MOST people in Slovakia want to live in a country in which the state is on the side of decent and diligent people, said President Andrej Kiska in his first New Year’s address, which was welcomed by political analysts who appraised his focus on citizens rather than domestic politics.
THE NEW head of the Slovak Academy of Sciences (SAV) is expected to be Pavol Šajgalík, currently the deputy chair for economy, after being elected by 71 percent of the members of the SAV Congress on January 7.
THE ELECTION of Andrej Kiska as Slovakia’s president has marred plans for creating a softer version of a Putin-type regime, political analyst Grigorij Mesežnikov, president of the Institute for Public Affairs (IVO) think-tank said in an interview with the Sme daily and The Slovak Spectator.
INDEPENDENT MP Miroslav Beblavý filed two criminal complaints against Banská Bystrica Regional Governor Marian Kotleba for allegedly violating the constitution. If proven guilty, he could be punished with a fine and even lose his position.
THE OFFICE of the Special Prosecutor dropped charges against leader of the Sieť party Radoslav Procházka related to alleged tax evasion, the TA3 news channel reported on January 7.
THE HEALTH Ministry made another step towards building a brand new university hospital in Bratislava which would replace the failed Rázsochy project, a state-of-the-art medical facility in Bratislava whose construction began under the communist regime in the 1980s.
INVESTING into research and development has become more tax-advantageous for companies in Slovakia after tax changes adopted by the Robert Fico Government last October became effective as of the beginning of 2015.
THE EUROPEAN Commission (EC) has no objections regarding state investment aid to the chemical company Duslo Šaľa. The Slovak government plans to provide regional investment aid in the form of tax relief worth €58 million to Duslo Šaľa.
TO INCREASE standards of living of retirees with the lowest pensions, the Robert Fico government proposes the introduction of minimum pension. It will be allocated for everyone who has paid old-age pension insurance for at least 30 years and achieved the retirement age.
