Tag: Slovakia

Visiting Brussels to lobby for the election of his city as European Capital of Culture for 2013, Mayor of Marseille and Vice-President of the French senate Jean-Claude Gaudin praised the EU's initiative, which he says has an enormous and long-standing impact on the cities selected.

Slovakia has become the eighth country to ratify the new EU Treaty as deputies approved the text by a margin of 103 votes to five - after settling a dispute over a controversial media bill that had dragged on for months.

Slovakia's parliament is scheduled to vote on the Treaty of Lisbon on Thursday (February 7) after ratification was postponed for the second time last week in the wake of opposition protests over a media bill introduced by the ruling coalition. EurActiv Slovakia reports.

The PES has suspended the membership of the Slovak socialist party (Smer) due to its association with ‘ extreme nationalists’.

Cheap Romanian and Bulgarian labour is no threat to the Slovak labour market, a Slovak think-tank has declared. But the situation could change if all other countries in the region decide to keep their doors closed to Balkan workers.

The relationship between the two countries has suffered a serious blow following aggression by Slovak extremists against Hungarian minorities. The foreign ministers of both countries are now planning a joint response.

SMER leader Robert Fico has brokered a coalition deal with the Slovakian National Party (SNS) and the HZDS of former prime minister Meciar. The new coalition promises a "more social course".

Despite having delivered on growth, modernisation and membership of the EU and NATO, the Slovakian government is expected to lose elections on 17 June. Is being a "Lisbon champion" an electoral liability or is there more to it?

The conflict-ridden Slovak coalition is set to fall after the Christian Democratic Movement announced that it is leaving the government.

Slovakia has become the seventh new EU member state to officially link its currency, the koruna, to the euro. 

The Slovak Constitutional Court is to rule upon whether a referendum is needed, before the Slovak president can give his final approval of the ratification of the EU's Constitutional Treaty.     

The parliaments of Austria and Slovakia overwhelmingly approved the European Constitution on 11 May. Next up is the vote in Germany's Bundestag.

International financial institutions and private investors often give a positive assessment of the future of the Slovak economy. Yet, when it comes to the key Lisbon indicators, the country still often fares worse than most EU countries.

While Slovakia has reiterated its commitment to the coalition forces in Iraq, Hungary has announced a full troop withdrawal by the end of the year.

Slovakia's former nationalist leader Vladimir Meciar was soundly beaten by former ally Ivan Gasparovic in the second round of the country's presidential election.

According to polls, low voter turnout may save the acting Slovak government from defeat in a referendum on early elections on 3 April. In simultaneous presidential elections, former Prime Minister Vladimir Meciar's return is seen as unlikely.

The article looks at the Slovak government's economic policy approach in the light of the recent protests by the country's Roma population against social benefit cuts.

Slovak President Rudolf Schuster has called a referendum on early elections. The referendum will be held on 3 April 2004.

The Slovak Confederation of Trade Unions (KOZ) has collected over 600,000 signatures in a petition calling for a referendum on early general elections.

Slovakia, a paradise for investors, could lead the "old Europe" toward a more free-enterprise, entrepreneurial era.

92.46 percent of the Slovaks voters cast their ballots in favour of EU membership, with only 6.20 percent against. The turnout was 52.1 percent in the two days of voting, only slightly above the 50 percent minimum required for the referendum to be declared valid.

The Czech Senate has adopted legislation that will require a referendum on the country's EU membership, likely to be held in May or June 2003.

The Slovak Prime Minister Mikulas Dzurinda has formed a new coalition government, consisting of the four center-right parties that won a parliamentary majority in the September election.

In view of the country's hopes to join the EU and NATO, the 20-21 September vote in Slovakia is described by many as the most important election so far in its history.