament, youname it.
The other possibility is
that Mikov just doesnt
want to get caught in a trap
of unrealistic expectations.
Everyone can tell that that
Slovakia is no Switzerland.
With Singapore, you can
never be sure.
The nomination shuffle
REGULAR post-election
clean-ups, in which the
nominees of parties that are
consigned to opposition are
themselves shown the door,
have been part of the life
cycle of every change of gov-
ernment inSlovakia.
The scale of the reshuffle
typically reflects the nature
of the political change as
well as the political culture
of Slovak society.
There have always been
highly charged jobs where it
was more difficult to replace
those who had become glued
to their thrones by the rul-
ing power especially if they
had served that power well.
Thus, for some time, ef-
forts to fill certain crucial
state posts can make it look
as though the process is in
fact the core business of
government. Most recently,
Freedom and Solidaritys
(SaS) continued inability to
find an acceptable candidate
for the top post at Slovakias
security vetting agency has
perpetuated this image.
The story of course starts
with the previous govern-
ment, since Frantiek
Blanrik, an alleged former
agent for the communist-era
military intelligence agency,
should have never been ap-
pointed to the National Se-
curity Office (NB) at all. But
once it had inherited him,
SaS, to which the right of
nomination to this key post
belongs, should have moved
much quicker to show
Blanrik the door.
Three failed nomina-
tions, including a judge with
some controversial baggage,
will not engender much pub-
lic trust in the partys ability
to fill crucial posts. For
many it remains a mystery
why SaS has been fishing for
candidates among the judi-
ciary, which current re-
forms aside remains a
rather troubled pond.
A trial-and-error meth-
od might work well in the
field of science where ex-
perimenting is at the heart
of success, but when it
comes to political nomina-
tions for positions such as
head of the countrys vet-
ting authority, the keep
trying until it fits approach
might not only fail to work,
but may eventually do irre-
parable harm to the credib-
ility of the experimenter.
It is not that the Slovak
public is unaccustomed to
seeing people come and go
from public jobs with be-
wildering speed. For ex-
ample, since the Velvet Re-
volution, public broadcaster
Slovak Television has had
more general directors than
the country has had gov-
ernments.
No fewer than five
people occupied the posi-
tion of the Environment
Minister in just the four-
year term of the Robert Fico
government, with the fifth
short-lived minister mak-
ing a joke, which he later
claim the media had mis-
understood, about how he
had obtained the minis-
terial post: he said he had
merely sent ina CV.
The ruling coalition has
been taking pains, even risk-
ing its own demise, to fill the
post of the general prosec-
utor or more precisely, to
prevent Dobroslav Trnka,
who is backed by Ficos Smer
party, from being reinstated
for another seven years in
that powerful chair.
The top post at the
countrys Public Procure-
ment Office also needs
filling. The right to nomin-
ate him or her belongs to
Smer, but Ficos party put
forward Jn Valko, who the
prime minister quite rightly
rejected on the grounds that
under his management,
Slovakias nuclear decom-
missioning company,
JAVYS, had avoided using
public tenders to conduct
procurement processes.
Smer thus wasted its chance
to propose a nominee.
But Smer clearly has a
different interpretation of
the situation.
Fico was quick to say
that Radiov has fooled us
all because she had said
that positions that belong
to the opposition would con-
tinue to belong to it. He
claimed that the ruling co-
alition obviously wanted to
fill the post so that it could
control its ownbusinesses.
Now, if the ruling coali-
tion had rejected a respected
professional, an advocate of
transparent public pro-
curement, then Ficos com-
plaints would have merited
some attention and could
have prompted questions.
Instead, such nomina-
tions threaten to turn into a
theatre of the absurd. This
prompts two questions: Is
the failure of Slovakias
political parties to fill these
jobs down to ineptitude or a
scarcity of good candidates?
Or is it instead the case
that decisions are often
made hastily, and that par-
tisan interests still weigh
more heavily than profes-
sionalism and a clean his-
tory?
5
OPINION/ NEWS
QUOTE OF THE WEEK:
I had to park it there because I was leaving Brussels
and there was no other free place.
Smer MEP Monika Flakov-Beov, after her car was
photographed parked in a disabled parking spot in Brussels.
SLOVAK WORD
OF THE WEEK
EDITORIAL
BYBEATABALOGOV
Spectator staff
BYLUK FILA
Special to the Spectator
June 13 19, 2011
PRIDE: Diplomats react
Continuedfrompg2
Thepolitical aftermath
Political support for the
event was somewhat mixed.
Prior to the parade SaS had
called a press conference in-
viting all its supporters to at-
tend the event.
Im convinced that Slov-
ak citizens who live with each
other as same sex partners
should have equal rights to
everyone else, Mihl, an SaS
member, told the press, as
quoted by the SITAnewswire.
Fot, the only member of
the Slovak parliament who
openly admits that he is gay,
said in an interview he gave
to Sme after the event that
though most of his parlia-
mentary colleagues were
privately positive about his
announcement, many were
reluctant to show public sup-
port for fear of offending large
numbers of their voters. Fot
said that MPs from the Chris-
tian Democratic Movement
(KDH) had taken a very re-
served attitude toward his
announcement, though no
one had openly criticised him.
Homosexual rights activ-
ists welcomed Fots coming
out. According to Schlesinger,
it is good that someone found
enough courage to talk about
his homosexuality in public,
despite the fact that society
remains largely homophobic.
Theopposition
The parade was not
without its detractors. On
June 8, four days after the
event, several public figures
signed and published a letter
meant as a response to an
earlier joint statement by 20
diplomats publicly support-
ing the RainbowPride march.
The signatories argued
that the statement by inter-
national diplomats in support
of the parade was unfortu-
nate and that they regarded it
as interference in Slovakias
internal affairs.
The radical demands of
the organisers of the Rainbow
Pride exceed the legislative
framework in most of your
home countries, the signat-
ories wrote. In Slovakia
these are a subject of political
polemics. Your support for
these demands is surprising
and we do not consider it
opportune.
The letter states that by
supporting the demands
voiced by the Rainbow Pride
organisers the diplomats had
interfered in the internal
political debate in Slovakia
and overstepped their diplo-
matic mission.
Among the signatories
were politician Vladimr
Palko, lawyer Jn
arnogursk and psychiat-
rist Alojz Raks all three of
whom are former KDH MPs
and one-time ministers as
well as writer and former
ambassador to Canada Ant-
on Hykisch, Sme reporter
Eugen Korda, historian Mar-
tin Lacko, pro-life activist
Jana Ray-Tutkov and Civic
Conservative faction MP
Peter Osusk.
The diplomats rejected
the criticism, saying that
support for human rights is
part of their work. In their re-
actions, as reported by the
Pravda daily, they stressed
mainly the universal charac-
ter of humanrights.
The ambassadors of the
Netherlands, Norway and
Denmark issued a joint
statement saying that basic
human rights, including
LGBT rights, do not involve
internal politics but rather
the Universal Declaration of
Human Rights, and that Slov-
akia had signed this.
We hope that our laws
and regulations securing
equality before the law for all
are an inspiration for coun-
tries seeking ways to secure
the same for their citizens,
Pravda quoted from their
statement.
The US Embassy in Bratis-
lava also mentioned the Uni-
versal Declaration of Human
Rights in their reaction and
pointed out that Slovakia and
the US have bothsigned it.
We do not consider tak-
ing a strong stance on hu-
man rights to be involving
ourselves in Slovakias in-
ternal affairs, the US Em-
bassy press attach Chase
Beamer wrote in a letter
provided to The Slovak Spec-
tator. Indeed, we take heart
that your own government
does not take that approach
when addressing human
rights concerns in Belarus
or Syria.
Beamer also noted that
supporting people's right to
assemble and peaceably
march is not an endorsement
of their political platform and
goals, and added that the US
still has work to do in elimin-
ating prejudice but has come
a long way inrecent decades.
ByMichaela Terenzani
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TOM KELLEY - Circulation Manager
Sharing Italian culture
BRUNELLA Borzi is a firm be-
liever that culture is one of
the best tools of diplomacy.
Because Slovaks appreciate
Italian culture, Borzi, the
Italian ambassador to Slov-
akia, is highly motivated to
further broaden Slovaks ex-
perience with the best culture
that her homeland offers.
Since its small start in 2008,
staging a month of various
aspects of Italian culture has
became a tradition in Slovakia
and the increasingly warmer
reception by Slovaks has giv-
en organisers enthusiasm to
offer a bigger and better fest-
ival every year.
We have been strongly
motivated, Borzi told The
Slovak Spectator in an inter-
view about building cultural
bridges, the similarities in the
two countrys cultural prefer-
ences, and what is on the
Italian cultural menu for this
year.
The Slovak Spectator (TSS):
Last year, thanks to the
Italian festival, Slovaks had
a chance to be charmed by
various aspects of Italys de-
signer tradition. What will
come this year?
Brunella Borzi (BB): This
year the Italian festival again
has a particular focus and
meaning: a total of 19 events
will mark the 150th an-
niversary of the unification
of Italy and will range from
painting and music to
theatre, movies, archae-
ology, architecture, and even
puppets, jugglers and ac-
robats.
Ill give some hints: the
western terrace of Bratislava
Castle is now hosting an ex-
hibition of graphic art by
Nicolo DAlessandro while
sketches of scenery and cos-
tumes from Giuseppe Verdis
most famous operas are dis-
played in the lobby of the
Ministry of Culture. For
those who are interested in
history, the Slovak National
Museum will display archae-
ological items from the city
of Aquileia, founded by the
Romans in 181 BC, while the
Primates Palace will host an
exhibition of the natural
beauty of the small town of
Aviano in Umbria, which has
been a twin city of
Bratislavas Vajnory district
for many years, in pictures
and paintings.
The festival will be
wrapped up with a perform-
ance of the Pocket Theatre of
Bergamo on the Main Square,
presenting a new show called
Albatri that will certainly
replicate last years success.
The director and deputy dir-
ector of the Galleria Palatina of
Florence will offer insight into
the art of Paolo Veronese, one
of the greatest painters of the
Italian Renaissance, whose
Portrait of a Man has been
on display in the Mirbach
Palace since mid April.
Last but not least, I would
like to note that our National
Day on June 2 was marked by
a concert by the Italian milit-
ary brass band of Bersaglieri
on Hviezdoslavovo nmestie,
performing together with the
Slovak Armed Forces Band. It
was a moment of intense
emotion, full of significance
about the history of our na-
tional unification, as the
Bersaglieri were those who
opened the breach at Porta Pia
and entered Rome in 1870.
Rome thus became the capital
of Italy. A distinctive trait of
the Bersaglieri, as well as
their feathered hats, is that
they parade and play their
brass instruments at a run in-
stead of marching pace.
TSS: Most often interna-
tional performers come only
to Bratislava. Do Slovaks
outside the capital have a
chance to sample Italian
culture? If so, where?
BB: Indeed, we really wish
to broadenthe circle of friends
of Italian culture by involving
other Slovak towns. I am go-
ing to open an exhibition of
abstract works by painter
Laura Pitscheider in Poprad
on June 12. Also, as part of the
ArtFilmFest in Trenianske
Teplice some of the best-
known movies by director
Mario Monicelli will be shown
and during the Opera Festival
in Zvolen pieces by some of
the greatest Italiancomposers
such as Donizetti, Puccini and
Verdi will be onstage.
In Trnava the photo ex-
hibition of Lucia Gardin,
whose art is focused on por-
traits of celebrities aiming to
bring out the normalcy that
fame usually hides, is now
underway and will last until
the end of August.
TSS: What aspects of Italian
culture do Slovaks find most
appealing?
BB: My experience is that
Slovaks show great interest
and appreciation in the whole
range of Italian culture: opera
and Italian films are probably
the best-received forms. But
there is also much appreci-
ation for architecture as there
are so many sign of Renais-
sance influence inBratislava.
SeeBBpg8
BYBEATABALOGOV
Spectator staff
ItalianAmbassador BrunellaBorzi Photo: JanaLiptkov
Italian-Slovak partnerships mature
ITALY is one of Slovakias most well-es-
tablished economic partners and its busi-
nesses have been significant investors in
various economic sectors here, including
banking and insurance as well as the en-
ergy, machinery and waste management
fields. Over 500 Italian companies are act-
ive across Slovakia, operating in essen-
tially all major market segments and dir-
ectly employing around 30,000 people.
This is a considerable figure if we
consider the size of Slovakia and com-
pare this to the number of enterprises
from abroad, Giorgio Dovigi, the sec-
retary general of the Italian-Slovak
Chamber of Commerce, told The Slovak
Spectator. He specified that these com-
panies are mainly from northern Itali-
an regions, especially Piedmont, Emil-
ia-Romagna, Lombardy, Friuli-Venezia
Giulia, Trentino-Alto Adige and Ven-
eto.
Dovigi said the number of Italian
companies in Slovakia has increased
slightly over the past few years partly
because the economic crisis was an in-
centive for enterprises to globalise
their smaller and medium-sized opera-
tions and some chose Slovakia as an
appropriate location. On the other
hand, Dovigi said some small Italian
companies ended their activities in
Slovakia during the last two years.
In discussing barriers and advant-
ages for Italian investors doing business
in Slovakia, Dovigi stated that Slovakia
has travelled a long way since the 1990s,
but must go evenfurther.
Its success depends, in my opinion,
on three important factors: education,
entrepreneurship, and fighting
corruption, said Dovigi. People inter-
ested in doing business in Slovakia have
to deal witha small market, bureaucracy,
and with ruthless international competi-
tion. Classic Italian small and medium-
sized companies certainly need time to
adapt to these conditions, losing the
swiftness of action which is one of the
features that mostly benefit small and
medium-sized enterprises. On the other
hand, Italian companies still enjoy par-
ticularly advantageous tax rates when
compared to those inItaly.
SeeECONpg8
BYJANALIPTKOV
Spectator staff
6
Italy: General facts
Political system: republic
Capital: Rome
Total area: 301,263 square kilometres
Population: about 60 million
Official language: Italian
Currency: euro
Source: EUwebsite: http://europa.eu
Italian institutions in Slovakia
Embassyof the Republic of Italy
Ambassador: Brunella Borzi Cornacchia
www.ambbratislava.esteri.it
Italian-SlovakChamber of Commerce
President: Ignacio Jaquotot
www.camitslovakia.sk
ItalianCultural Institute
Director: Teresa Triscari
www.iicbratislava.esteri.it/IIC_Bratislava
Associationof ItalianRestaurants inSlovakia
www.airs.sk
Italian-SlovakConsortiumfor the EnergyIndustry
www.cisie.sk
Some companies with Italian
capital in Slovakia
-Centro Servizi Samorin, www.centrumsluzieb.sk
-Eltra Slovakia, www.eltra.sk
-Generali Slovensko, www.generali.sk
-Genertel, www.genertel.sk
-Kosit, www.kosit.sk
-Magneti Marelli Slovakia, www.magnetimarelli.com
-Slovensk Elektrrne, www.seas.sk
-UniCredit Bank Slovakia, www.unicreditbank.sk
-VB, www.vub.sk
A strong trading relationship
ITALYis one of the most important investors inSlovakia.
By the end of 2009 foreigndirect investment fromItaly to
Slovakia had totalled more than1.74 billion, making
Italy the fifthbiggest investor inSlovakia, according to
the National Bank of Slovakia. During 2010 direct
investments fromItaly totalled 14.16 million.
The balance of trade betweenSlovakia and Italy was
positive for Slovakia during the first three months of
2011, according to Statistics Office data. Slovakia
imported goods fromItaly worth414 million,
amounting to 3.2 percent of its total imports. Slovakias
exports to Italy totalled 739 million, accounting for 5.6
percent of Slovakias total exports. The trade balance
was hence almost 325 millioninSlovakias favour.
During the whole of last year, Slovakias imports from
Italy amounted to 1.555 billion(3.2 percent) and exports
totalled 2.715 billion(5.6 percent), leaving the trade
balance 1.160 billioninSlovakias favour.
Italianinvestors inSlovakia are active inenergy
(Slovensk Elektrrne), banking and insurance (VB
Banka, UniCredit Bank Slovakia, Generali Slovensko,
Genertel, and others), as well as waste management and
the machine industry.
Inadditionto these large companies there are a number
of small and medium-sized Italiancompanies (SMEs)
present inSlovakia. Anindustrial park inamorn, near
Bratislava, was established primarily for ItalianSMEs,
initiated by Confindustria Vicenza.
CompiledbySpectator staff
frompress reports
Education,
entrepreneurship, and
fighting corruption can
lead to more success
The Italian
ambassador
offers a preview
of Italian
Cultural June
June 13 19, 2011
FRANCE
Next issue:
BUSINESS FOCUS
ITALY
Italians and Slovaks
swap best practices
Marking modern Italys
150th birthday
Italian caf wins Slovak competition
GREENTREE Caff on
Bratislavas Obchodn Street
wonthe fifthcompetitionto
find the citys best caf. It
represented something of an
achievement as the caf is a
newcomer to the Slovak cap-
ital as well as to the annual
competition. Inthe recent
vote as many as 10,000 re-
spondents evaluated the
quality of coffees served as
well as service, suggesting a
renaissance incaf culture.
Greentree Caff wonwith
2,581 votes, followed by Julius
Meinl inthe Tesco/My Bratis-
lava centre onKamenn
Square (980 votes), and Caf
Le Patio inDlh Diely (576
votes), the Trend weekly re-
ported inmid February.
Greentree Caff belongs
to a network of four eco-cafs
established by Italianbusi-
nessmanVittorio Ventura,
according to the Sme daily.
Ventura, who is fromMilan,
has lived inSlovakia since
2009.
CompiledbySpectator staff
frompress reports
More mowing machines fromPoprad
GLOBAL GardenProducts
(GGP), anItaliancompany
manufacturing mowing ma-
chines inthe northernSlovak
townof Poprad, plans to
double its productioninSlov-
akia withinthe next two
years, the Hospodrske Nov-
iny daily wrote inmid April.
This year we planto
manufacture 700,000 mow-
ing machines and increase
productionto one million
next year, said Elena Storari
fromGGP, as quoted by the
daily. GGP manufactures
mowing machines under the
brand names Stiga, Castel-
garden, Alpina and Mount-
field.
Over the last year the
Poprad-based plant manufac-
tured nearly 500,000 units. Stor-
ari explained that productionin
Poprad will rise due to the trans-
fer of manufacturing fromother
Europeanplants and expected
higher demand fromcustomers.
Apart fromSlovakia, GGP
has two plants inItaly, one in
Swedenand another inChina.
Investments inthe Poprad
plant should be significant as
the money will flowinto new
models and innovations in
the productionprocess.
Italians and Slovaks
swap best practices
MULTINATIONAL companies
have learned that there are
multiple benefits when they
share business models and best
practices between their mem-
ber companies. Subsidiaries of
multinational companies
knowthat being part of a global
business can bring advantages
in terms of knowledge and
know-how. The Slovak Spec-
tator spoke with Michele Bo-
logna, the director of external
relations for Slovensk
Elektrrne (SE), 66-percent
owned by Enel, an Italian en-
ergy provider and the third
largest energy firm in Europe
by market capitalisation; and
to Zuzana ukov, spokes-
person of UniCredit Bank Slov-
akia, a member of UniCredit
Group, an Italian-based leader
in European banking, about
their companies experiences
insharing business models and
best practices.
The Slovak Spectator (TSS):
What business models or
best practices have you
brought to Slovakia from
your parent company?
Michele Bologna (MB):
Currently Enel Group operates
in more than 40 countries
around the globe and I can say
that it is more international
than Italian. For that reason
we naturally incorporate into
our everyday activities the
multicultural dimension be-
cause we use the best experi-
ences fromcolleagues in other
countries within so-called
best-practice sharing, begin-
ning with production meth-
ods, in technologies, and up to
management skills.
We develop this un-
doubtedly great competitive
advantage within the Enel
Group via our International
Mobility Programme within
which we enable talents from
the whole world to work either
inthe headquarters inRome or
inother countries as well.
As a member of the Enel
Group, Slovensk Elektrrne is
part of many important pro-
grammes focused on enhan-
cing effectiveness, continuous
improvement and also corpor-
ate social responsibility. With
regards tothelatter, I canmen-
tion, for example, two projects
which are just culminating a
competition for children from
primary and secondary schools
called Play Energy which de-
velops knowledge about en-
ergy and environmental pro-
tection and our Sport Day
without Barriers that will take
placeinBratislavaonJune22.
Zuzana ukov: The
global network of UniCredit
Group covers approximately
50 markets and is represented
by over 9,600 branches; in
continental Europe UniCredit
Group operates the most ex-
tensive banking network in
22 countries.
Globalisation in doing
business means anincreasing
level of cross-border econom-
ic activities. These days al-
most every company needs to
trade and carry out transac-
tions with others abroad.
Those which are able to adapt
to constant change and are
able to apply global solutions
to local conditions pull away
fromthecompetition.
The strategy of UniCredit
Group is to synchronise busi-
ness models at the supra-na-
tional level. The aim of our
professional engagement is
to understand individuals,
firms and real life situations
as well as the needs of local
communities and to give con-
crete answers and provide
real benefits.
SeeSHAREpg9
BYJANALIPTKOV
Spectator staff
The 'guts' of the Mochovce nuclear power station. Photo: Sme
7
BUSINESS FOCUS
FOCUS shorts
June 13 19, 2011
Marking modern Italys
150th birthday
THE 150th anniversary of
the national unification of
Italy is not only a huge
commemorative event for
this Mediterranean country
but for Slovakia as well.
This is because rather than
enjoying only one festival of
Italian culture this June,
Slovaks can enjoy a second
one as well.
In addition to the tradi-
tional Italian-Slovak Cham-
ber of Commerces Dolce
Vitaj festival, the Italian
Cultural Institute has or-
ganised a festival for 2011
called Italian Cultural June.
Both festivals are bringing
many facets of the broad
Italian culture to Slovaks in
the capital and in many
towns beyond.
The Italian Cultural In-
stitute started its marathon
of events by marking the
150th anniversary in April in
grand style when Italian
President Giorgio Napolitano
unveiled a masterpiece by
one of the greatest painters
of the Italian Renaissance,
Paolo Veronese, at the Bratis-
lava City Gallery. And while
many of the cultural
institutes events are sched-
uled for June, some of the
festivities will continue dur-
ing the following months.
Longtraditionof Italian
cultureinBratislava
When introducing the
programme of activities
making up Italian Cultural
June, Teresa Triscari, the
director of the Italian Cul-
tural Institute, spoke about
the depth of relations
between Italy and Slovakia.
The Italian Cultural In-
stitute in Bratislava is one of
the first cultural institutes
that Italy launched abroad,
said Triscari, adding that it
might even have been the
first one as it was estab-
lished as early as 1922, while
its sister institute in Prague
was established only in 1925
and the Warsaw institute
was not started before 1927.
The Italian Cultural Institute
in Vienna might be launched
even later but there are some
uncertainties about its actual
date of founding.
SeeFESTSpg11
Two festivals of
Italian culture
spread across
Slovakia
BYJANALIPTKOV
Spectator staff
Astage designby LuchinoVisconti for the operaDonCarlo,
exhibitedat the Homage toVerdi. Photo: Courtesyof ICI
hk}ly{pzltlu{
SP90581/1
Its only when something happens
that you realize how good an insurance
company really is.
At Generali Slovensko we dont just pass you along. We are here when
you need us, so your claims can be settled really fast.
www.generali.sk I 0850 111 117
just in case
Q You can easily submit insurance claims by phone or e-mail.
Q Our employees will inform you of steps taken and claim progress by phone, e-mail or SMS.
Q We will process your claims within 5 days from the day you provide all required
documentation.
Q We will gladly answer any questions you may have, and provide consulting related to our
insurance products, current promotions and discounts.
Q We will tell you where to find our commercial representations.
Q All required forms as well as the procedure for submitting claims can
be downloaded from www.generali.sk
BB: Cultural traits
Continuedfrompg6
And of course, gastro-
nomy is also a very import-
ant and appreciated form of
Italian culture here.
TSS: What do Italians usu-
ally know about Slovakia
and its culture and what do
you think they should
know?
BB: I must admit that my
compatriots should learn
much more about Slovak his-
tory and culture. They should
know that the development
of your culture reflects the
country's rich folk tradition,
a feature that is very much
motivated and linked to the
struggle for political
autonomy. So, ultimately,
there are many similarities
between our cultures: both of
them are inspired by a
romanticism whose main
characteristics are the pre-
eminence of patriotic
thought and an attachment
to popular traditions.
TSS: There are already
many cultural links
between Slovakia and Italy
but which areas do you see
as having further poten-
tial?
BB: Given the similarit-
ies, it would be desirable to
deepen our mutual know-
ledge of national literatures.
Italians should be able to
learn more about udovt
tr or the poet [Pavol
Orszgh] Hviezdoslav. Con-
versely, Slovaks should be
given a chance to become
familiar with Italian classic
or contemporary writers.
Translation of literary works
should be encouraged on
both sides as we believe that
knowledge and love for an-
other culture passes through
the reading of its literature.
This is why we recently en-
couraged the publication of
the works of some contem-
porary Italian writers in
Slovakia: for example the last
novel of Claudio Magris was
published with the title Vy
iste pochopte and more re-
cently Marisa Madieri's
Vodovozelen became
available.
Our current ambition is
to have translated for Slovak
readers the History of
Florence by Niccolo Ma-
chiavelli, the founder of
modern political science.
Speaking about translation,
we should keep in mind the
lessons of Saints Cyril and
Methodius, the two Byz-
antine Greek brothers who
deserved the title of Apostles
to the Slavs and who are
now also co-patron saints of
Europe. Their deep respect
for cultural diversity was ex-
pressed by their love for
translation, the best means
for cultural interconnection.
ECON: Large investors' interest revives
Continuedfrompg6
Leavingthecrisis behind
2009 and 2010 were diffi-
cult years for investment in
Slovakia, much like in the rest
of the EU, said Dovigi, adding
that the complex global eco-
nomic situation, weakdomest-
ic demand, the collapse of the
real estatemarket andthecred-
it crunch led some companies
to resize their investments. It
seems that large and medium-
sized Italian investors in Slov-
akia are slowly leaving the
crisis behind while small com-
panies are still suffering from
thecrisis.
Dovigi said these small
companies suffer mostly from
secondary insolvency prob-
lems but added that customers
are choosing their suppliers
more carefully, preferring only
to work with well-established
enterprises, which have better
prospects for surviving the
crisis and can provide long-
termcare and maintenance for
their products.
The SlovakInvestment and
Trade Development Agency
(SARIO) said that it continues
to register interest fromItalian
investors andbusinesses.
Italian investors con-
stantly show either interest in
direct investment in Slovakia
or in development of coopera-
tion and finding business
partners in Slovakia, Richard
Drer, SARIOs spokesperson,
told The Slovak Spectator.
From 2002 to the end of 2010
SARIO helped 20 Italian com-
panies establish themselves in
the Slovak market, involving
investments of 128.1 million
and creation of 2,205 jobs
here.
SARIO has been actively
presenting Slovakia to Italian
business leaders and describ-
ingits positive features.
We closely cooperate with
bodies representing Slovakia
in Italy as well as with the
Italian-Slovak Chamber of
Commerce, said Drer. We
would like to organise a series
of investment seminars this
autumn in cooperation with
the chamber to attract in-
vestors. If an investor decides
to cooperate withus after com-
ing to Slovakia, we can provide
a wide palette of services.
Because the automotive,
clothing and machine indus-
tries are traditionally strong
sectors inthe Italianeconomy,
SARIO believes it is necessary
to focus particularly on com-
panies active in these indus-
tries. This is aided by the fact
that the automotive industry
is also one of the strongest sec-
tors inthe Slovak economy and
that the clothing and machine
industries have a long tradi-
tionhere as well.
But Drer added that
within these sectors we have
to focus especially on attract-
ive production with higher
addedvalue.
SARIO is also keeping its
eyes on small and medium-
sized Italian companies
(SMEs), a significant part of
the Italian economy. Because
these smaller businesses are
the base of many successful
economies, SARIOs goal is to
not only drawSMEs fromItaly
but from other countries as
well.
This is why we are en-
deavouring to draw not only
giants but also SMEs whose
production is often more ex-
acting, requires preciseness
and highly qualified staff,
said Drer. For this reason we
would like to direct our
strategy to this type of com-
pany andnot onlyinItaly.
Goals of thechamber
Our ambition is to make
our chamber an essential ele-
ment for Italian and Slovak
companies in growing busi-
ness in both countries,
Dovigi told The Slovak Spec-
tator, adding that the cham-
ber offers a full range of busi-
ness services, either directly
or in partnership with its
members who are specialists
in their fields. In the last two
years Slovak companies have
sought our help in conducting
business in Italy or with Itali-
ans: we not only helped them
to evaluate customers
solvency but also to under-
stand the mentality and the
subtleties of Italian bureau-
cracy, as well as differences in
legislation.
Italiancooperationinapparel productionis sought. Photo: Sme
8
BUSINESS FOCUS
June 13 19, 2011
hk}ly{pzltlu{
30535
NICCOL BIDDAU
Medi a part ner
PHOTOGRAPHS
OF A CENTURY
OF WORKS
21. JUNE - 10. JULY 2011
DESIGN FACTORY
BRATISLAVA
3.-15. JUNE 2011
KOICE
ROLE: Business welcomes red-tape cure
Continuedfrompg1
Businesses have welcomed the initiative,
suggesting that if the government removes
such barriers then they will take care of the
other challenges, such as creating new jobs.
However, they also warn that corruption, in-
stability in legislation, and lack of transpar-
ency in public procurement also need to be
dealt with.
The trade unions have warned that mak-
ing conditions easier for businesses in Slov-
akia will not solve what they call the funda-
mental problems of the economy: the low li-
quidity of firms and the weak enforceability
of the law.
Among other goals, the government wants
to shorten the time it takes to set up a com-
pany to two or three days, and to reduce the
cost to 1. The objectives of the Singapore
Project will be mid-term goals to be achieved
by the second half of 2013 at the latest and
short-term goals to be met this year, according
to an official release fromthe ministry.
The government claims that the project,
which according to Mikov should turn Slov-
akia into the best business environment in
central Europe, might save businesses a total
of 100 milliona year.
The ministry would also shorten the time
for issuing a self-employment certificate the
so-called ivnos and start using the electron-
ic records of public registers for legal purposes.
Referring to a policy of the previous gov-
ernment, Mikov said, as quoted by the SITA
newswire: The concept of a strong social state
has failed. The priority of the government and
the Economy Ministry under my leadership is
to improve the business environment and be-
come a fully competitive, attractive and full-
value trade partner for investors.
According to the Institute of Economic
Analysis at the Ministry of Economy, the
total administrative burden on businesses in
Slovakia stands at 1.98 billion per year. The
institute has identified 180 duties to submit
information which the state imposes on
businesses and which lead to cumulative
costs to businesses of 1.25 billion annually,
SITAwrote.
Every change that will make the life of
businesses easier and that frees them from
redundant red tape is useful for the economy
and thus I welcome this initiative, the ex-
ecutive director of the Business Alliance of
Slovakia (PAS), Robert Kiina, told The Slov-
ak Spectator.
If the government manages to fulfil half
of the planned measures, that would already
represent visible progress, Kiina said,
adding that since the ministry claimed that
it would discuss their implementation with
other departments, there is a pretty decent
chance that the measures will then be intro-
duced inpractice.
However, one should not forget that along
with bureaucracy, on which the material pre-
pared by the ministry focuses, we also have
other serious barriers such as the low enforce-
ability of the law, corruption, lack of stability
in legislation, lack of transparency in public
procurement and a complicated payroll-tax
system, Kiina said.
Jn Oravec of the Associationof Businesses
of Slovakia pointed out that in various interna-
tional ratings of national business environ-
ments Slovakia is mostly ranked in the thirties
or forties. It has achieved similar rankings in
assessments of quality of life in the UNHuman
Development Index, he added.
If we want to increase our quality of life
and living standards, significant improve-
ment of the business environment is
unavoidable, Oravec told The Slovak Spec-
tator.
Nevertheless, a much larger problem
than removing barriers from setting up a
business or doing it in one day or for 1 is
currently the financial burden that falls on
existing companies, for example in the
form of the payroll-tax burden or fees in
terms of administration, according to
Oravec. He said that the changes to payroll
taxes that are currently being prepared
should ease this burden.
I personally think that in Slovakia the
problem isnt with establishing a firm but
with sustaining it, Viola Kromerov of
Slovensk ivnostensk Zvz (SZ), an asso-
ciation representing self-employed people,
told The Slovak Spectator.
Kromerov said a major problem is what
she called frequent changes to the rules and
a system based on sanctions and the as-
sumption that businesses will not behave
correctly.
Oravec welcomed the new measures as
well, but said their high number makes him
doubt whether they will all be achievable. As
to whether it is enough to remove barriers in
order to improve the business environment,
Kiina has said that focusing on erasing the
barriers should be enough.
If the government creates excellent con-
ditions for business, then businesses will take
care of the rest: reducing unemployment, in-
creasing the living standards of the popula-
tion and the overall growth of the economy,
Kiina said.
Oravec said that on the one hand complete
removal of barriers does not automatically
bring prosperity, but on the other hand eco-
nomic performance cannot be improved
without the removal of such barriers, which
he said have been swallowing cash for non-
productive goals.
To [the goal of] reducing barriers, the gov-
ernment must add more effective services
which it provides to the private sector and
which are paid for by public taxes, [by improv-
ing the] efficiency of the public sector, mainly
the judiciary, educationand healthcare.
The government has the goal to reduce
bureaucracy by 25 percent in three years.
Some observers say they wish the govern-
ment were more ambitious, while others re-
mainsceptical about suchambitious goals.
This goal only copies the EU-wide inten-
tion to reduce bureaucracy and after the ex-
perience with the infamous Lisbon Strategy I
am rather sceptical towards ambitious goals
which the European Commission sets, said
Kiina. Despite this, I think it is not import-
ant whether it is 25 percent or only 20 per-
cent. What is important is that the problem
is finally being addressed.
Quantification of the goals still has to be
clarified, said Oravec. If the government
claims that the administrative burden stands
at 2 billion and it intends to reduce this bur-
den by 100 million annually, then a 25-per-
cent reduction can be achieved only in five
years, which Oravec views as insufficiently
ambitious especially given the fact that oth-
er countries have not slumbered and have
achieved a significant lead over Slovakia.
Kromerov said that SZ would expect
developmental stimuli and said sectors that
are of key significance should be defined.
It is crucial to address the employment
of young people and finally reform their pre-
paration for employment, and we have to
create new jobs, said Kromerov. We are
continualy increasing the retirement age but
no one wants to employ citizens after they
have reached their forties.
CLASSIFIEDS
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9
BUSINESS / FOCUS
SHARE: SE's largest project is Mochovce
Continuedfrompg7
UniCredit Bank Slovakia belongs
amongthe leaders inthe corporate banking
segment in Slovakia. It serves mid-sized as
well as large international companies. We
enjoy the advantage of being part of the
biggest banking group in central and east-
ern Europe. Thanks to this we can imple-
ment the concept of enabling harmonisa-
tion of trade conditions and servicing of
corporate clients. This means that we are
able to serve these clients at the same level
andinthesamewayastheyareaccustomed
in their home countries while having an
excellent knowledgeof thelocal market.
Global Transaction Banking (GTB) is a
model that has the goal of providing clients
of UniCredit Bank Slovakia with bank
transactions and banking products and
services in the same form they know from
othercountrieswhereUniCredit operates.
GTB maintains a deep knowledge of
the needs of individual markets as well as
the needs of international companies and
that enables it to integrate the actual local
offer into the environment of internation-
al platforms. This standardisation of pro-
cesses enables a smooth flow of informa-
tion and knowledge within the group,
placement of global products in regions
and improved communication in the net-
work. Among its basic product pillars are
cash management, ebanking, export fin-
anceandsecuritiesservices.
TSS: Are there any Slovak models, best
practices or other positive experiences
that your parent companyor other affili-
ateshaveadoptedfromyou?
MB: Currently the most significant
field of know-howsharing is in nuclear en-
ergy. The successful operation of nuclear
reactors by Slovensk Elektrrne, continu-
ous improvement in safety, modernisation
projects, cooperation with the Slovak
Academy of Sciences and the Slovak Uni-
versityof Technology, andsoonarethebase
for the creation of Enel Groups Centre of
Excellencefornuclearenergy.
TSS: What are your companys plans for
investment and business development
in Slovakia over the next one or two
years?
MB: The most significant and simul-
taneously the biggest investment project
of SE is the investment of over 2.7 billion
for completionof thethirdandfourthunits
of the nuclear power station in Mochovce.
Last year we also completed a modernisa-
tion programme and increased the power
output of the nuclear power plant in
JaslovskBohunice. Weinvested500mil-
lionfor improvedsafetyandoperatingreli-
ability for the whole power station. This
year we will also complete modernisation
of the facility's warning system, a system
of sirens within a radius of 21 kilometres
aroundthenuclear power station. Byusing
the most modern technology we will build
the biggest independent warning system
inSlovakia.
SE continues making investments in
the reconstruction of the thermal power
stations in Novky and Vojany as well as in
renewableresources. In2009welauncheda
project for co-combustion of biomass for
boilers inVojany. So far, throughour 5-per-
cent useof woodchips, wehavebeenableto
prevent 21,000 tons of CO2 from entering
theenvironment eachyear. Thisisanexcel-
lent result and we have already met targets
that wereestablishedonlyforfutureyears.
We have significant plans for the
thermal powerstationinNovky, wherewe
are analysing the possibility of installing
new boilers for combustion of biomass as
well as municipal waste collected from the
vicinity. Inthis wayour contributiontothe
environment will bedoubled.
We also plan implementation of vari-
ous renewable energy technologies that
will have a positive impact on the environ-
ment, enhancement of the effectiveness of
our hydro-power stations, and construc-
tionof somesmaller hydro-power stations
continuously raising the amount of power
generatedfromrenewableresources.
June 13 19, 2011
PMRadiovandEconomy Minister Mikov jointly presentedthe Singapore concept. Photo: TASR
The princes village
THIS beautiful post-
card dates back to 1912
andispart of anextens-
ive series of works by
photographer Pavol
Soch. The series,
numbering hundreds
of postcards, consists
of numerous photos
from all over Slovakia
and represents an out-
standing documentary
record of the fading
world of 19th-century
Slovakhistory.
The picturesque
village of Prenov lies
inthe tiavnick vrchy
hills, south of the his-
torical town of Bansk
tiavnica. At one time,
many Germans lived
here, and the German
version of the villages
name, Prinzdorf, the
princes settlement,
comes from this peri-
od. At that time
Prenov belonged to
the emperors son who
controlled mining in
theregionfromthevillage.
The well-known priest
Andrej Kme also lived in
Prenov at the beginning of
the 20thcentury. Priestlydu-
ties were just one of Kmes
many pursuits. The
energetic priest stud-
ied geology, miner-
alogy, ethnography,
history and archae-
ology. He also enthu-
siastically researched
the lands around the
village, noting nature
as well as historical
monuments.
During his life,
Kme collected a large
number of archaeolo-
gical findings and
founded the Slovak
Learned Society in
1892, considered the
forerunner of the
Slovak Academy of
Sciences.
Thanks to one of
his most important
discoveries, a well-
preserved ancient
skeleton in Bea, he
was dubbed the Slov-
ak Schliemann after
the well-known Ger-
man archaeologist
Heinrich
Schliemann.
ByBranislavChovan
HISTORY TALKS
WesternSLOVAKIA
Bratislava
l CLASSICAL MUSIC: Dni
starej hudby 2011 / Days of
Early Music The 16th year of
this festival carries the sub-
title Sturm und Drang, loosely
translated Storm and Stress,
and will be opened by Finnish
harpsichord player Aapo
Hkkinen playing J.S. Bach,
Bratislava-born F.P. Rigler,
and new works composed for
the festival by Slovak Anton
Steinecker. Musica Aeterna
will play J.M. Kraus and J.
Haydn; the Czech ensemble
CollegiumMarianumand oth-
erswill alsoperform.
Starts: June 8-18; Mirror
Hall of Primatial Palace,
Dvo-rana Music Hall in
Zochova 1, and the Clarissen
Church. Admission: 8-10.
Tel: 02/ 5443-3888; www.
earlymusic.sk.
Bratislava
l CLASSICAL MUSIC: VIVAldi
verdITALIA The Italian Cul-
tural June festival brings
works by Verdi and Vivaldi
performed by four musical en-
sembles from Bratislava: the
Choir Technik STU, the Cham-
ber section of the Conservat-
ory Choir, the ZOE Christian
Chamber Orchestra and the
Association of Bratislava Sym-
phonists.
Starts: June 18, 19:30; Blu-
mental Church. Admission:
Voluntary. Tel: 0903/837-051;
www.technik.stuba.sk/zbor.
Bratislava
l LIVE MUSIC: Balkan beats:
Malalata Sound System & DJ
Gadjo.cz (Radio 1) &Joe Harper
Malalata plays music in-
spired by Balkan music,
French swing and Caribbean
reggae; Joe Harper is a musical
virtuoso on a unique instru-
ment "drumba".
Starts: June 17, 21:00; KC
Dunaj, Nedbalova 3. Admis-
sion: 3. Tel: 0902/166- 409;
www.kcdunaj.sk.
Bratislava
l EXHIBITION: 20 rokov SCD /
20 Years of SCD The National
Award for Design 2011 com-
bines an exhibition of the
same name, bringing the
creme de la creme of Slovak
design, and an exhibition
presenting 20 years of the
SlovakCentreof Design.
Open: On weekdays 10:00-
18:00, Houseof Art, SNPSquare
until June 19. Admission: free.
Tel: 02/2047-7311; www.sdc.sk.
Bratislava
l EXHIBITION: Kunstunifor-
men by Kassaboys Three
young Koice-based artists, R.
erevka, T. Makara and P.
Vrbe, present a project pro-
posing uniforms for Slovak
artists that would reflect their
activities.
Open: Mon-Fri 15:00-19:00
until June 17; Krokus Gallery, 1
May Square. Admission: free.
Tel: 02/2072-8131, www.
krokusgaleria.sk.
Hol
l MUSIC FESTIVAL: Cibula
Fest 2011 The Czech-Slovak
music festival brings bands
and performers like Miro
majda, echomor, Holki, Pic-
ture of the Day, Hrana, Vclav
Neck and Bacily, Kristna,
Buty, Metropolis, Horke
Sle, andothers.
Starts: June 15-16; Hol
airport. Admission: 5 (one
day) or 10 (both days). More
info: www.cibulafest.sk.
Central SLOVAKIA
BanskBystrica
l OPERA BROADCAST: Tosca
from Valencia The City Hall
will host a live, big-screen
broadcast of the famous story
of singer Tosca and painter
Cavaradossi from the Spanish
city of Valencia, simultan-
eously in 35 European cities.
The performance is a tribute to
volunteeringandvolunteers.
Starts: June 13, 20:00; City
Hall, SNP Square 1. Admission:
free. More info: www.
banskabystrica.sk.
LiptovskMikul
l PHOTO-EXHIBITION: Vlado
Eli - Hviezdy / Stars This
project includes the most re-
cent installation by a re-
nowned Slovak photographer,
Stars, plus the Last Dinner
cycle, and the renewed in-
stallationGrayscale.
Open: Tue-Sun 10:00-17:00
until July 3; House of Photo-
graphy, Tranovskho 3. Ad-
mission: 0.50-1. Tel: 0905/
288-717; www.domfoto.sk.
EasternSLOVAKIA
Koice
l INDIAN FESTIVAL: Gaur-
anga - Festival of ancient India
This festival brings Kirtan
and Bhajan traditional songs
and mantras, Bharata Natyam
classical Indiandance, and In-
dian theatre. Literature, tradi-
tional cuisine and much more
arepromised.
Starts: June 16, 13:00
20:00; Doln brna. Admis-
sion: free. More info:
www.kosican.eu.
VysokTatry
l SEASON OPENING: Open-
ing of the High Tatras sum-
mer season Thefestiveopen-
ingof the2011 summer season
comprises the Tatransk clas-
sic car show, concerts,
demonstrations of folk crafts,
dance music for old and
young, a dance show and
more.
Starts: June 18, 11:00-late;
va-rious sites in Smokovce
and Vysok Tatry. Admis-
sion: free. More info: www.
kamdomesta.sk.
ByZuzana Vilikovsk
EVENTS COUNTRYWIDE
JULIETTE Reith, a painter of Dutch origin who nowlives in Mad-
rid, who evinces globetrotting and multicultural influences,
presents an exhibition simply called Paintings in Bratislavas
K.Gallery, a small gallery at Ventrska 8. Until June 23, her art-
works can be seen on Mondays to Fridays between 13:00 and
18:00; admission is free. For more information, call 02/5443-3927
or visit www.kgallery.sk. Photo: Courtesyof K.Gallery
The Kasrne/Kulturpark cultural centre in Koice presents the
very last event before its planned reconstruction: the Greek
Rootlessroot Company brings Eyes of the Colour of Rain, a
physical theatre performance about the border between exist-
ence andthe void. It plays onJune 16at 19:00; admissionis 3 and
4. For more information, visit www.kulturpark.sk or call
055/6854-299. Photo: Courtesyof Kasrne/Kulturpark
10
CULTURE
I n cooper at i on wi t h t he Sl ovak Hydr omet eor ol ogi cal I ns t i t ut e
Weather updates and forecasts from across Slovakia
can now be found at www.spectator.sk.
A Slovaks name day (meniny) is as important as his or her birthday. It is traditional to present friends or co-workers with a small gift,
such as chocolates or flowers, and to wish them Vetko najlepie k meninm (Happy name day)
N A M E D A Y J U N E 2 0 1 1
Monday
Anton
June 13
Tuesday
Vasil
June 14
Wednesday
Vt
June 15
Thursday
Blanka
Bianka
June 16
Friday
Adolf
June 17
Saturday
Vratislav
June 18
Sunday
Alfrd
June 19
Enjoying historical gardens
INSPIRED by the Open Garden
Squares Weekend organised in
London since 1998, the Na-
tional Trust of Slovakia organ-
ised the third edition of the
Weekend of Historic Parks and
Gardens of Bratislava between
June 3 and 5. The main aim of
the event was to honour the
value that Bratislavas histor-
ical parks and gardens bring to
the city. This years event
again attracted thousands of
Bratislavans, giving them the
opportunity to visit several
gardens and parks that are
usually not opento the public.
Our aimis to raise peoples
awareness about the value of
our open green spaces and to
involve residents of Bratislava
and visitors in the active pro-
tection of the historic envir-
onment of our city, Michaela
Kubkov, director of the Na-
tional Trust of Slovakia, wrote
inthe programme leaflet.
That people were willing to
wait for more than an hour to
enter the former Brunissi
garden on Hlbok Cesta proved
that Bratislavans are inter-
ested and concerned. This villa
garden, resembling a beautiful
Tuscan garden, was created by
Vittorio Brunissi, an artistic
mason of Italian origin, and
was lovingly restored by its
current owners after years of
neglect. It was but one of many
gardens and parks opened to
the public onthis occasion.
Other places that are not
normally open to the public
included the Lippay garden,
the garden within the space of
the Slovak Government Office,
and the courtyard of
Moteick Palace onLaurinsk
street. While the Lippay
garden was one of the most
famous Bratislava gardens
between the 17th and 19th cen-
tury, the latter is a recent
transformation of a concrete
courtyard into a greenoasis.
For the festival, other city
parks and gardens that are
regularly accessible to the
public prepared special inter-
active and creative activities
for families and people of all
generations. The event had an
educational facet as well. Stu-
dents from the Secondary
School of Gardening in Malin-
ovo presented a short history
of each park or garden open
for the event as well as in-
formation about the plants
and flowers that could be
found in each. Did you know,
for example, that horse chest-
nut trees were most com-
monly planted during the
Baroque period?
ByJana Liptkov
June 13 19, 2011
The Brunissi garden onHlbokCesta. Photo: JanaLiptkov
FESTS: Culture
from Italy in 2011
Continuedfrompg7
Unfortunately, the in-
stitute in Bratislava closed
down in 1949 and reopened
only in 1999, after 50 years of
emptiness and silence,
Triscari lamented.
ItalianJuneinSlovakia
Italian Cultural June of-
fers exhibitions, concerts,
film screenings, and theatre
performances and is not
confined only to Bratislava.
On June 12, an exhibition of
works by Laura Pitscheider,
an Italian painter, poet and
journalist, entitled Icons of
Being will open in Poprad
and some of the most well-
known comedies by Italian
director Mario Monicelli will
be screened at the 19th year
of the Artfilm festival in
Trenianske Teplice during
the second half of June. The
institute, in cooperation
with the Museum of Emig-
ration, also has prepared
screenings of films about
Italian emigration to help
satiate lovers of Italian
cinematography.
Those who want to hear
more about the Italian
Renaissance should plan to
attend a lecture by Aless-
andro Cecchi, the director of
the Palatina Gallery in
Florence, and curator Anna
Bisceglia on June 30 when
the exhibition of Paolo
Veroneses Portrait of a Man
closes at the Bratislava City
Gallery. And on July 7, Paolo
Portoghesi, an Italian archi-
tect and representative of
Italian postmodernism, will
speak at a conference about
suspended gardens.
Veronese will be not the
only Italian Renaissance
painter presented in Bratis-
lava: in October the Bratis-
lava City Gallery will display
works by Jacobo Bassano.
The Week of Italian Lan-
guage comes also inOctober,
followed by an additional
celebrationof Italianculture
in November with the Mittel
Cinema Fest.
Multi-tasteDolceVitaj
The fourth year of the
Dolce Vitaj festival will
mark the 150th anniversary
of the unification of Italy as
well and will primarily offer
a composite of the modern
history of the country and
the contemporary culture of
those living on the Apen-
nine Peninsula. Dolce Vitaj
2011 was officially launched
with the opening of the
Piemonte Industria exhibi-
tion in Koice on June 3, fea-
turing 100 years of industri-
al photography.
The exhibit will thenvis-
it Bratislavas Design Fact-
ory during the second half of
June. Its photos document
the important impact of in-
dustrialisation on the life
and thinking of the nation,
states the festivals news re-
lease.
A project called Return
to Contemporary Italy offers
on June 22, again in the
Design Factory, a look
behind the scenes of mod-
ern Italy via cinemato-
graphy, cartoons, design
and advertisement from the
archives of the Micheletti
Foundation. It will be ac-
companied by a lecture by
philosopher Ren Capovin.
The birth of a modern
lifestyle in Slovakia (1918
1949) will be presented
through a photo exhibition
called NewSlovakia that will
open in the Slovak National
Gallery onJune 30.
But after four years in
which the festival presented
the cultures of Italy and
Slovakia individually, its
2011 edition gives space to
projects in which both cul-
tures intersect and interact.
One suchevent is the second
year of the Vno Vitaj wine
festival in Bratislavas old
city, when Slovak bands will
play on June 29 in four selec-
ted restaurants that will of-
fer Italian wines at symbolic
prices.
For the first time in its
history the 2011 festival will
hold an event in the town of
amorn, to the east of Brat-
islava, at an industrial park
that is regarded as a symbol
of industrial cooperation
betweenthe two countries.
The Italian Industry in
Slovakia exhibition [in
amorn] wants to open the
door for visitors into the
world of manufacturing
companies via Italian
products made in Slovakia,
the festivals press release
states. This exhibition will
last from June 22 until July
22.
The Dolce Vitaj Festival
will also play a role in
Slovakias first Day of Sport
without Barriers on June 22,
an event that was estab-
lished by Slovensk
Elektrrne thanks to inspir-
ation from its parent, the
Italian company Enel. An
exhibition of 15 works by the
winners of five competi-
tions among young visual
artists, supported by the
VB Foundation, will also be
open in Koice between
June 23 and August 28.
The aim of the Dolce
Vitaj festival is not only to
become a regular cultural
event in Slovakia and to
bring Italian culture and
lifestyle closer to Slovaks but
also to open dialogue
between the two cultures
and support cooperation in
the mid-term and long-term
view, Roman evec from
the Italian-Slovak Chamber
of Commerce wrote in the
festivals news release.
Websites of the festivals:
www.dolcevitaj.eu
www.iicbratislava.esteri.it
Music: the perfect
vehicle for liberation
MUSIC opens up emotional
pores it is like water, it flows
and stirs the soul. So says Ben-
jamin Zander, conductor and
music director of the Youth
Philharmonic Orchestra at the
New England Conservatory in
Boston. The Slovak Spectator
spoke to Zander before his visit
to Slovakia scheduled for June
19. The star soloist at the con-
cert will be Jonah Park Ells-
worth, 17, the first cellist of the
YouthPhilharmonicOrchestra.
The Slovak Spectator (TSS):
What was the incentive to
cometoSlovakia?
Benjamin Zander (BZ): We
are making a pilgrimage in
honourof the100thanniversary
of the death of Gustav Mahler.
The New England Conservatory
Youth Philharmonic, consist-
ing of 115 passionate and highly
accomplished young musi-
cians, aged 12-18, want to celeb-
rate their devotion to the
greatest symphonist of all time
by visiting many of the places
that were significant to Mahler
his birthplace, theplacewhere
he lived as a child (Jihlava),
Prague, where he worked and
thenVienna, wherehelivedand
died. At the culmination of the
tour we will perform Mahlers
final completed and greatest
symphony, the Ninth, in the
most hallowed concert hall in
theworld: DerMusikverein.
For theseyoungAmericans
it will be alife-changingexper-
ience, because to read about a
composer andto hear andeven
playthemusicisnot enough. It
is only when they see the
places and breathe the air,
meet thepeopleandsavour the
countryside where Mahler
walked and worked does it all
makesense.
TSS: What was the thinkingin
planning the programme to
be performed in Bratislava
since none of Mahler's work
will beincluded?
BZ: Since the connection of
Mahler to Bratislava is tenuous
he did conduct there we de-
cided to perform the music of
Dvok, the areas most beloved
musical son. Dvok wrote his
Ninth Symphony as a message
from the youthful New World.
We will bring it back to its place
of origin and deliver it as a gift,
full of love, youthful exuber-
ance and deep expressionto the
peopleof Bratislava.
The concert will be broad-
cast on Slovak Radio and many
other radio stations and so it
will reach a vast audience of
young people throughout
Europe. Also on the programme
will be Ravels breathtakingly
virtuosic and colourful tone-
poem La Valse, originally
named Vienna, and also
Tchaikovskys elegant Rococo
Variations with our amazing
17-year-oldfirst cellist whowill,
with his extraordinary artistry,
dazzle even the most experi-
encedconcert-goers.
TSS: You also have an extens-
ive speaking career lecturing
to organisations on leader-
ship. How can music com-
plement these other activit-
ies? How can music deliver
messagesof leadership?
BZ: Music opens up emo-
tional pores; it breaks downthe
barriers of convention, fear and
business-as-usual thinking. It
is like water, it flows and stirs
the soul while taking people
whereit wants, gettingpast the
most resistant barriers. It is a
perfect vehicle for liberation,
passionate engagement and
visionary thinking required of
leadersinour time.
The orchestra is also a
much better metaphor for the
kind of leadership that is called
for today inour open, global so-
ciety, where we must work to-
gether to succeed, than the
combative, competitive meta-
phors from sports and war.
SymPhony means the sound-
ingtogether of all thevoices.
Nelson Mandela is an ex-
ample of that kind of leader-
ship. He didnt lead one party
against another; he had no
War Room for his campaign.
He listened for and led all the
voices in the orchestra to cre-
ate a harmonious whole and
the world loves and admires
himfor that.
I had occasion once to ex-
plain the meaning of the word
Sinfonia to President Mandela.
You are the first leader of Sin-
fonia, I said. You lead all the
voices. He gave that big smile
that all of us know so well and
said: I likethat.
TSS: Your bookArt of Possibil-
ity has been translated to 17
languagesandsoldover amil-
lioncopies. Could youtell our
readerssomethingabout it?
BZ: The Art of Possibility is
a book of practices that enable
people to reliably get beyond
restrictive, isolated, rule-
bound competitive thinking,
what we call the Downward
Spiral, into a world of radiat-
ing possibility, where open-
heartedness, creativity, con-
nectiveness, contribution and
shared purpose are the Name
of theGame.
The Youth Philharmonic
Orchestra is an institution that
functions entirely in the world
of possibility. People in the
audience at the concert inBrat-
islava will actually be able to
experience The Art of Possib-
ility by seeing and hearing
theseyoungmusicians.
TSS: You have continually
supported young people in
their artistic careers. How
has working with young
people influenced you and
why do you find it reward-
ing?
BZ: Young people are
open, available and enthusi-
astic. They havent yet fixed
who they are into rigid pat-
terns. They are not jaded, or
tired or cynical. I dont think
you could find one cynical
bone in the entire 115 bodies
of the Youth Philharmonic
Orchestra.
To ask me why I find it re-
warding is like asking a
gardener why he likes flowers,
or a naturalist whyhe likes an-
imals or a painter why he likes
nature. It gives me my life at
every rehearsal. To tour with
this orchestra is like going on
holiday everything one loves
and values most inlife is there
everyhour of theday.
TSS: What are your anticipa-
tions regarding your visit to
Slovakia?
BZ: I dont tend to anticip-
ate things, I stay open to all
experiences thenI cannever
be disappointed. The 15 tours
that I have led with the Youth
Philharmonic Orchestra in
the 38 years I have been their
conductor have been among
the most rewarding experi-
ences of mylonglife.
These young people are so
wonderful, so smart, so
charming and fun that it is
always a joy to be with them.
Moreover they play like an-
gels, so everyone who en-
counters or hears themplay is
immediately totally won over
to music, young people and
life itself. How much better
couldit be?
Also I have never been to
Slovakia, which I know to be
breathtakingly beautiful, so I
am more excited than ever,
andI am72.
BYZUZANAVILIKOVSK
Spectator staff
BenjaminZander Photo: Courtesyof BZ
11 June 13 19, 2011
US conductor
Benjamin Zander
talks about his
lifes work
CULTURE / BUSINESS FOCUS
Treasure hunt
HANUOVCE
nad Topou's
Homeland
Museum or-
ganised an
educational
andentertainingevent onthe
weekend of May 14-15 to cel-
ebrate Slovakias Night of
Museums and Galleries. The
programme included various
attractions for children and
adults connected with hik-
ing, nature, and historical
mysteriesfromthisregion.
The Renaissance-Ba-
roque mansion that houses
themuseumhasaparkwhere
visitors could search for hid-
den treasure that might have
been buried by the knights of
the Order of St John the old-
est chivalric order which is
thoughttohavebeenfounded
in1099inJerusalem.
The programme contin-
ued in the museum and
offered a concert of Baroque
music, presentation of local
folklore costumes and learn-
ing about animals of the re-
gion. As well, a mysterious
Red Lady guided visitors
through the corridors of
Hanuovce Museum during
theevening.
We wanted to present
mysterious places in the vi-
cinity that have a special at-
mosphere such as Oblk hill
in the Slnske Vrchy range,
where treasures connected
withanancient cult of moun-
tain deities were found,
Mria Kotorov, the
museums head, told the
TASR newswire, explaining
that the museum tried to
make local history attractive
for all ages.
TatraNational Park will start monitoringits Eurasianlynx andEurasianwolves. Photo: TASR
Keeping an eye on the wolves
ON THE occa-
sion of the
European
Day of Na-
tional Parks,
Slova- kias
Tatra National Park (TANAP)
and Slovensk Elektrrne (SE)
announced a joint project to
protect the Eurasian lynx and
the Eurasian wolf and pre-
serve biodiversity in the High
Tatras. The migratory pat-
terns of these two rare spe-
cies will be monitored within
the territory of the park
through a system designed to
determine the extent of their
home territories along with
their diurnal and nocturnal
activities. The project also
seeks to measure the size and
reproduction rate of the pop-
ulations of these species in
Slovakia and evaluate any
damage they cause to do-
mestic animals.
The goal of the researchis
to get necessary data about
these species that will con-
tribute to improvement in
their protection and their pre-
servation as wildlife, SEs
spokesperson, Jana Burdov,
told the SITAnewswire.
Another potential project
that may be undertaken by SE
is reconstruction of a small
hydropower station about 200
metres from a mountain
chalet inthe park.
Together with the Slovak
University of Technology in
Bratislava, the Club of Slovak
Hikers (Klub slovenskch tur-
istov, KST) and the owner of
the Chata pri Zelenom plese
chalet, SE has initiated a feas-
ibility study to consider re-
construction of the hydroelec-
tric station.
Currently, a 9-kilowatt
generator is used to power the
chalet but the study aims to
find the best solution to sup-
ply environmentally-friendly
electricity.
Bratislava Castle destroyed
by fire 200 years ago
ABOUT 200
years ago, on
May 28, 1811, a
huge fire raged
through Bratis-
lava Castle,
destroying the main palace,
the adjacent building of the
NewPalace (Theresianum) and
more than 70 nearby houses. It
is thought that the devastat-
ing fire was caused by careless
soldiers in one of the outbuild-
ings. Based on reports in the
Pressburger Zeitung newspa-
per from May 31, 1811, the fire
lasted for three days, killed
nine people and left more than
100 families homeless.
After the fire, no interest
was shown in the ruins and
the owners took from the
castle everything of remain-
ing value. The dilapidated
walls of the castle were sold by
the military administration as
construction material. Two
years before the fire, Napoleon
had visited French soldiers at
the castle but it was kept
secret and only the head of the
castle garrisonknewabout it.
Prince Albert Casimir Au-
gust of Saxony married the
daughter of Maria Theresa of
Austria in1766 and became the
vice-regent of Bratislava, the
TASR newswire wrote. Maria
Theresa had the castle rebuilt
for her daughter, Maria
Cristina, and the prince as
well as building a more com-
fortable palace, called Ther-
esianum. Here, the huge col-
lection of artworks amassed
by Prince Albert was first
launched; today it is housed in
Viennas Albertina.
By the second half of the
18th century the future capital
of Slovakia had reached its so-
cial and economic peak. When
Maria Theresa died in1780, the
new emperor, her son Joseph
II, speedily implemented the
so-called Enlightenment re-
forms after which Bratislava,
then called Pressburg or Poz-
sony, became a poor provin-
cial town to such an extent
that it was exempted from
paying taxes. Prince Albert
and his wife left Bratislava
and a seminary was founded
in the Theresianum, later fol-
lowed by a military garrison.
During reconstruction of
Bratislava Castle in 2009, its
faade regained the original
white colour it had during the
reignof Maria Theresa.
The 200th anniversary of
the fire was commemorated
this May by an exposition
called The Testimony of Time
(Svedectvo asu) assembled
from both the most recent as
well as the older findings and
artefacts from this national
heritage site. The organisers of
the remembrance also simu-
lated a fire in the area of
Podhradie (Under the Castle)
in front of the Archaeology
Museumonikova Street.
Record
cake baked
TRDLOFEST
honours one
of Slovakias
typical ca-
kes, Skalica
trdelnk,
whichwas acknowledged as
the first Slovak geograph-
ical brand by the European
Commission in October
2007. The festival takes
place each year in the
towns Franciscan garden
and this year it was held on
May 14. Since 2005, the fest-
ival has attempted to set a
world record for the longest
version of this cake made of
walnuts, baked on a long
wooden rod (trdlo) over an
open fire. This year the cake
reached 193 centimetres .
Next year, the resid-
ents of Skalica plan an at-
tempt to make a 200-cen-
timetres-long trdelnk and
they will try to have it re-
gistered in the Guinness
Book of Records.
They should know the
answer from the London
headquarters of the Guin-
ness Publishing House by
the beginning of next year.
1
4
3
AROUND SLOVAKIA
compiled by Zuzana Vilikovsk from press reports
12
FEATURE
June 13 19, 2011
BratislavaCastle, after the fire. Photo: Courtesyof SNM
2
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