The Slovak Spectator 15_39

On sale now

Vol. 15, No. 39

On sale now

Monday, October 12, 2009 - Sunday, October 18, 2009

‘Not our problem’

NEWS Ireland votes 'yes' Irish voters gave a green light to the EU Lisbon Treaty in a re-run referendum on October 2. Now only Poland and the Czech Republic must ratify it for it to come into force. pg 2

Ruling coalition dismisses complaints by 105 judges

Regional polls near The unofficial campaign has already begun for elections to Slovakia's eight self-governing regions, which will take place in November. pg 3 Which drugs to pay for? The government has announced the latest round of categorisation and more than 5,000 prescription drugs are now covered by insurers. pg 4

OPINION Who is the real enemy? The Slovak National Party alone generates enough dodgy deals to keep all the country's investigative reporters busy. pg 5

BUSINESS FOCUS Airborne goods Slovak airports are seeking to boost the amount of cargo traffic they handle. pg 6 Logistics caution The economic downturn has put a stop to speculative logistics property development. Now projects are mainly being built to order. pg 7

CULTURE Dreaming of Brussels A new exhibition recalls the hopes and illusions surrounding the Czechoslovak success at the '58 Expo in Brussels. pg 15 Prawn alert With Peter Jackson behind it, this film was always likely to feature some fairly odd creatures. Howard Swains reviews 'District 9'. pg 15

BY BEATA BALOGOVÁ Spectator staff

Construction Minister Igor Štefanov holds up a copy of the Sme daily bearing a front-page photograph of himself. The minister Photo: Sme - Peter Žákovič mocked reports that Slovakia would lose out on EU funds, despite an EC decision to the contrary.

EC squelches funds for bulletin-board tender THE CHAIR underneath yet another Slovak National Party (SNS) nominee is wobbling after the European Commission said that it would not reimburse a single euro spent within the controversial bulletin-board tender organised by Slovakia’s Construction Ministry. Minister Igor Štefanov’s rhetoric was still filled with swagger on October 7 when he said that Slovakia will not lose any money over the tender. Prime Minister Robert Fico said that he would request the Supreme Audit Office to again check on the tender and if its audit shows any waste of public funds those responsible for the tender would be held responsible. The controversial tender has already cost the previous SNS-nominated construction minister, Marian Janušek, his post and two official investigations have found that Slovakia’s public procurement

CANADA CAD 1.56 CZECH REP. CZK 25.76 RUSSIA (1000:1) RUB 43.69 GREAT BRITAIN GBP 0.92

HUNGARY JAPAN POLAND USA

HUF 270.20 JPY 130.46 PLN 4.23 USD 1.48

BY BEATA BALOGOVÁ Spectator staff

rules were broken in awarding a €120million contract to a consortium that included Avocat and Zamedia, two firms reported to have close links to Ján Slota, the head of the SNS. Services already provided under the tender involved what the investigations found to be overpriced logos, TV spots, and services. The contract had been awarded after the original tender notice was ad-

Two state-owned and two private health insurers are to merge

Spectator staff SLOVAKIA’S two state health insurers will merge into a stateowned mammoth and two of the present three private health insurers are to fuse into a private giant, cutting the number of health insurers operating on the Slovak market from five to three. The Slovak

cabinet has already given the nod to the merger of Všeobecná Zdravotná Poisťovňa (VšZP) and Spoločná Zdravotná Poisťovňa (SZP), hoping to see the insurers save 9 percent of their operational costs. Though the merger itself has attracted some criticism, it is the state’s plan to inject €65.1 million into VšZP, and thus increase its share capital, that has prompted the opposition’s indignation. Robert Fico’s cabinet approved the move on September 30. Health Minister Richard Raši has argued that the merger is the ideal prescription to cure VšZP’s financial ills by, he said, eliminating the impacts of the

See 105 pg 2

Did family ties help win state grants?

vertised solely on an internal bulletin board at the Construction and Regional Development Ministry in an area not normally accessible to the public. Nicholas Martyn, Audit Director at the Directorate General for Regional Policy of the European Commission confirmed on October 6 that the EC had completed its analysis of the bulletin-board tender and that Brussels would not reimburse Slovakia for any of the funds spent in the subsequently cancelled tender, the TASR newswire reported. Martyn added that the EC appreciates that Slovak authorities have taken a pragmatic approach towards the matter and would not bring a case seeking reimbursement of the spent funds before the European Court of Justice.

WHEN Cesta životom (Path of Life), a nonprofit organisation set up in eastern Slovakia’s Humenné to help recovering drug addicts, won a €35,000 grant from the Labour Ministry earlier this year, the award attracted little attention. Last month, however, it was reported that the non-profit was founded by Jana Vaľová, an MP for the ruling Smer party, and had its headquarters at her home address.

See AUDIT pg 13

See CASH pg 12

And then there were three

BY BEATA BALOGOVÁ SELECT FOREX RATES € benchmark as of October 8

Slovakia must cover €11 million already spent

ONE observer responded to a recent petition signed by 105 Slovak judges – who argue that the judicial authorities are seeking to penalise judges for their opinions – by saying that Slovakia’s judiciary may require a clean-up of Augean proportions. But this is not an opinion shared by Prime Minister Robert Fico and his ruling coalition partner Vladimír Mečiar. They say that the recent turmoil in the judiciary has been triggered by politicians and that if there are really any problems in Slovakia’s courts, the judges should solve them by themselves. Fico added that protracted legal proceedings are the biggest problem in the justice system.

financial crisis and preserving the financing of health care at its current levels. The opposition has warned that boosting the insurer’s share capital will hardly solve its problems, but some observers say the merger itself seems a logical move in times of economic difficulty. VšZP is currently Slovakia’s largest health insurer, with about 2.9 million policyholders out of a total population of around 5.4 million. The main shareholders in SZP are three Slovak government ministries: the Defence Ministry, the Interior Ministry and the Ministry of Transportation. See MERGE pg 4

BY TOM NICHOLSON Special to the Spectator

ADVERTISEMENT

Local representation needed for the international consulting company Main activity of the representation is to consist of intermediation in financial transactions. Good and prolonged relations history with local financial institutions is required (references will be needed). Contacts: [email protected] 11246

2

NEWS

October 12 – 18, 2009

Slovaks welcome Irish ‘yes’

NEWS in short Nižňanský stops TV broadcast THE GENERAL Director of public broadcaster Slovak Television, Štefan Nižňanský, banned the broadcast of an investigative report about a social company in Bardejov which is receiving subsidies from the Labour Ministry, the Sme daily reported. The report depicted an apparently non-functioning company which exists only “officially”. On the morning of October 5 the editor of the investigative news department and STV lawyers had approved the report's broadcast, but that afternoon Nižňanský saw it and banned it from the evening broadcast schedule. He said that the news department had failed to finish the story on time. “Some reporters are processing topics and reports superficially, unprofessionally, at the very last moment and

with a tabloid undertone through which they endanger the broadcast; in many cases, they even damage STV economically,” Sme quoted Nižňanský as saying. The head of the STV Council, Martin Kákoš, said that it was a failure by the head of the editorial department who, according to the broadcaster’s internal rules, is required to make sure reports are ready for review one week before they are due to be broadcast. Sme wrote that the STV Council will now analyse the investigative report. “It’s a typical example of censorship,” Tomáš Galbavý, a member of the parliamentary committee for media from the opposition Slovak Democratic and Christian Union (SDKÚ), told Sme. “The director of STV is a servile flunky.”

Macedonia to get Slovak help to join EU SLOVAKIA is ready to help Macedonia in its efforts to enter the European Union, Foreign Affairs Minister Miroslav Lajčák told Macedonia’s VicePremier for European Affairs, Vasko Naumovski, during his visit to Bratislava on September 5, the TASR newswire reported. “You've got our support and our understanding,” said Lajčák, recalling Slovakia's experience in integration and reform processes that could be helpful for other aspirants as well. Lajčák said Slovakia stands

for the so-called 'open door policy' when it comes to EU and NATO enlargement and appreciates the progress Macedonia has made in this regard. In terms of the visa liberalisation, Macedonia is the best prepared country in the region. “We’re ready to help you on your path to the EU not only with experience but also with development aid, twinning projects, creation of administrative capacities and institutions,” Lajčák assured Naumovski, who expressed his thanks for Slovakia’s approach.

SMK to hold confidence vote on Csáky THE ETHNIC Hungarian SMK party's 's national executive board has voted to grant party chairman Pál Csáky’s wish for a confidence vote in his leadership at a convention later this month in Rimavská Sobota, the TASR newswire reported. The convention is set for October 17 and the SMK is expected to adopt a party programme for the future. “Within its framework, we want to present our three identities: to be citizens of the Slovak Republic, of Hungarian ethnicity, and Europeans,” said Csáky for the TASR. He expects the November 14 elections to regional gov-

ernments in November to be acrimonious given the fact that former SMK chief Béla Bugár has founded a new party, Most-Híd. “We have to bear in mind that we will be vying with a new party for the same voters. That’s why we will go head-tohead in some districts,” he said. The executive board approved the candidacy of 105 members in five of Slovakia’s eight regions, while the party will run MP Ágnes Biró as it candidate for president of the Nitra Selfgoverning Region. This year 167 members quit the party while 234 new members joined.

Prosecutor sentenced for corruption THE SPECIALISED Crime Court has sentenced Michal Valach, a former prosecutor from Lučenec, to 3 years in prison. Valach was found guilty of accepting a bribe of almost €10,000 for postponing the sentence of a man who caused a car accident with fatal consequences, the SITA newswire reported. However, the Sme daily noted that Valach did not actually make any arrangements on behalf of the sentenced man, he only faked doing so. Thus he wasn’t sentenced for bribery but rather for fraud.

It is the first time the Specialised Crime Court has sentenced a prosecutor in a corruption case. Valach was sentenced to three years in prison and must pay a fine of €10,000. He will probably appeal the ruling, Sme reported, and his case will be forwarded to the Supreme Court. Valach’s lawyer also has questioned the legal authority of Slovakia’s new Specialised Crime Court. Compiled by Spectator staff from press reports

Final approval of the Lisbon Treaty now moves to the centre of Europe

BY MICHAELA STANKOVÁ Spectator staff

IRELAND has given a green light to the further process of European integration in the manner envisaged by the Lisbon Treaty, a document which eurooptimists believe will bring a better future to the whole continent and one which euro-pessimists fear as a tool for bringing the EU closer to a single super-state. Slovakia has welcomed the outcome of the Irish vote. “The treaty obviously doesn’t solve all the EU’s problems – especially when it comes to effectiveness in decision-making and in policies or in transparency and democracy – but it’s a small step in the right direction,” Radovan Geist, the editor-in-chief of EurActiv.sk told The Slovak Spectator. “It’s in Slovakia’s interest that the EU is democratic, transparent and effective – and in this sense the result of the Irish poll is positive for us.” The Slovak Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement stating that Slovakia welcomes the positive outcome of the Irish

Irish voters approved the Lisbon Treaty on October 2.

vote since it opens the door for the treaty to be actually brought to life. The ministry also said it believes that ratification of the Lisbon Treaty will be soon finalised in all EU countries. The polling stations attracted 58 percent of Irish voters on October 2, out of whom 67.1 percent voted in favour of the treaty – a result rather different from the vote in June 2008 when Ireland rejected the treaty. The Irish Ambassador to Slovakia, Kathryn Coll, was very pleased by the positive result of the referendum. “Against a uniquely difficult backdrop of a severe economic downturn, this is resounding evidence of the capacity of the Irish people to discern where their best interests lie, now and into the future,” Coll told The Slovak Spectator. “Everyone is happy and

Photo: Reuters

relieved that unstinting effort over many long months by the Irish government, the opposition and civil society ultimately secured this unequivocal yes to the EU and yes to the Lisbon Treaty.” According to Coll, the Irish government believes that the result will give new momentum to the country’s economic recovery and that it should infuse the EU with renewed confidence in its ability to deliver for the citizens of member states. The Irish ‘yes’ has drawn the Lisbon Treaty closer to its complete ratification, but there are two more countries still undecided about its ratification – Poland and the Czech Republic, where President Václav Klaus is known for his negative attitude towards the treaty. “The Czech Constitution gives him the opportunity to

postpone signing the treaty and now that the Czech Constitutional Court has accepted a complaint of a group of senators about the incompatibility of the Lisbon Treaty with the Czech Constitution he also has a political argument to hold his signature at least until the court’s verdict – which can be by the end of this year,” Geist said. Geist expects political pressure on Klaus to increase but he sees several reasons why the president might not bow to it. “First, resistance towards the treaty is currently Klaus’ most important political agenda and thus he politically – and undoubtedly also personally – is happy to remain in the position of the person on whom ‘the fate of European integration’ depends,” Geist said. “But political speculations can also play their role – he might hold the signature until the parliamentary elections in the UK which will probably be won by the Conservatives, who subsequently will fulfil their political promise and organise a referendum in which the British will very likely reject the treaty.” According to Geist, the problem of this scenario, however, is what happens next. “Would the new British government decide to withdraw its signature from the document, even for a high political price or would it be satisfied with only a series of opt-outs or guarantees?” he said.

105: Petitioners are denounced Continued from pg 1

The petition, dubbed the ‘Five Sentences’ after the five appeals it contains, was presented on October 1 by three senior judges – Miroslav Gavalec of the Supreme Court, Katarína Javorčíková of the Bratislava Regional Court and Dušan Čimo of the Trnava Regional Court – who talked openly about “an atmosphere of fear” within the Slovak judiciary. The petition came just a few weeks after 15 judges wrote an open letter in early September to Slovakia’s three highest constitutional officials, as well as to the Justice Minister and Slovakia’s Judicial Council, warning of what they called the abuse of disciplinary proceedings against certain judges who were critical of Supreme Court President Štefan Harabin. Shortly after the publication of the Five Sentences the council of the Košice Regional Court distributed its own stance, dismissing the petition as ‘biased’ and arguing that it fails to list the positive developments within the judiciary. The Sme daily called the Košice document an ‘anti-charter’, referring to a historical parallel with events under communism in 1977, when opponents of the regime signed Charter 77, which called for observance of human rights, only to be denounced by apologists for the regime, who drafted and signed a document called the anti-charter. The Justice Ministry said it would begin a public discussion about the situation in the judiciary, but the Movement for a Democratic Slovakia (HZDS), the party which originally nominated Harabin to the post of justice minister, called the recent developments an attack against the party. Fico said that recent developments within the judiciary were an internal affair of judges that they must work out for themselves. “Fico’s reaction is typical of a government politician who is unwilling to admit

the existence of a problem out of fear that he could subsequently be accused of responsibility for it,” Ivan Kuhn, an analyst with the Conservative Institute of M.R. Štefánik, told The Slovak Spectator. “This is why he has chosen the ‘offence is the best form of defence’ tactic and is blaming the opposition for creating this problem or exaggerating it to boost its popularity.” According to Kuhn, Fico is trying to avoid having to engage personally in the solution of the problem. Representatives of the 105 signatories strongly criticised Prime Minister Fico’s attitude. “The judiciary is a public matter concerning the whole of society and every citizen. It is therefore not only judges who are responsible for the state it is in but representatives of the executive and legislative powers are equally responsible,” Gavalec, Javorčíková and Čimo told the TASR newswire. On October 7, Fico restated that he does not want to drag politics into the judiciary and suggested that protracted legal proceedings are the biggest problem facing the sector. “Let's leave them to sort out their internal problems,” Fico said, as quoted by TASR. “I don't even want to comment on this issue. It's not my problem; it's the problem of the Slovak judiciary as such.” However, Kuhn said he could not see what Fico meant when he suggested that judges should solve the situation on their own. “Since the judiciary does not work on the principle of democracy – for that, a majority of judges would have to elect in a [general] vote the members of the Judicial Council and the members and the chief justice of the Supreme Court respectively [which they do not] – I really do not know what the Prime Minister means when he says that they have to solve the situation by themselves,” Kuhn said.

Kuhn said he believed the judiciary in Slovakia needed to be cleaned like the Augean stables, and that calming tensions would not be enough. HZDS boss Vladimír Mečiar dismissed criticism of Harabin as unfounded. “If I make up a ghost and start fearing it, it is not an issue for the judiciary but for a psychologist,” Mečiar said, as quoted by Sme. The petition came on the heels of the case of Banská Bystrica District Court judge Jana Dubovcová, who recently faced disciplinary proceedings for expressing her personal opinion. Her boss, Ľubomír Bušík, submitted a proposal for Dubovcová to be disciplined after she earlier this year wrote a highly critical commentary for Sme about the condition of the judiciary. Dubovcová also supported the “Red Light for Harabin” campaign organised by the FairPlay Alliance NGO to oppose Harabin’s election, according to Sme. Fico commented that a judge should not be suspended for expressing critical or political opinions, even on a theoretical level. Justice Minister Viera Petríková, a HZDS nominee, approved Bušík’s proposal on September 27, provoking a wave of criticism from nongovernmental organisations, opposition political parties and the media. The next day, Bušík withdrew his request for Dubovcová’s suspension, saying that the matter had already turned into a political fight. Petríková then accepted Bušík’s modified proposal, by which Dubovcová’s judicial status was changed for the second time within a short period. Meanwhile, the council of the Trnava Regional Court has also released a stance suggesting that it does not support the initiative by the signatories of the Five Sentences, the SITA newswire wrote. “The council of Trnava Regional Court does not identify with this form of presentation by a group of judges, as it is an effort to politicise the problems of the judiciary; such a presentation raises doubts among the public about the credibility of the judiciary and endangers the esteem and dignity of judges and the judiciary,” the council wrote.

NEWS / BUSINESS

Regional polls round out a year of elections

October 12 – 18, 2009

Foreign investors say they plan to stay BY MICHAELA STANKOVÁ Spectator staff

gional president receives a majority of the votes cast on November 14, a second round run-off election will be held on November 28 between the top two vote-getters.

Slovakia will elect new regional presidents and deputies in mid-November

Foreigners can vote too

BY MICHAELA STANKOVÁ Spectator staff THE SERIES of elections held in Slovakia in 2009, starting with the presidential election in spring and the European Parliament elections in summer, will come to its end in late autumn with elections in the country’s eight regions. Even though political dogfights have started well before the official election campaigning can begin, political observers don’t expect long queues at the polling stations on election day – quite the contrary. The deadline for registration of candidates for the top elected position (president) of Slovakia’s self-governing regions (VÚCs) as well as for members of the regional parliaments ended on October 5. Local authorities are required to publish complete lists of the candidates for their electoral district by October 30. The official election campaign will

VÚCs can influence the quality of public transport.

start on October 28 and will finish on the morning of November 12, in accordance with the 48-hour moratorium required under the election law. Saturday November 14 is the actual day scheduled for the first round. Voters will choose a certain number of candidates for the regional parliament based

Photo: Sme

on the size of their election district from among the candidates running in their district. They will also vote for one candidate for the president of the self-governing region. A presidential candidate who receives more than 50 percent of the actual votes in the first round wins the election. If no candidate for re-

The law defines a resident of a VÚC as any person with permanent residence in the region – including foreigners with permanent residency in Slovakia. Every citizen older than 18 is eligible to vote in the regional elections as well as to run as a candidate for the regional parliament or for president of the VÚC. Altogether there are 56 candidates vying to become the president of one of the eight regions, with 10 candidates contesting the position in Prešov and Bratislava Regions and only four in Trnava. Among the candidates are current VÚC presidents, members of the national parliament, some members of the European Parliament and citizens who have been active in national politics in the past. There are also some controversial candidates, such as the leader of an extremist movement who is seeking to become the VÚC president in Banská Bystrica. See VÚC pg 13

3

ONLY 1 percent of foreign investors running businesses in Slovakia are considering moving their operations out of the country. That was one of the key findings of a survey of foreign investors in Slovakia conducted earlier this year by the American Chamber of Commerce in Slovakia (AmCham) and presented to high-level business representatives, representatives of ministries, members of the Slovak parliament, ambassadors, representatives of academia, leaders of NGOs and foreign experts who attended the Foreign Investors Summit organised by the chamber on September 28. Slovakia, which earlier in the decade was nicknamed the “Central European Tiger” due to its unprecedented economic growth, has often been recognised as having favourable conditions for doing business. “However, we felt that, as competition continues to intensify for the limited supply of highly-skilled and educated labour, and other issues influence the development of Slovakia’s economic standing, Slovakia’s political and business elites needed to review the main deterrents to economic growth in order to secure healthy conditions for do-

ing business in Slovakia,” Jake Slegers, the Executive Director of AmCham, told The Slovak Spectator when asked about the reasons why the chamber conducted its survey. The intention, Slegers said, was to systematically review current conditions and identify obstacles for foreign investors doing business in Slovakia. “By highlighting positive conditions and identifying barriers, then making appropriate recommendations and participating in effective follow-up, AmCham Slovakia hopes to positively influence Slovakia’s international competitiveness and ensure positive and sustainable development of Slovakia’s economy,” Slegers said. More than 100 companies, representing foreign investors from 22 different countries, responded to the survey, which served as a basis for the Foreign Investors Summit and for AmCham policy recommendations in two of three main areas covered by the survey: a competitive workforce, better regulation, and adapting to change. One of the most intriguing findings of the survey was that, while 99 percent of respondents said their operations had been affected by the economic downturn, only 1 percent were considering moving their operations out of Slovakia. See AMCHAM pg 12

ADVERTISEMENT

Loyal voters will decide BY MICHAELA STANKOVÁ Spectator staff

THE TRADITIONALLY low interest by Slovaks in the country’s regional elections influences the political map of Slovakia - but only at the regional level. Observers expect that no more than one in every five voters will arrive at polling stations on November 14, which could principally help those political parties with the most loyal supporters. “A lower election turnout can help the political parties with a firmer electorate, that is – in this case – the parties that don’t have high support in the popularity polls but which have traditionally disciplined voters,” political analyst Grigorij Mesežnikov of the Institute for Public Affairs told The Slovak Spectator. In effect, he expects the results to favour the centreright political parties rather than the ruling coalition parties, mainly Smer. He said this could mean that party representation in the regional parliaments after these elections might be more balanced than after the 2005 elections. “But because in this election a different election formula [majority instead of proportional] is applied, I won’t make any big conclusions about the power of the political parties; but I believe that a lower turnout can help the

VÚCs are preparing for some Photo: Sme changes.

centre-right parties to catch up on Smer, which they lag behind at the national level,” Mesežnikov said. Political observers are also suggesting that the Slovak National Party (SNS) could see its votes drop in the upcoming elections, primarily because of the recent corruption scandals that have been surrounding the party’s leaders, the ČTK newswire reported. According to Mesežnikov, the regional elections usually strictly follow the overall national division between opposition and coalition parties. “In the regional elections this inclination is natural in regards to the candidates’ values and ideology,” he said, adding that a mature political party

should present itself in the same way at both the regional and national levels. However, in the Nitra Selfgoverning Region, with its large proportion of ethnic Hungarians, there will be an exception to this ‘rule’ for a second time. The current president of the region, Milan Belica, is supported for reelection by Robert Fico’s Smer party, Ján Slota’s SNS party as well as by the two largest opposition parties, the Slovak Democratic and Christian Union (SDKÚ) and the Christian Democratic Movement (KDH). One of his challengers is Ágnes Biró, a national parliamentary deputy from the Hungarian Coalition Party (SMK). This is the second election in Nitra Region where what has been called the ‘big Slovak coalition’ will stand together against the SMK. “In Nitra the conditions are very specific,” Mesežnikov said. “A coalition has been created for a second time based on ethnicity. That is connected with the way the previous SMK deputies were governing the region. It would be much more natural to see cooperation between Slovak and Hungarian centre-right parties, but in Nitra this was made impossible by the past SMK deputies who didn’t behave sensitively in relation to the legitimate requests of the Slovak deputies. The result is that the governing coalition parties are teaming up with the major opposition parties on the ethnic principle.”

www.austria-trend.at

STEP INSIDE: AUSTRIA TREND HOTEL BRATISLAVA opening on 28th of September 2009

sTOTALELEGANTANDDESIGNROOMS sRESTAURANT CAFÏBAR sM£CONFERENCEAREAWITHMODERNMEETINGEVENTROOMS sFREE)NTERNETACCESS7 ,!.INALLROOMS sWELLNESSAREA SAUNAANDFITNESSCENTREWITHCARDIOEQUIPMENT sUNDERGROUNDPARKINGGARAGEWITHPARKINGSPACES

*/'03."5*0/
"/%
#00,*/(

7ZTPL¹

4UBSÁ
.FTUP

#SBUJTMBWB 5FM


 CSBUJTMBWB!BVTUSJBUSFOEBU XXXBVTUSJBUSFOEBUCSB

SP90051/3

4

BUSINESS

October 12 – 18, 2009

BUSINESS in short Ukraine seeks to avoid gas crisis UKRAINE will do everything possible so that Europe receives the natural gas it needs, said acting Ukrainian Foreign Minister Volodymyr Khandogiy after he met with his Slovak counterpart Miroslav Lajčák on October 5. However, he added that not only his country but also the country that is the gas supplier should guarantee gas supplies, as reported by the SITA newswire. Lajčák said that the crisis from early 2009 should not be repeated. According to him, Slovakia doesn’t want to be a judge in any dispute but it wants rules to be observed. “So that we do not pay for the problems of two other

countries,” he said, as quoted by SITA. According to the Economy Ministry, Slovakia does not have to be concerned about a crisis in natural gas supplies like the one at the beginning of this year as the country is now better prepared for a potential stoppage of supplies than it was in January 2009. Diversified contracts on additional supplies of gas between SPP and E.ON Ruhrgas and GDF Suez should help Slovakia survive a gas crisis, the minister said. These contracts would ensure additional supply of up to 850 million cubic metres annually for the Slovak market, SITA reported.

Scanner to have international check SLOVAK and Ukrainian foreign affairs ministers have agreed on joint radiation measurements to be made on the contentious x-ray scanner that checks for contraband goods on freight trains at the border checkpoint from Ukraine to Slovakia, Slovak Foreign Affairs Minister Miroslav Lajčák said on October 5. “In the week starting October 12 measurements for radiation will be made by the In-

ternational Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA),” he said, as quoted by the TASR newswire. According to Lajčák, the results of the measurements will be binding for both parties. “I expect that after that week of measurements at the border checkpoint, service will resume to the full extent, as was the case prior to August 19,” he said. Ukraine briefly halted shipments citing health concerns for railway workers.

Slovakia and Enel finalise purchase THE ITALIAN energy giant Enel is satisfied with the outcome of talks with the Slovak government on the final price of the 66-percent stake in Slovakia’s dominant electric energy producer, Slovenské Elektrárne (SE), the spokesman of the Italian company confirmed to the SITA newswire on October 5. Based on an agreement on concluding the privatisation of SE submitted by the Economy Ministry for interdepartmental review, the state and SE agreed that the purchase price of over €839 million paid by Enel for the majority stake in the power utility is final.

Slovakia earned an additional €113.8 million from the sale of the 66-percent stake in SE to Enel because SE agreed to waive repayment of the sum provided to the construction company Vodohospodárska Výstavba for the GabčíkovoNagymaros hydropower project on the river Danube, the Economy Ministry said. “In discussions between the Economy Ministry and Slovenské Elektrárne, the sides agreed to waive the liability, saving a significant financial amount from the state budget,” the ministry told SITA.

EC examines Slovak budget deficit IN VIEW of planned budget deficits of more than 3 percent in 2009 in many EU countries, the European Commission has adopted reports for Slovakia and nine other countries under the corrective arm of the Stability and Growth Pact. The reports examine whether the deficits planned for 2009 are close to the reference value of 3 percent and whether the higher deficits are exceptional and temporary. “We need to continue supporting the economy until the recovery takes hold, in line with the European Economic Recovery Plan,” said Economic and Monetary Affairs Commissioner Joaquín Almunia. “But now is also the moment to design coordinated exit strategies so that, when the moment is right, we can begin to roll back the soaring debt levels.” Earlier this year, the commission had initiated ex-

cessive deficit procedures for nine other EU countries which had gone over the reference value in 2008. Before the crisis hit in the autumn of 2008, only Hungary and the United Kingdom had been subject to the excessive deficit procedure (EDP). In all of the current cases the European Commission concluded that although the deficit levels are exceptional in nature, resulting primarily from a severe economic downturn or recession of an unforeseeable scale, they are neither close to the reference value nor temporary. The next step – the recommendations on the deadlines for the correction – will take into account the countries’ figures for October. Compiled by Spectator staff from press reports

Deciding which drugs to pay for - and how much are included on the various categorisation lists based on applications submitted by pharmaceutical producers. The Health Ministry applies a philosophy so that there is at least one drug fully covered by health insurance or with a low patient co-payment for the treatment of each chronic disease, Hlôška said.

Health Ministry commission review results announced BY JANA LIPTÁKOVÁ Spectator staff BEGINNING October 1, more prescription drugs that are fully or partially reimbursed from compulsory health insurance are now available to Slovak patients. This is a result of a regular process called categorisation undertaken every three months by a body of the Health Ministry. Prescription medications now covered number 5,040. “In various categories, 169 new drugs were added to the list,” Adam Hlôška, the director of the department of categorisation, pricing and drug policy at the Health Ministry told The Slovak Spectator. “Of all the drugs on the categorisation list as of October 1, 51 percent are fully covered by the health insurance companies or require a co-payment of €1 or less by patients. This means that every second drug prescribed for patients is free of charge or re-

Price referencing scheme

Insurers in Slovakia now cover 5,040 prescription drugs.

quires a minimal payment.” While prices for over-thecounter medicines, which include medicines to help people stop smoking or lose weight, are entirely market-based, the prices of medicines prescribed by doctors or used in hospitals in Slovakia are subject to government regulation. Every three months the Categorisation Commission, an advisory body of the Health Min-

Photo: TASR

istry, decides which drugs will be fully or partially covered by health insurance and what portion of any cost will be covered by patients. The commission’s members also divide the drugs into categories, limiting which drugs can be prescribed by certain types of doctors. For example, some drugs for treatment of heart diseases can only be prescribed by cardiologists. Drugs

“The Health Ministry has introduced a reference pricing scheme to decrease the price of medicines,” Health Minister Richard Raši told The Slovak Spectator in an earlier interview. “Within this scheme the ministry monitors and compares the prices of medicines from producers [i.e. without value added tax or the margins of distributors and pharmacies] in individual EU member states.” The price of certain drugs in Slovakia is compared with the lowest price of these drugs in six other EU countries. The scheme has been used twice and the current categorisation of drugs reflects the results of the second price referencing. See REF pg 11

MERGE: News scarce on possible layoffs But according to Peter Pažitný of the HPI, these aren’t funds that the insurers need for the merger itself but rather to cover their deficits. Raši’s two immediate predecessors, Rudolf Zajac, who served in the government of Mikuláš Dzurinda, and Ivan Valentovič, who was current Prime Minister Robert Fico’s first health minister, also proposed merging the two state insurers but it was never done.

Continued from pg 1

It currently has about 650,000 policyholders. The state will be the sole shareholder in VšZP after its merger with SZP. The private insurers planning to merge are Dôvera and Apollo, who will then share the market with Union. After 2010 the merged state insurer will have a market share of 67 percent of all policyholders. Along with the €65.1 million hike in its share capital, VšZP will also assume €38 million from the basic capital of SZP, according to the website of the Health Policy Institute (HPI), a health sector watchdog. The Slovak Democratic and Christian Union (SDKÚ), the largest opposition party, said that the fundamental problem with the move is the ineffective management of VšZP, adding that the merger of the stateowned insurers will only camouflage the real problems of the health-care sector. As for the impact that the merger might have on the health insurance market, one should await the related decisions of the Antitrust Office and the health-care oversight authority, the president of the Association of Private Health Insurers, Eduard Kováč, told The Slovak Spectator. Nevertheless, VšZP general director Zuzana Zvolenská is already confident that the merger will bring benefits to both policyholders and health-care providers. She said that a strong state insurer will emerge to serve as a guarantor of stability, the SITA newswire reported. According to Zvolenská, the merger will stabilise the whole system of health insurance. All the savings that the insurers make through reduced operating costs – an estimated 9 percent in 2010, and 14 percent in subsequent years – would be channelled back to health care, Minister Raši said. However, the largest state insurer has said very little about eventual layoffs related to the closure of branches.

Private insurers come together

VsŽP director Zuzana Zvolenská

Photo: SITA

Financial injection – thorn in the flesh

Under certain circumstances the move could be defined as unfair state assistance, Kováč told the Slovak Spectator in response to the state’s plans to pour €65.1 million into VšZP. Viliam Novotný of the SDKÚ said that the financial injection was a hot candidate to make it onto the ukradli.sk website, where his party publishes what it considers cases of non-transparent use or waste of public funds. The Finance Ministry, which had originally said that stuffing money into the successor insurer would go against the public sector budgetary rules, no longer regards the financial injection as a waste. “The investment of the state is not lost at all,” Finance Minister Jan Počiatek told the public broadcaster Slovak Radio on October 1. “Quite the contrary: this value will in the future most probably grow.”

Penta financial group, which has a controlling interest in both of the two largest private health insurers operating in Slovakia, Dôvera and Apollo, plans to merge them in order to create an insurer able to compete with the new state-owned health insurer. The new private giant should start its operations in 2010 too. “For us, as the investor in both these insurers, the reason to merge them was the fact that [they] have very similar values and their activities tend to complement each other – so there is no sense in them acting as competitors,” Penta spokesperson Martin Danko told The Slovak Spectator earlier this year. “We are also convinced that an insurer with 1.5 million policyholders will have a great potential to be a real alternative to the state health insurers.” The merger should mean that the insurers will save on operating costs and allow for more effective operations. Private equity group Penta controls 100 percent of Dôvera and 49 percent of Apollo via its Dutch affiliate Hicee, the Trend weekly reported. Earlier in August, the Health Care Supervision Office (ÚDZS) approved the sale of a 51-percent stake in Apollo by the Agel company to a Cyprusbased company, Prefto Holdings Limited, which is reportedly close to Penta. At the beginning of 2009, Dôvera reported about 860,000 policyholders and Apollo had about 500,000 clients.

OPINION QUOTE OF THE WEEK:

“I have returned from Brussels feeling like an absolute winner."

Trojlístok THE FATE of Slovakia’s double cross was in the hands of the shamrock last week. The Irish referendum on the Lisbon Treaty will have an enormous impact on the future of Slovakia. One can hardly think of a better symbol to epitomise the event than the shamrock, or “trojlístok”, literally meaning “three-leaf”. First, there were only three countries holding up adoption of the new EU treaty – Ireland, Poland, and the Czech Republic. The Poles were waiting for the outcome of the Irish referendum and as you are reading this their president is likely to have already signed the treaty document. It is difficult to predict what Czech president Václav Klaus will do, but given the fact both chambers of his parliament have said ‘yes’ to Lisbon and so has the country’s constitutional court in its previous ruling, the country is likely to find a way of pushing the treaty through no matter what Klaus does. Even if not, the 26 other countries which have already signed up are likely to find a way to bring the treaty to life even without the Czechs. Secondly, this is the third important step in Slovakia’s full integration with the West since the country entered the EU in 2004. First there was the entry into Schengen in 2007, which meant the opening-up of the country’s borders and a true freedom of travel. Then came the euro in January of this year. Sharing a currency with strong western European economies meant not only stability in times of economic crisis, but also had deep symbolic meaning. And now there is Lisbon, which for all its flaws has one advantage – it means that Europe will con-

SLOVAK WORD

OF THE WEEK

tinue on the path of ever-closer cooperation and not head towards disintegration. Thirdly, there are three reasons why deepening European integration is important for Slovakia. After US President Obama’s decision to not build a missile defence system in central Europe, there are increasing doubts about America’s future role in the region. Since Russia seems to be back in an imperialistic mood, Slovakia and its neighbours, too experienced to

Irish supporters of Lisbon rejoice.

5

Who is the real enemy?

Construction Minister Igor Štefanov declares victory, despite the EC announcing that it will not pay a single euro for bills paid under the controversial bulletin-board tender contract.

BY LUKÁŠ FILA Special to the Spectator

October 12 – 18, 2009

trust Putin & Company but too weak to protect themselves, need to be part of a strong alliance. A strong EU with an effective decision-making capacity is preferable to a loose association of states struggling to find unanimous consensus on each issue. But Slovakia also needs the oversight of strong EU institutions – it has serious problems dealing with corruption and cronyism at all levels of state and local administration. The more foreigners get involved, the better. If left to itself, the country would quite likely become run by a closed, irreformable clique, a phenomenon which is nicely illustrated by the situation in the judiciary, where outside intervention is difficult. And for Slovakia, a strong EU is not only a matter of geopolitics or sound governance, but also psychology. A developing European identity can give Slovaks a sense that they are not just being dragged by history but that they, too, have a say in global events, a feat otherwise hardly possible for a country of five million. It’s usually four-leaf clovers that bring luck. But this time, a trojlístok will do just fine.

Photo: Reuters

IF THERE was no other political party in Slovakia, the Slovak National Party (SNS) would still have the potential to keep the country’s investigative reporters busy digging through the heap of dubious deals that Ján Slota’s protégés have piled up over the past three years or so. Prime Minister Robert Fico’s junior coalition member will now be forever remembered for mega-scandals such as the sale of the country’s excess emission quotas to the eerily-named garage-firm Interblue Group at a price well below that at which Slovakia’s neighbours had sold theirs. The SNS has also swelled Slovakia’s chronicles of political shadiness with grand entries such as the ‘fly ash tender’, a fishy contract with the Esco company for the removal and disposal of fly ash from state-run heating plants in Martin, Zvolen and Žilina. No matter that the contract was signed with the company with the highest bid. The next entry surely should be the contract of a lifetime signed by Xiland company for renting 300 hectares of land along the Danube River in the area of the Gabčíkovo hydropower project for 99 years at €0.016 per square metre per year. Fico has now ended the reigns at the Environment Ministry of the SNS nominees who engineered all these deals. Yet it is only one of the three ministries that Slota got as his dowry when marrying into the ruling coalition. Now Fico’s man, Deputy Prime Minister Dušan Čaplovič, is digging through the dirty heap at the Environment Ministry, checking about 21 public procurement deals from 2009. The Sme daily recently reported that there are some more dubious deals hiding under the rug, specifically referring to an educational project called Envirojar 2009, for which the ministry skipped a regular tender and addressed bidders directly for offers. Missing stamps, non-existent signatures and incomplete documentation are just some of what Čaplovič’s forensic diggers have found.

A distant observer might believe there would be very little fertile soil for cronyism in the hydrometeorology business, but once the SNS is involved then it is not far-fetched at all. Čaplovič recently sacked an SNS nominee from the top post at the Hydrometeorology Institute, Ján Kucharčík. It seems the former military pilot

EDITORIAL

BY BEATA BALOGOVÁ Spectator staff brought along other former soldiers and pilots and installed them in high-level positions despite their professional qualities being questionable from the very beginning, Sme wrote. But none of these peccadilloes comes close to approaching the level of European fame garnered by the SNS’s bulletinboard tender, which sent a lavish €120-million contract to a consortium that included the Avocat and Zamedia firms, both of which are reported to have close links to Slota. But that’s not all: the original tender notice appeared nowhere else but on an internal bulletin board at the SNS-controlled ministry in an area not normally accessible to the public. Though the SNS’ ‘replacement minister’ Igor Štefanov seemed confident that he had a rationalisation to

quench the curiosity of the European Commission about how a tender notice posted solely on a internal bulletin board could be considered publicly accessible, the explanation just didn’t work. Brussels said it would not send a single euro to Slovakia for any of the funds spent in the subsequently cancelled tender. If the Slovak political environment worked in a normal way, Mr. Štefanov would never have got the chance to explain anything in Brussels for a very simple reason: he would never have been appointed at all. But Fico did accept Slota’s replacement nominee after sacking the previous one; despite Štefanov’s close involvement in the flawed tender while serving as a key lieutenant to the former minister. Will Fico sack Štefanov now after all the softening talk about how the tender wasn’t really as flawed as the critics said it was has been debunked? It actually doesn’t matter anymore. Štefanov’s recall could hardly make Fico’s coalition ride with the SNS look nicer or more palatable to anyone who wishes to retain some faith in the belief that politicians are here to work for the benefit of citizens and society. The heart of the SNS beats for whose benefit? It’s not too hard to figure. The SNS has already said that it will not comment on the cleaning process at the Environment Ministry and Slota himself has not really said anything convincing about the bulletinboard tender either. Well, why should he? Besides, he has been busy submitting a proposal to the Prosecutor’s Office seeking to ban the Hungarian Coalition Party (SMK) for what he calls attacks on the sovereignty of Slovakia. It’s interesting how Slota always looks to find an enemy of the nation when his own business comes under the magnifying glass. Perhaps people who feel that the SNS and its leader are an assault on their sense of integrity and faith in public service should turn to the prosecutor as well.

Migration is not a 'problem to be solved' BY JENI KLUGMAN Special to the Spectator IN TODAY’s world of economic recession, lost jobs and ever greater burdens on health care and other public services, migration has become a hotly debated issue in many of the countries to which migrants go. Unfortunately, much of that debate focuses on the apparent burden migrants bring to troubled economies. The minority who have irregular status become the centre of attention. Fear and xenophobia can come to the fore. Lost in this debate are the largely positive outcomes of migration for the majority of people concerned. This need not, and should not, be. I say ‘should not’ because mobility, the ability to seek out

better opportunities elsewhere, is a key element of human freedom. And need not be because migration policies can both meet domestic requirements and concerns and help to enhance mobility’s contribution to human development. Migration is a process to be managed and not a problem to be solved, argues the 2009 Human Development Report – an independent report commissioned by the United Nations Development Programme – which was released on October 5. This groundbreaking study, Overcoming Barriers: Human mobility and development, carefully examines the evidence on migration – both internal and international from the perspective of people: the migrant, their families and the communities from which they came and in which they currently live and work.

It demonstrates the potential gains for all concerned – as well as the dangers and costs that can arise, particularly for the poorest migrants. This includes the benefits for the countries of origin, which can be substantial, but it warns that migration is no substitute for home-grown development. And it shows the barriers that can impede this movement – be it absolute prohibitions, the high cost of the ‘paper walls’ involved in moving between countries or the discrimination and disadvantages many migrants face at their destination. In doing so, it debunks many of the myths that surround debates over migration. Most of the nearly 1 billion people on the move do so within their own countries. Contrary to received wisdom, the share of the world’s population moving across borders has been remarkably stable over the last 25 years or so. What

is true is that more of these migrants are now going from developing to developed countries and that the impacts can vary enormously between one region and another. The report challenges the stereotypes that portray migrants as ‘stealing our jobs’ or ‘scrounging off the taxpayer,’ or their image as ‘victims.’ Migration is rarely an easy process. Conflicts, natural disasters and economic hardship compel many people to move. Some fall into the hands of traffickers, with often terrible consequences. But the evidence, overall, strongly suggests that for the bulk of people migrating the costs, difficulties and stress of moving are more than offset by improved livelihoods; not just in income, but in other areas of well-being such as health, schooling and empowerment. See BENEFITS pg 12

JÁN PALLO - Publisher

EDITORIAL

BEATA BALOGOVÁ - Editor - In - Chief JAMES THOMSON - Assistant Editor DONALD SPATZ - Assistant Editor JANA LIPTÁKOVÁ - Staff Writer MICHAELA STANKOVÁ - Staff Writer DOMINIKA UHRÍKOVÁ - Staff Writer ZUZANA VILIKOVSKÁ - News Researcher

LAYOUT, WEB & IT

TATIANA ·TRAUCHOVÁ - Graphic Designer ROMAN KRÁª - IT TOMÁ· PALLO - Online Publishing

SALES - FINANCES

BEATA FOJTÍKOVÁ - Sales Executive MARTINA ·MATLÁKOVÁ - PR and Marketing Manager MARTA FUKASOVÁ - Advertising Assistant DÁ·A REHÁKOVÁ - Circulation Manager The Slovak Spectator is an independent newspaper published every Monday by The Rock, s.r.o. Subscriptions: Inquiries should be made to The Slovak Spectator’s business office at (+421-2) 59 233 300. Printing: Petit Press a.s. Distribution: Interpress Slovakia s.r.o., Mediaprint-kapa s.r.o., Slovenská po‰ta a.s. Mail Distribution: ABOPRESS. Reg. No.: 1200/95. © 2008 The Rock, s.r.o. All rights reserved. Any reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited by law. The authors of articles published in this issue, represented by the publisher, reserve the right to give their approval for reproducing and public transmission of articles marked ©The Slovak Spectator, as well as for the public circulation of reproductions of these articles, in compliance with the 33rd article and 1st paragraph of the Copyright Law. Media monitoring is provided by Newton, IT, SMA and Slovakia Online with the approval of the publisher. Advertising material contained herein is the responsibility of the advertiser and is not a written or implied sponsorship, endorsement or investigation of such commercial enterprises or ventures by The Slovak Spectator or The Rock s.r.o. ISSN 1335-9843. Address: The Rock, s.r.o., Lazaretská 12, 811 08 Bratislava

6

October 12 – 18, 2009

BUSINESS FOCUS

Speculative logistics projects are now history Final phase of new highway toll system gets under way

TRANSPORT & LOGISTICS

Slovak airports seek to boost goods traffic SkyEurope’s demise had little effect on cargo, says Bratislava Airport BY JANA LIPTÁKOVÁ Spectator staff

AIR TRANSPORT of goods is defined by its high reliability, security and speed. In principle it is used mainly to transport goods with high added value and low weight, and fast moving consumer goods. But it has also found a niche in just-in-time transport and for transportation of new goods to new markets, where it can avoid the necessity to build buffer stores and where turnover of capital is higher. Antonín Kazda, head of the Air Transport Department at the University of Žilina, makes a distinction between air transportation of cargo and freight transport. While cargo transport is effected by the loading of goods into aeroplanes already being flown on scheduled routes by traditional carriers, freight transport involves the use of dedicated planes and routes. “The number of regular lines being flown by traditional carriers with aeroplanes with the necessary capacity from Bratislava and Košice is negligible,” said Kazda. “From this point of view the transportation capacity offered by both of Slovakia’s biggest airports is negligible.”

Bratislava Airport wants to atrract more freight traffic.

Cargo transport, according to Kazda, is concentrated in the biggest hubs in Europe, which are able to offer planes and routes with sufficient capacity. Afterwards, goods are further distributed from these hubs. The nearest such centre, but not the most important, is in Vienna. Regarding air transport of the freight type, this is not interesting within Europe, because specialised companies are able to transport any goods by truck within 24 hours. “This is why the freight type [of air transport] is focused in particular on long-distance inter-continental transport,” said Kazda. “Transporters orient in particular on airports which are able to offer attractive conditions from the viewpoint of total costs, which include landing and handling fees; it is not

Photo: Sme

decisive for them whether they land in Amsterdam, Vienna or Frankfurt - trucks will transport goods onwards.” The third interesting area of air transportation of goods is parcel companies, which create their own hubs. The basic condition for creation of such a hub is unrestricted operation during the night and good highway and railway connections. When all these are taken into consideration, Kazda is not very optimistic with regards to air transportation of goods via Slovakia, and the low figures for goods shipped through Bratislava Airport back up his views. Bratislava Airport

During the first seven months of 2009, Bratislava Airport reported a total of 6,227

tonnes of transported goods, of which scheduled carriers accounted for 5,868 tonnes. Nevertheless, Bratislava Airport presents its results as being positive. “In spite of the worldwide drop in the transport of goods, Bratislava Airport managed to maintain and extend the scheduled transport of goods, which rose by 92 percent to 7,292 tonnes in the JanuaryAugust period when compared to the same period of the previous year,” Dana Madunická, the spokesperson for Letisko M.R. Štefánika – Airport Bratislava, told The Slovak Spectator. The increase was mainly due to DHL Express, which launched a regular route to and from Bratislava. “After the arrival of DHL Express in March 2008 the transport of goods at Bratislava Airport resumed,” said Madunická. “In the past it was based in particular on the use of charter planes of the IL-76 type, which are no longer suitable due to their high noise levels.” Compared with 2007, the volume of goods handled at Bratislava Airport reported a 3.5-fold increase in 2008, up from 1,969 tonnes in 2007 to 6,961 tonnes in 2008, Bratislava Airport writes on its website. From a historical point of view only 2003 and 2004 were more successful; these were in fact the most successful years in the modern history of the airport.

TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Institutions and organisations of transport and logistics in Slovakia Ministry of Transport, Posts and Telecommunications www.telecom.gov.sk Minister: Ľubomír Vážny Association of Road Transport Operators of the Slovak Republic (ČESMAD) www.cesmad.sk President: Peter Halabrín - this association represents the interests of its member transport companies vis-a-vis state ministries and central authorities of the state administration as well to other governmental agencies and private organisations and associations to develop an efficient road transportation system. Association of Logistics and Freight Forwarding of the Slovak Republic www.zls.sk President: František Komora -this association clusters companies doing business in logistics and freight forwarding with the goal of supporting, developing and protecting the interests of its members. Slovak Shipping and Ports (SPAP) www.spap.sk Chairman of the Board of Directors: Jozef Blaško - SPAP is a dominant company in the field of water transport, transshipment and warehousing of goods, forwarding services, and and building and repair of transport vessels in Slovakia. Association of Slovak Express Transporters (ASEP) President: Laurenc Svitok Transport Research Institute www.vud.sk - the institute's scientific and research activities cover all aspects of transport in fields such as engineering and technology, economics and legislation, organisational management, ecology, informatics and automation, power systems, infrastructure safety and quality, transportation services and tourism, policy development and transportation certification and testing.

Where to study logistics and freight forwarding in Slovakia University of Žilina, www.uniza.sk Technical University of Košice, www.tuke.sk University of Economics in Bratislava, www.euba.sk A. Dubček University in Trenčín, www.tnuni.sk

See CARGO pg 8

Compiled by Spectator staff

ADVERTISEMENT

Reliable and in time,

straight to your door. You can send your parcels via SLOVAK PARCEL SERVICE, with simple documentation preparation, in a guaranteed delivery time and several possibilities of monitoring them anywhere in Slovakia or in the world.

16 877 • www.sps-sro.sk SP90078/1

BUSINESS FOCUS

October 12 – 18, 2009

Speculative logistics projects are now history Great caution is being used when making investment decisions BY JANA LIPTÁKOVÁ Spectator staff THE SITUATION in the logistics and warehousing market has more or less stabilised in Slovakia, mimicking developments in neighbouring countries, where the business has been operating for longer than in Slovakia. The financial and economic crisis has increased competition, pushing rentals down to record lows. “Lately a relatively large number of projects have been completed whose construction was started before the crisis,” Peter Jánoši, head of the industrial real estate department in Slovakia at global real estate consultancy firm CB Richard Ellis (CBRE), told The Slovak Spectator. “These were often planned exclusively on a speculative basis, meaning that potential tenants were only sought during construction itself or once the project was completed. This means that a relatively large amount of logistics and warehouse capacity has suddenly emerged onto the market, but due to the economic decline interest on the part of end-users has decreased.” Under the influence of the economic downturn developers

Logistics parks flank many of Slovakia's highways.

and operators of logistics and warehouse capacity have started fighting for each potential client and have cut rentals to all-time lows. “Such an atmosphere has rekindled interest among potential tenants and because free capacity is slowly but surely being used up and because no new construction is currently planned, it may be the best time to consider renting such logistics and warehouse facilities,” Jánoši said. Developers and logistics centres operators confirm the slowdown and stagnation. “The market is stagnating and only a few transactions are being made,” Pavel Pelikán, executive director of J&T Real Estate, told The Slovak Spectator. “Industrial production is de-

Photo: SITA

creasing and there is no reason for new large plans. Moreover, Slovakia has experienced a significant drop in production, in particular in the automotive industry.” Many companies are re-assessing their expansion activities or plans to move the existing units. Clients are more cautious and headquarters are determined to cut expenditures and improve the effectiveness and usage of existing production and warehouse capacities. “From all sides it is possible to feel great caution and this dominates also when investment decisions are being made,” Roman Karabelli, spokesperson for developer HB Reavis, told The Slovak Spectator. “There is still great demand from tenants for logistics and warehouse projects

linked to retail, while there is low demand in warehousing linked to production.” Impacts from the economic crisis have also forced developers and operators of logistics and warehouse premises to respond and adjust their plans. HB Reavis said it has undertaken some internal rationalisation following the economic crisis. Meanwhile, Pelikán of J&T Real Estate said he believes that during the crisis period those who are prepared can benefit from it. Because sites being offered by his firm are ready for development, Pelikán believes that they can be very quick in carrying out projects for clients. “In the market segment for industrial and logistics property we remain active, but we do not intend to enter any speculative projects,” said Pelikán. “We will focus on completing the industrial park in Devínska Nová Ves and will respond in particular to [demand for] tailor-made solutions for specific clients.” On the other hand, the crisis has made clients more demanding and they often realise their more advantageous position when negotiating terms. Jánoši believes that because of the dominance of the automotive industry in Slovakia, and given the connection of logistics to this segment, its future revitalisation could bring about positive development in logistics and warehousing more widely in Slovakia. See PARKS pg 9

7

FOCUS short Electronic toll system starts final phase THE NEW system for electronic collection of tolls for use of highways and first class roads across Slovakia will start on January 1, 2010. Trucks and buses and other vehicles over 3.5 tonnes will pay the toll based on the number of kilometres driven. The satellite-based toll collection system will cover more than 2,000 kilometres of roads with six highway gates and 40 control gates on parallel first class roads. The new system will replace the current system of highway stickers. The government hopes that it will bring more money into state coffers which can be invested back into the roadway infrastructure. The construction of facilities required for the new system is in the final phase. ČESMAD, the association of transport companies, signed an agreement about operation of contact and border distribution centres with SkyToll, the administrator of the new toll system. The agreement seeks to secure a trouble-free transfer from the highway sticker system to electronic toll collection. ČESMAD will operate 21 of 90 distribution locations where carriers can acquire the required on-board units (OBUs). The electronic system, via satellite monitoring of the OBUs, will know the locations of vehicles and automatically calculate the number of kilometres driven on toll roads. The users will pay for the

kilometres driven on the basis of either a pre-paid or postpaid scheme. It is estimated that about 90,000 vehicles will be subject to the new system in Slovakia, public broadcaster Slovak Radio reported. The Transport Ministry expects the new system to increase annual revenues from fees paid for use of highways and first class roads to €183 million – but this estimate does not reflect any potential drop in road transport caused by the economic crisis. ČESMAD expects that carriers will encounter increased costs and that these may be reflected in higher prices for customers. Most hauliers consider the electronic collection system to be fairer than stickers since they will only pay for kilometres driven based on the category of the vehicle, its emission class and the number of axles. The final toll for a vehicle will depend on its weight, the number of axles and the type of engine, allowing more environmentally friendly vehicles to pay lower tolls. The toll will be between €0.06 and €0.21 per kilometre, according to the NDS website. Tolls on first class roads will be lower than on highways and dual carriageways. Slovakia has decided to include first class road in the toll system to prevent a situation in which heavy vehicles bypass tolled highways by using these roads. Compiled by Spectator staff

Despite current caution logistics developers see a bright future Now is a good time for users to look at high-quality locations BY JANA LIPTÁKOVÁ Spectator staff THE CURRENT financial and economic crisis has halted several speculative logistics and warehouse projects which developers had begun without any preleasing or other firm commitments from tenants. Developers of logistics centres have become more prudent and now are focusing on build-to-suit projects. They recommend that companies have a look at currently available facilities, noting that it is now the customer who can dictate conditions. But they also say that because of the current lull in construction of new capacity, the market situation will change in the coming years. The Slovak Spectator spoke with Martin Polák, leasing manager of ProLogis in Slovakia, Peter Bečár, marketing director of PointPark Properties for Slovakia and Martin Fodor, project manager of CTP Invest SK about the current business situation in the logistics parks segment, its prospects in the future and the specific plans of their companies in Slovakia.

The Slovak Spectator (TSS): How would you assess the current situation in the construction and leasing of logistics and warehouse capacities in Slovakia? Is Slovakia similar to the neighbouring countries? Martin Polák (MP): The situation of logistics and warehouse capacities in the Slovak market is comparable to most others in the central and eastern European (CEE) region. We have seen a halt in speculative development across the region, which is a prudent move in the current economic climate, and it results in a lower availability of warehouse space. This is important for a couple of reasons. Primarily it means that there will be no new developments coming on line through 2009 and potentially into 2010. When the economic situation in the region improves, this could result in less available space and fewer completed projects to choose from. I would advise companies looking to locate in quality logistics centres in ideal roadside locations to have a serious look at this situation because making a strategic decision now could result in significant savings down the line. Peter Bečár (PB): The market has slowed down significantly this year and this is common for all CEE countries. Construction of new logistics capacities is very low. Two projects with a total capacity of 62,200 square metres have been completed so far this year. Of them one was built as a speculative project

but its construction had started already last year. The second one is our project of a tailor-made hall for Mobelix, with 28,000 square metres in our logistics park – PointPark Bratislava. This has been the only project with construction starting and finishing in just this year. Construction on a solely speculative basis was completely halted over the course of 2009 and tenants are rather leasing existing facilities. Construction this year and also next year will focus only on tailor-made projects. Neighbouring countries register a trend of slowing construction, too. Because of the lower total volume of existing logistics capacities in Slovakia in comparison with neighbouring countries and a total vacancy rate lower than in neighbouring countries, at about 11 percent, we assume an earlier increase in construction here. Martin Fodor (MF): The second half of 2009 has brought a slight recovery in demand for industrial property. Logistics and manufacturing companies have started to re-examine the status of individual projects and have submitted new requirements. Development in individual countries depends on the opportunities and benefits. TSS: What is the impact of the economic and financial crisis on your segment? Can you see customers behaving differently? MP: Customers are price-sensitive and looking for a ‘good deal’. Smart cus-

tomers will realize that a cheaper rent in a sub-standard building located kilometres from main transport routes may yield immediate savings, but that this impact is short-lived as maintenance costs and higher fuel costs add up. Choosing to locate in a high-quality building with modern, energy-efficient features will result in greater cost efficiency over time. PB: For now, it is really the customer who dictates the conditions. Developers are endeavouring to get customers not only by lower rental prices but also through other discounts and benefits. Today it is also possible for a client to get an advantageous rental for a shorter period of time; that was not possible in the past. MF: We are happy to see that the vast majority of our customers are doing well. Many of them have been acting carefully over the previous 12 months and many of them have seen opportunities. The result is that those which are in good shape and have an edge on the competition can benefit now. This is the moment for reorganisation and the best time to make decisions to improve their competitiveness. For us, future growth rests primarily on our existing customers. We believe that those strong companies will continue to expand their facilities. TSS: What impact has the crisis had on your company? Has it brought some new challenges?

MP: The global financial crisis and its impact on the availability of capital have severely reduced developers’ desire and ability to build on a speculative basis. Companies are now focusing on build-to-suit projects which enable developers to reduce financial risk while providing greater flexibility to the customers. Moving forward, we believe this development trend will continue but at a much slower pace. ProLogis decided to take several measures, announced last November, to conserve capital resources and protect ProLogis’ franchise and long-term strength in the current economic climate. Since that time ProLogis has reduced its debt by more than US $2.9 billion and has modified and extended its global line of credit of US $2.25 billion through 2012. These actions, plus many more, have strengthened ProLogis’ financial status and have proven that the company can respond quickly to worstcase-scenario market conditions. PB: PointPark Properties is an international company operating in eight countries of central and eastern Europe. Currently, we administer about 900,000 square metres of space in 30 distribution centres and also have almost 610,000 square metres of land on which we plan future developments. As a developer, we have built five parks in Poland, the Czech Republic and Slovakia which we now administer. See SURVEY pg 8

8

BUSINESS FOCUS

October 12 – 18, 2009

SURVEY: Expansion plans in the pipeline Continued from pg 7

Our logistics centre, PointPark Bratislava close to Bratislava, is gradually expanding. We are also working on improving and enhancing the services for our tenants. The crisis, despite a number of negative impacts which have also hit our company, has also brought some opportunities which we are trying to seize. Our experience and financial stability have enabled us to grow during these times when other developers were forced to halt their projects. MF: Thanks to our longterm business partners, suppliers, bankers, as well as the CTP organisation, we have been able to use these opportunities as well. We have improved our after-care, reduced our vacancy rate and have been able to carry out our solar panel project, which is an ideal opportunity for CTP to utilize its property portfolio and increase profitability. We remain conservative and careful when it comes to new developments. Figures for the first half of 2009 show a profit and we are looking forward to the rest of 2009. TSS: What are your company’s plans in Slovakia for the future? In which areas of Slovakia do you see prospects for further development?

MP: While we have halted new speculative development projects for the foreseeable future, we are open to considering build-to-suit proposals on a caseby-case basis. We are now highly focused on leasing activities at existing parks. During the last few months we managed to sign lease contracts with five customers for a total of 30,000 square meters in Slovakia. PB: We expect that the market for logistics halls will continue to concentrate in the vicinity of Bratislava, more specifically in the localities of Senec and Trnava, thanks to the existing infrastructure. But the gradual completion of the transport infrastructure towards the east brings a huge potential for development of the logistics market in eastern Slovakia. Thus, our expansion plans will focus on western Slovakia along with the D1 highway and eastern Slovakia. MF: Our long-term plans have not changed. In the future we expect a successful launch of our planned construction in all locations: CTPark Trenčín, CTPark Žilina Airport, CTPark Martin, and CTPark Prešov. These are strategic locations with excellent transport infrastructure, history and ability to win customers. In implementing these projects CTP Invest will benefit from lessons learned from our past operations within the territory of central and eastern Europe.

CARGO: DHL BA departures hit 1,000 p.a. Continued from pg 6

“After a significant drop in transportation of goods in 2007, performance in 2008 confirmed the potential of Bratislava Airport for this segment and might mean the start of a new era in the development of transportation of goods in Bratislava,” said Madunická. More cargo in Bratislava

DHL Express launched a scheduled route between Leipzig and Bratislava in late March 2008. For the time being the route is being used at between 80 and 90 percent capacity and has been fulfilling the expectations of the company. “Such a fundamental step as the launch of a direct route is preceded by a very exhaustive preparation of the project, part of which was also an analysis of all possible risks as well as preparation of multi-stage alternative solutions,” Slavomír Hasmunda, gateway and customs manager of DHL Express (Slovakia) told The Slovak Spectator. “Thus we did not count on anything other than maximal fulfilment of our expectations. Moreover, the attitude of the Ramp Operations at Bratislava Airport to the whole project was very responsible and professional and they proved during the very first day that they are able to handle without problems also large container airplanes.” DHL Express is currently the only express transport

company flying directly from Slovakia and operates the only scheduled route to transport freight in Slovakia. “We hope that we will not stay at Bratislava Airport alone and that gradually transportation of goods will start to develop here,” said Hasmunda. He also hopes that muchneeded background infrastructure, such as space for cargo, novel goods manipulation techniques, etc. will gradually also be built at Bratislava Airport. “Bratislava Airport has a sound potential, which is, however, currently used only to a very limited extent,” said Hasmunda. Last year was, from the viewpoint of re-organisation of the air network within DHL, of key importance. DHL put into full operation the most modern sorting centre in Europe, in Leipzig, according to Hasmunda. This has significantly improved the effectiveness of its air infrastructure. The move has also opened up new opportunities and the direct link to Bratislava was one of them. Most often the link is used to transport commodities from the automotive and electro-technical industry. This year DHL Express has already extended the current route between Leipzig and Bratislava. The daily route was prolonged to Sofia in Bulgaria with a stop in Bratislava. Simultaneously, the company increased the number of arrivals and departures at Bratislava

airport by 100 percent to about 1,000 annually. “In principle it is not our goal to increase the number of lines to and from Bratislava or extend the number of destinations serviced directly from M.R. Štefánik Airport, as is the case of some air companies transporting passengers,” said Hasmunda. “For us it is important to secure a stable air route with sufficient capacity into the central sorting centre in Leipzig, from where we have air connections, direct and indirect, to the whole world.” DHL Express uses Boeing 757-200 Special Freighter aircraft with a capacity of 15 cargo containers, representing a load of up to 30 tonnes. According to Hasmunda, potential extension of the capacity will be achieved by a change in the type of aeroplane used and not by an increase in flights. The company also provides non-scheduled air transport at Bratislava Airport, along with other companies. These are Walthair Europe, Arcus-Air-Logistic, Antonov Enterprise, BinAir Aero Service, Aero Nova, Farnair Switzerland, Midex Airlines and others. In total, nonscheduled transporters transfer up to 5 percent of the total volume of goods transported, according to Madunická. Of the scheduled air carriers, ČSA Czech Airlines and Aeroflot load goods into aeroplanes on their regular routes in and out of Bratislava. Bratislava Airport wants to

further develop the scheduled transportation of goods and thus diversify its business activities. “Bratislava has a strategic position as a business routes’ crossroad,” said Madunická. “There is a close connection to the Czech Republic, Hungary, Austria and Poland. Close to the airport there is a cargo harbour as well as the railway, which means that goods can be immediately transported further. With regards to the advantageous geographical position of the airport and its connection to other transport infrastructure we have the preconditions to turn Bratislava into an intermodal cargo hub.” The fall of SkyEurope

The recent fall of Slovakiabased low-cost airline SkyEurope emptied airports in Slovakia, but it left cargo transportation unaffected, Madunická told The Slovak Spectator. “The share of SkyEurope in the transport of cargo to and from Bratislava Airport was negligible and thus the end of its operations should not have a significant influence on the volume of cargo transported at Bratislava Airport,” Madunická said. Kazda of the Air Transport Department explained that cargo transport does not appeal to low-cost carriers since it is not possible within their short turnaround times – Ryanair’s, for example, is about 25 minutes – to load cargo into their aeroplanes.

ADVERTISEMENT

SME ABSOLÚTNA JEDNOTKA

NávštevnosË spravodajských portálov

Zdroj: audit AIMmonitor.sk júl 2009

70359

BUSINESS FOCUS

October 12 – 18, 2009

PARKS: Waiting tactics are typical

FOCUS shorts

Continued from pg 7

“With regards to the development of the road infrastructure in Slovakia and its interconnection to main roads in Europe and the strategic position of Slovakia, we have become more and more interesting for international companies when locating their national or international distribution centres in Slovakia,” he said. “Recent projects by companies such as Whirlpool, Mobelix, Tacco, C&A and many others confirm this.” The development of logistics parks is not barrier-free in Slovakia. Jánoši sees the biggest obstacles as being the impaired access to financing for new projects, but also the frequent unpreparedness of localities and construction plots for such development. Often the owners also seek unrealistic prices for their land, according to Jánoši. Future prospects

For now Bratislava and its wider environs dominate, but market watchers see new prospects in other parts of the country as well. “With regards to the stillstrong dominance of the Bratislava region in the area of logistics, we assume that new projects will follow the development of the highway infrastructure in Slovakia,” Jánoši of CBRE said. “We also see huge prospects for eastern Slovakia as a potential bridge for the EU market further eastwards, and due to a lack of

9

Logistics parks sprout in Trenčín

Waiting for a load: demand for new logistics parks has slackened during the crisis.

suitable logistics projects in this region to service the local market.” HB Reavis sees potential in western Slovakia, especially around Bratislava and along the D1 and D2 highways. This is the location most used by companies oriented towards export into Europe. It sees also further prospects along with the D1 highway to Košice and Prešov in the east. “The combination of an existing highway and a large regional capital is fundamental,” said Karabelli. With regards to future expectations, Jánoši believes that new, bigger logistics projects will be built only after existing capacities are used up. Moreover, future construction will be not based on speculation

any longer, but developers will focus more on build-to-order projects for specific clients. “In the current situation waiting tactics are typical,” said Karabelli. “In spite of this, Slovakia has maintained its potential in the middle and long term, especially thanks to its strategic position. Premises in key localities, which are ready for immediate construction from the point of view of permission processes, face the best future.” A few statistics

Total modern warehouse space in Slovakia amounted to 984,345 square metres at the end of the second quarter of 2009, CB Richard Ellis wrote in its latest market review. Approximately 84 percent of this is located in

Photo: SITA

the greater Bratislava area. Lower take-up led to more vacant space, which resulted in the overall vacancy rate increasing to 12.31 percent. Net effective rents across all of Slovakia remained stable and stood between €3.4 and €4.5 per square metre, although there was evidence that incentives have been increasing and tenants were signing shorter-term leases, the review reads. ProLogis controlled 40 percent of the logistics property market in Slovakia in the second quarter of 2009. J&T with IIG followed in second, with 13 percent, and AIG Lincoln was third, with 11 percent. HB Reavis controlled 10 percent, Karimpol 7 percent and Pinnacle, now PointPark Properties, made up 5 percent of the market.

THREE new logistics complexes will soon be constructed near Trenčín. Following two previously reported projects to be built in the villages of Chocholná-Velčice and Trenčianske Stankovce, a third logistics park has been announced in the area close to the village of Opatovce. Kupred, a Trenčín-based company, plans to construct a logistics park which will operate on both sides of the D1 highway, Obchod magazine reported in mid September. The location of the newest park is about 3.5 kilometres from Trenčín and it will have a capacity of almost 40,000 square metres and parking for 480 vehicles. The investor

plans to launch construction this year and it will be solely a logistics centre without any industrial production. Another logistics park covering 40 hectares is underway in the vicinity of ChocholnáVelčice, only a few hundred metres away from the Kupred project. It will also be located along the D1 highway at the crossroad with the highway to Brno or Zvolen. This park plans five halls with a total rentable area of almost 150,000 square metres. The third logistics facility, in Trenčianske Stankovce, plans to provide 12,000 to 15,000 square metres of storage capacity and almost 1,500 square metres of office space.

Pinnacle becomes PointPark Properties PINNACLE, a developer and operator of logistics parks has changed its name in Slovakia to PointPark Properties after it found out that its previous name was not directly associated with the development business, the Trend weekly reported in early September. The company adopted its new name and logo to more clearly identify itself as a key player in the property market. The PointPark trademark is

known in several European countries. The company operates PointPark Bratislava in Slovakia at the D2 highway next to the Lozorno exit. The company was launched in 2001 and is active in western, southern and central Europe. It operates 1.4 million square metres of warehouse capacities in 30 logistics centres. Compiled by Spectator staff

ADVERTISEMENT

Achieve more with a reliable partner Five questions to Alain Muller, Director General of ISC Real

The core business activity of ISC Real is the establishment of foreign companies in Slovakia, either by creation of a brand new entity or by acquisition of an existing one. The high credibility of ISC Real and the quality of our services is directly conneted with the professionalism and long-term experience of our team members who are the guarantee that the right decisions will be taken in the strategic planning of your company. ISC Real has established more than seventy companies in Slovakia. Most of these companies continue to be our customers to whom we now provide accounting and human resource management services. You are of a mixed SwissFrench origin. What brought you to Slovakia? When did you decide to settle down in Slovakia? I came here for the first time twenty years ago with my hometown hockey team. I did not know much about Slovakia then but I was pleasantly surprised by this country. Then I came back and forth a couple of times and I finally settled down here. When did you come up with an idea to start your own business? Was it completely natural or was it a long-term process? This country went through its worst before creating a fair business environment. There were not many businessfriendly incentives and there

was omnipresent corruption and a complicated tax system. The only advantage at that time was a cheap labor force – but this was obviously not sufficient. My company has been progressively growing thanks in part to many reforms that have been made in recent years. We started off with a small team providing company acquisition services for foreign customers. Later on, we added the idea of outsourcing for foreign companies in Slovakia, which turned out to be very successful, especially in the field of road freight transport. Why do you think road freight transport was so successful? Our team has been working in the field of road transport for more than 5 years. The year 2004 was also marked by

a boom in terms of establishment of foreign transport companies in Slovakia. It was not fully unexpected; thanks to what I mentioned before. Slovak membership in the European Union sent a very strong signal towards western countries where many business people were still reluctant to enlarge their activities further to the east. However, we managed to convince them and they are now thankful for the tough decision they made. We are proud of our small contribution to their huge success and prosperity. How would you describe the impact of the world financial crisis on this sector? As a company we have not been influenced that much but nevertheless, it is an issue of global concern. The transport business depends mostly on production. If production decreases significantly, it will have an impact on the transport sector as a whole. In my opinion, small companies are handicapped with many having gone bankrupt over the last couple of months. Banks are not very helpful either as they are taking too many precautions before they decide to finance a project. Transport companies are therefore unable to develop, invest or just overcome difficult times. Of course, if

they have lost a majority of their customers, a bank loan would not help them bounce back. Luckily enough, some of our customers were able to hold onto the same number of customers and even find new ones. Unfortunately, they were held back by the reluctance of banks to grant loans or to lend at a decent interest rate. Another problem lies in delayed payments for services rendered. Waiting for payment for more than a month or two after the due date can substantially influence your cash flow. As a result, even a healthy company able to retain its customers becomes insolvent. I do not need to stress what happens next. Combine it with what I have said previously and you get stuck in a vicious circle. What is your own recipe to overcome the current – but hopefully only temporary – downturn?

I strongly believe that by each of us contributing just a very little bit we all can make this crisis as short as possible. My recipe is very simple. If I worked hard before the crisis, now I work even harder, together with motivating my employees to do the same. As a team we do not reduce our commitment to provide the best services to our customers. I do not use the word crisis as an excuse for misbehavior towards either my customers or my employees, like many do. My personal advice for those considering relocation of their business is to have a good look at Slovakia and then to come over and start their new business projects here. Our company is ready to assist and provide them with tailor- made services including full establishment of their company, selection of the most appropriate employees, book-keeping and lots more.

• Establishment of Companies • Accountancy • • Human Resources Management • Consulting •

Find out more at www.iscreal.sk 11236

FEATURE

10 October 12 – 18, 2009

Roma women are proud martyrs DG: No. She has a harder life. Because she has to study, work and take care of everything.

BY KRISTÍNA MAGDOLENOVÁ & JARMILA VAŇOVÁ Special to the Spectator

Every woman interviewed thus far has said that the life of a Roma woman is more difficult than that of a non-Roma woman. Why do you think otherwise? DG: I say it because when a nonRoma woman doesn’t work, she is deficient. With Roma women, this is the opposite. Particularly in the settlements.

DENISA Gáborová, a community assistant for medical education, is 35 years old and has four children. She was married at 17 and spent many years since then on maternity leave; but after giving birth to her last child she returned to school and has been studying and working as a medical assistant. How did you get married? When did you meet your husband? DG: Among the Roma it’s like this: one family comes courting. They came; they asked whether their son could go out with me. My parents agreed and then I agreed. We went out for some time and then we got married. Had you seen him before then or was this the first time you’d met? DG: No, I’d never seen him before in my life. But I’m happy with him. He listens to me and I have everything I need with him. He’s educated, he works and our children are raised well. And where was love? DG: At first there was no love, only that I liked him. Later I started loving him. Did you go out together for long? DG: Six months. I was a month pregnant and he still let me attend school. So I could finish school, because he is also educated. He didn’t prevent me from finishing. And I admire this. Because, you know, in the Roma community when a Roma woman works, there are doubts among the other Roma. And not only did my husband not stop me, he supported me. And he still supports me. You married into a family with different values than you had at home. What was the most difficult thing for you? DG: The most difficult part for me was getting used to the Roma in the settlement. I don’t mean my husband’s family, because they are on the same level; they had completed school. However, they grew up among the Roma and from a young age I grew up among the non-Roma. I attended a nonRoma school and it took me about ten years to get used to life in the settlement. Does this mean that you come from a different world and that you, as a Roma woman, had to get used to the Roma? DG: Yes; no non-Roma lived there at all. I asked my mother: Where are the non-Roma? Where is the shop? Where is the school? And she replied: It doesn’t matter; you’ll get used to it. You’ll walk a kilometre to the shop and when you have children, they’ll go to school. There is a Roma school here, so my children go there. So I live my own life and I’m raising my children the way my parents raised me. How did the local Roma receive you as a different type of Roma woman? DG: They laughed at me because when my children were born I taught them to speak like the non-Roma, and they asked me what am I doing acting like a non-Roma? But in time they got used to me. The worst of it was when I finished maternity leave and went to work. My children got the worst of it. They scolded my children, saying that I don’t care for them. And my boy said to me, “Mama, do you know what they

Denisa Gáborová

told me? That you don’t take care of me, that you go to some training and don’t care for us.” That lasted about two years, until my children got used to it. In the Roma community, people think that a wife should be at home, cooking, caring for her children and husband. And in non-Roma families, it’s the opposite. When a non-Roma woman doesn’t work, she is inferior. And among the Roma, a wife cannot work, only a husband. What did your mother and father-inlaw say about this? DG: My father-in-law was glad that I was working, but my mother-in-law had doubts about it. She thought I should be home. She wasn’t very pleased about it. But she is now. Today you actually live in your own home and have four children. Where do you work? DG: I work in the regional office for public health as a community medical assistant. How did you get involved in this work? DG: In 2005 there was recruitment in Kecerovce. I went there and they selected me. I worked for a year in Europlus. Then for four months I didn’t work. Then they heard about us at the regional office, that we worked there. We went there and they took us on. Did you take part in some sort of training, or how were you able to get this work when you didn’t have the education? DG: I worked in Europlus. I have three certificates from there and I have three months' training in health-care services. How did you feel at the first training session? When you went there among so many non-Roma and educated people – you a Roma woman from a settlement? DG: When I heard about the recruiting, I thought: How should I dress for this? How should I speak? And I said: I’ll dress simply, cleanly. When they ask me something, I’ll answer them. This gave me strength: the fact that I passed and that there were five of us from one village. And they chose me. You work as a health-care assistant and go to Roma settlements. Is what you witness there difficult for you to handle? DG: It’s pretty difficult. We recently were in Jasov to vaccinate children. A lot of children there hadn’t been vaccinated against tuberculosis.

Photo: Courtesy of MECEM

When you come to a settlement, do you speak with people in the Roma language? DG: Yes, in Romani. I’m not ashamed of my native language. Do the Roma believe you? DG: They believe me, and it’s good that there is also a non-Roma woman there. Why? DG: When a non-Roma woman comes with me, the level of respect is higher. And a non-Roma would say the opposite: that it’s better when a Roma woman is there with her. You study at the same school as your daughter… DG: We attend the Private Pedagogical and Social Academy in Košice. My daughter wants to be a teacher in a preschool. I’m in the second year and she is in the first. Before that she studied design, but she didn’t like it. She is a coordinator in the Stop project. She also attends training courses and I’m glad that she likes them. What do other Roma girls say to her? DG: They say that she won’t turn out to be a good girl, because she’ll grow old and never get married. That who would take her, that she goes after men… She’s suffered in this settlement enough, but I always tell her: just ignore them. Once you start to work, they’ll come and then they’ll see. So I support her in this. How is it going for you in school? DG: I’m trying to do what I can. I have to handle the household, school and work. How is life going for you? You got married early and had children. You had to adjust to new surroundings and obey. So how does your life look today? Have you so far achieved what you wanted? DG: Some things have happened and others haven’t. It’s true that I got married early and went to live with my mother-in-law. There were five boys at home and she was the only woman. There is a problem with water in the settlements. And water is important. We were the sort of Roma who were able to carry water so that we could bathe and clean. My mother-in-law was strict, but I admire her. I was the second oldest daughter-in-law. She taught us a lot. Mainly this: that we should care for our husbands. Do you think that a non-Roma woman has an easier life than a Roma woman?

What are the most beautiful situations you’ve experienced that you’ll remember? DG: The first time I went to Bidovce I had no idea how people live there. We spoke with the mayor because they didn’t have a well there. The first time we came, people lived on a trash heap, but when we came for the third time, there was a great change. Houses were clean, no junkyard there now. We didn’t return there, however, for perhaps half a year, and again it’s like a junkyard there. These people need someone to check on them and educate them. They do this only if they feel ashamed in front of other Roma? DG: Yes, this too. Only they must feel this inside. Not because of us; because of themselves. This only lasts until they understand. Have you experienced a situation when your relatives highly regarded what you do? Were they proud of you? DG: Yes. My father-in-law had an accident. He fell from some steps and broke his ribs. I went with him to the emergency room. There was one acquaintance there who also works in the regional public health office. She said hello to me and my husband and fatherin-law were proud that such people greet me and know me and value me. If you could now, what would you change in your life? What would you have done differently? DG: Complete school and go to university. This is my dream. And I plan to write a book about my life. I would like to help the Roma if I can. If I have such an opportunity. And so that there were no only-Roma schools. Because this creates differences between children in childhood. Are there many such women here like you, who know what they want from life? DG: Yes. Three from a 700-member community. Do you think that if Roma women were more active that something would change in the Roma community? DG: Yes. And this is something I would like to change. If someone asked you to get involved in politics… what would you say? DG: I would go. To regional or to bigger politics? DG: To bigger politics. I wouldn’t want to be a mayor, because I would rather do more good and whether some people liked it or not. Here there is a great deal of envy. If Roma women were to go into politics, what should they say to our political representatives or members of the European Parliament? DG: Let something be done in these settlements regarding unemployment.

Do you think this depends on them, or on the Roma? What should be done for them? DG: Well, if it were only as it was under totalitarianism. Things were better for the Roma then. A Rom who didn’t work was punished. And now when a Rom goes to look for work, they don’t take him. I also know Roma who want to work and who have studied and when they come and people see them, they don’t want to employ them. This should change. How is it, for example, with the modernity of the community? Do you live a modern life at home? DG: Yes. How could you dress in your home? DG: When I liked a pair of pants, for example, mama bought the material and I had them made. I had clothing made. Or mother went to buy them in Ostrava. And how were you able to dress at your mother-in-law’s house? DG: I couldn’t wear anything short or anything elastic. Is it still the same? DG: Yes. Does this mean that a woman here cannot expose herself? DG: No, she can‘t. Not even a swimsuit is considered appropriate here. And what about young girls then? Are they used to going out with skin exposed in summer? DG: My daughter does. She’s young. She goes out quite lightly dressed. These older women keep an eye on how the young girls dress, but they do it anyway. So that cultural dress is maintained? DG: Yes. What kind of cultural traditions or Roma traditions are kept in your family? DG: A girl has to be honourable if she’s not married. And in the Roma language? DG: We speak both Slovak and Romani. Do you have any Christmas traditions? DG: I’m in my own house, but other members of the family go on visits. I tell my husband: it’ll be the way I want it. Everyone will be at home for Christmas Eve dinner and no one will leave home. This is my tradition. Didn’t your husband have a problem with this? DG: He did. At the beginning. At first he went to his parents and left me here alone. I wasn’t even angry with him. Then he realised that this isn’t right. So the women have won rights in your family? DG: We’re terribly proud women. And we are great martyrs; we can withstand anything. Everyone has suffered something in life. But we are able to forgive, too. Does this mean that the women in your family suffer because they go after their life goals? DG: Yes. They know what they want in life. Interviews with Roma women are part of a project by the Roma Press Agency and will be published in a forthcoming book.

BUSINESS / NEWS

October 12 – 18, 2009

REF: Price referencing for drugs attracts broad support

Developing new drugs is now taking much longer

the price which we are willing to pay to buy ‘health’ within our system,” said Višňanský. The second state health insurer, Spoločná Zdravotná Poisťovňa (SZP) also acknowledged the value of the referencing scheme. “Referencing of drug prices, with the aim of reducing prices of individual drugs, has been followed with savings in drug costs,” Daniela Stričková, the SZP spokesperson, told The Slovak Spectator. “We see the steps of the Health Ministry, as well as any other savings which can be used for the benefit of patients, in a positive light.” The Association of Health Insurers (ZPP), composed of three private health insurers in Slovakia, also welcomes the ref-

as potential constituents of a medicinal drug, followed by patent protection procedures and pre-clinical study, i.e. laboratory tests and animal testing. The three phases of clinical studies that then follow are the most demanding financially. If the pre-market medication is tested successfully, the drug is registered. After the new drug is launched, it is evaluated and monitored in a fourth phase. Data about its usage are collected in this phase, enabling detection of possible deleterious effects not uncovered during clinical trials, Lednár explained. The stricter requirements for testing coupled with the

Continued from pg 4

“The system of referencing prices is done in Slovakia in a very dynamic and progressive way and, along with that, it is very transparent,” Hlôška told The Slovak Spectator. “The European Commission assesses our pricing system to be very effective in maintaining the sustainability of funds spent on drugs.” According to Hlôška, this was evident from a recent visit by a delegation from the Maltese Ministry for Social Affairs and Health which had a high interest in the details of Slovakia’s method of pricing drugs. “Another proof is in the stabilisation of increases in expenditure on drugs since the start of 2009, where we have managed even to achieve a drop in expenditure during the first quarter of 2009 when compared with 2008,” said Hlôška. “Only a few countries in the European Union managed to do this.” Health insurance companies perceive the referencing scheme, which brings savings on the costs of drugs, in a positive light. “Referencing is a trend in pricing of drugs not only in Slovakia, but also in the whole developed world,” Martin Višňanský, director of the strategy and health policy section at the biggest health insurance company, Všeobecná Zdravotná Poisťovňa (VšZP), told The Slovak Spectator. “For the insurer, and equally for the patient, it brings significant savings which can then be re-distributed for the purchase of other health care.” Višňanský sees one disadvantage of strict referencing in that pharmaceutical companies have only a small amount of room for manoeuvre in the areas of price and volumes of sales in the relatively small drug market in Slovakia. “On the other hand, introduction of the euro, a transparent system of price proposals via the internet, as well as other mechanisms bring to pharmaceutical companies, health insurers, patients, and to the whole system the possibility of permanent improvement in the perception of the value of medicines, the value of health, and

Referencing is a trend in pricing of drugs not only in Slovakia, but also in the whole developed world Martin Višňanský, director of the strategy and health policy section at VšZP erencing scheme and supports its application as consistently as possible. But Eduard Kováč, president of the association, told The Slovak Spectator that the association does not like the current method of setting the so-called digressive margin, which reduces the margins of pharmacists and distributors in handling more expensive drugs. According to the Slovak Association of Research-Based Pharmaceutical Companies (SAFS), the referencing system has pushed the price level of drugs in Slovakia to among the lowest in the European Union. “The Slovak market is one of the smallest in the EU and each producer has to decide whether and how quickly it will introduce a new drug to the Slovak market,” Miroslav Lednár, the chairman of the SAFS Board of Directors told The Slovak Spectator. “Referencing of drugs also touches generic drugs, especially

in connection with changes in currency exchange rates which influence the prices of drugs,” Karol Polóni, the first vice-chairman of GENAS, the association of generic drug producers in Slovakia told The Slovak Spectator. Polóni sees a disadvantage in the current system of categorisation because it allows members of GENAS to change prices of categorised drugs only during the next categorisation procedure. Composition of the commission

The current Categorisation Commission consists of 11 members. In addition to Hlôška, two other members represent the Health Ministry, five members represent health insurance companies and three members speak for medical organisations. Because the two state health insurers will merge into one entity next year and two private health insurers, Apollo and Dôvera, are also expected to become one company as early as the beginning of 2010, the representation of the health insurers on the commission may change, according to Hlôška. The commission does not have a representative from patients’ organisations. “The legislation does not permit this,” said Hlôška. “But the Health Ministry is open to a discussion about whether representatives of patients should become members of the commission. However, this requires a very wide discussion within the expert community as well among the general public, and last but not least, changes in the legislation." The biggest health insurer acknowledges that the commission’s representation might be broadened to include other important groups. “In the future it might be suitable to consider, of course in cooperation with the Health Ministry which participates in creation of legislation in the drugs policy area, strengthening the participation of two key representatives – patients’ associations and experts from the fields of pharmaceutical economics and/or health technology assessment – including their right to vote,” said Višňanský of VšZP.

BY JANA LIPTÁKOVÁ Spectator staff

PHARMACY is as old as humankind itself. From the very beginning people tried to cure themselves with herbs, magic formulas or even using soil. The word ‘drug’ comes from the German word ‘getrocknet’, meaning dried in English, and originally denoted the dried parts of plants or animals that were used either directly as a remedy or indirectly in the preparation of a more complex medication. People in the past believed that the therapeutic effectiveness of a natural remedy rested in the similarity of the form or colour of the plant or animal to the organ being treated. Thus the shape of nuts suggested that they were useful in the treatment of brain ailments and spiders were used to treat ear pain because a curledup, dead spider somehow resembled the inner ear. Such an approach is now a part of history and modern scientific medicine and pharmacy ascribes the effectiveness of remedies to the chemical substances they contain. Pharmaceuticals is a sophisticated industry with hundreds of companies, thousands of employees and billions of euros invested in research, development and production. “The main driving force in innovative pharmaceutical research is an effort to move forward and to overcome limits in our abilities to cure patients,” Miroslav Lednár, the chairman of the Board of Directors of the Slovak Association of Research-Based Pharmaceutical Companies (SAFS) told The Slovak Spectator. “The innovative pharmaceutical industry and the development of modern drugs and vaccines have contributed to a change in the lives of millions of people.” Research and development (R&D) for an original drug takes 10 to 15 years on average and costs about €1 billion. “Compared with the past, this whole process – from the start of research up to the launch of an original drug on the market – has significantly lengthened,” Lednár said. “To launch a new original drug on the market in 1960 lasted six years on average. During the last 50 years or so this period has been extended by an additional six years. This is because of more stringent requirements for documenting the effectiveness and safety of drugs.” Today, the development of a new drug starts with basic molecular research, with 5,000 to 10,000 molecules being explored

11

eral 20-year patent umbrella, as is the case for all other inventions. The primary, potentially effective molecule can be granted patent protection even if it is not yet clear whether it can be used for practical treatment at some time in the future. “When the R&D process swallows up 10 to 12 years, or sometimes even 15 years, then on average a pharmaceutical company has only 8 to 10 years to earn back its investment into a new original drug,” said Lednár, adding that other industrial branches, in which research and development of new products is not so time-consuming can enjoy exclusivity for 18 years and more. After the patent expires, manufacturers of generic products can enter the market with medications that are equivalent to the original drug. “An optimal solution would be if a generic producer can bring the new generic drug on the market one day after the patent of the original producer lapses,” Michaela Palágyi, vice chairwoman of GENAS, the association of generic drug producers in Slovakia told The Slovak Spectator. “But preparing the production process, as well as other administrative procedures, prolongs the period for the entry of a generic onto the market by six months on average.” The prices of generic drugs are typically much lower than those of the original formulation since generic producers are not investing in research and development of new drugs. Using generic drugs helps to maintain public health budgets and benefits consumers with lower prices. In Slovakia for the third quarter of 2008, 77 percent of the volume of packaged medications sold was generics and 23 percent was original, patented medicines, according to data from IMS Health, an international consulting and data service company for the pharmaceutical industry. “When calculated according to the number of packages of generic drugs purchased, Slovakia belongs among the countries in the EU with the highest generic consumption,” said Lednár. “This is historical also, since up to the 1990s medical treatment was, in general, set to the benefit of generics with the exception of few licensed pharmaceuticals. Only after the fall of the communist regime in 1989 did producers of original drugs start entering the Slovak market.”

PHARMACOLUMN longer time periods required for the launch of a new medication increases the cost of the whole process. “It is necessary to say that 98 percent of the investment into research and development comes from the private sector, from pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, and the remaining 2 percent comes from the government and academic sector,” said Lednár. The biggest challenge of the whole R&D process is its high risk of failure. History provides examples in which undesirable characteristics were uncovered only after a drug was used in medical practice. Since its potential risks outweighed its benefits, in the end the drug had to be withdrawn from the market after a large investment was made. “Only 3 out of 10 drugs have a return on the funds invested into their development,” said Lednár. “Therefore, these three drugs must earn enough money so that the pharmaceutical company can begin the process of new research with 10,000 molecules, one of which could be the potential base for a new drug.” Patent protection

The pharmaceutical sector is one of the principal users of the global patent system and protection of intellectual property rights is of fundamental importance to it. This is because of the necessity to address current and emerging medical problems and the long lifecycle of products and their long development periods. “The exclusivity periods granted through patent law and other mechanisms provide incentives to the originating companies to continue innovating,” said the Executive Summary of the Pharmaceutical Sector Inquiry Report, published in July 2009. Original pharmaceutical products are protected by a gen-

Starting with this issue, The Slovak Spectator will bring readers more information about the pharmaceutical sector and health care via the PharmaColumn.

The column is brought to The Slovak Spectator readers with the support of the Slovak Association of Reasearch–Based Pharmaceutical Companies. (www.safs.sk)

Drug firms say that Slovakia now has some of the cheapest medicines in the EU.

Photo: TASR

BUSINESS / NEWS

12 October 12 – 18, 2009

CASH: MP denies knowing

BENEFITS: Jobs are often the crux of the debate

Continued from pg 1 Continued from pg 5

Furthermore, the money that was approved by the ministry – led by Labour Minister Viera Tomanová, a personal friend of Vaľová – was supposed to be used to build a halfway house in the village of Repejová. Repejová officials said they knew nothing of such a project. It is now clear that the individuals behind Cesta životom are connected to a larger network of subsidy approvals. The head of Cesta životom, Anna Brezíková, is the sister-in-law of Zuzana Miková, a bureaucrat from the Government Office. Miková this year became the headquarters boss for the Council of Ministers for Drug Addiction. According to information obtained by The Slovak Spectator, Miková’s office last month approved a further €80,000 award for Cesta životom, although the decision was overturned by a senior official within the Government Office after the media began investigating Vaľová’s role. Miková also founded NGO

Miková herself founded a non-profit group called Čistý deň (Clean Day) in the western Slovak town of Galanta six years ago. In 2008, Čistý deň also won a grant from the Government Office towards improving the quality of therapists at its “resocialisation centre”. The NGO got €25,000, the maximum amount the Office was allowed to award. The project was supported through Miková’s Council of Ministers. Čistý deň also got €80,000 last year from the Anti-Drug fund, which is located at the Labour Ministry. Minister Tomanová is a member of the fund’s board, while Smer MP Vaľová was a member of the fund’s advisory committee for “evaluating projects concerning the resocialisation of drug addicts – the very purpose for which Čistý deň got its grant.

Labour Minister Viera Tomanová

“Ms. Vaľová did not participate in the committee’s deliberations on March 11, 2008, when the Čistý deň projects were evaluated,” said Anti-Drug Fund chief Miroslav Žufa. “However, she later approved the recommendations of the committee members.” Zuzana Miková represented the Government Office at the meeting, which approved four projects submitted by the NGO she founded, but according to Žufa “had no voting rights” in the matter. Coalition MPs and Government Office employees were not the only NGO founders that were able to swing grants for their own charities. The NGO Športom proti drogám (Sports Against Drugs), which was founded by Jaroslav Malchárek, the brother of former Economy Minister Jiří Malchárek (2005-2006), won two grants from the Anti-Drug fund in 2008, worth a combined €67,000. Malchárek was a member of the advisory committee that studied these projects, but according to Žufa, “did not having voting rights over the Športom proti drogám projects.”

Photo: Sme - Peter Žákovič

“I didn’t evaluate those projects” Interview with Jana Vaľová, a parliamentary deputy for Smer

Do you know Zuzana Miková from the Government Office? She is the sister-in-law of Anna Brezinková, the boss of the Cesta životom NGO that you founded and that is still registered at your address. JV: If you have any questions, send them by email. You were a member of the Anti-Drug Fund advisory committee that last year evaluated several projects by Čistý deň, the NGO that Zuzana Miková founded. They got €80,000 in support. JV: I never in my life evaluated such a project. But Anti-Drug Fund director Miroslav Žufa said you later approved the committee’s rulings on Čistý deň, so you must have known what you were approving, right? JV: I was a member of the evaluating committee, but hold on a moment, the way that projects are evaluated is that

everyone [on the committee] gets certain projects to look at, and I certainly never evaluated this project. So why did you later approve it? JV: I have no voting rights, I’m just a member invited to be present. But you approved it, so again I’m asking if you remember what you approved, and your reasons for doing so. JV: No, because given that I didn’t take part in the committee’s proceedings, I couldn’t have evaluated it.

The skills, ideas and diversity brought by migrants are also largely benefiting destination societies. The report finds no evidence of large-scale job losses by locals due to migration. The contribution of migrants to economic growth can be high, while the impact on public services is generally small or even positive; although some local communities do face heavier burdens than others. Importantly, the report presents evidence that public opinion in many countries is receptive to migration – provided jobs are available. Jobs are often the crux of the debate underway in destination countries. The report puts forward a package of measures that can improve job access for migrants that are linked to labour demand. And now is the time for a new deal on migration, one that will benefit the people who relocate, those in destination communities and others that remain at home. Based on best practices, the proposed measures are politically feasible, especially when an economic recovery gathers pace. Renewed growth opens up more jobs and a well-managed migration policy benefits migrants and destination societies. For the ageing populations of many developed countries, particularly those in

Europe, ensuring such a flow of labour is a must if economic growth is to be sustained. But realising this mutual interest must take place with wider development imperatives in mind. Migration is driven by large and growing inequalities. The poor have the most to gain from moving, and increasing access for the lowskilled, for example, can help to maximize the gains for human development. As important is ensuring the fair treatment of migrants. Combating discrimination in wages, for example, benefits local workers as much as it does migrants. The rights of migrants must be protected, including those of irregular migrants. Such a balanced policy towards migration is available. The challenge facing governments is not an easy one. Many – though not all – were moving in the right direction, although there have been signs of a rollback during the recession. A long-term perspective is needed, in which employers, trade unions and civil society each have a huge role to play. The UN’s new report is a contribution to more balanced and informed public debates on this controversial issue. Jeni Klugman is the Director of the Human Development Report Office at the United Nations Development Program

But director Žufa said you approved it. JV: I can’t seem to make you understand. What is your current relationship with the Cesta životom NGO, which you founded and which also got grants from Miková’s Government Office? JV: Send your questions by email.

Jeni Klugman

Photo: Courtesy of UNDP

AMCHAM: Investors worried about non-transparent tenders Continued from pg 3

In addition, only 8 percent of surveyed firms planned to downsize. “The fact that a vast majority of foreign companies want to keep their operations at least at current levels is a strong indication that Slovakia remains highly competitive,” Slegers commented, adding that it’s equally important that 35 percent of respondents indicated that they were even considering expanding their operations in Slovakia. The survey results also point out that Slovakia’s efforts to stabilise its public finances by entering the eurozone are bearing fruit. Fully 83 percent of foreign investors perceived the use of the euro as the official currency as having a positive impact on their business. As many as 72 percent of correspondents surveyed said they considered the allocation of public tenders and financial resources as being nontransparent and that the state has not created and does not apply transparent procedures for allocation of incentives and EU funds. In addition, 81 percent considered corruption to be a barrier to doing business.

Foreign investors said they would welcome less bureaucracy in Slovakia. Photo: TASR

“A vast majority of the participants pointed to the strong need for increased usage of electronic media in government-related transactions,” Slegers said. “The surveyed investors expressed their will to support all of the Slovak government’s initiatives to raise awareness in this area and implement additional anti-corruption measures. “One of the suggested ways to overcome this barrier and increase transparency, as well as efficiency, was to proactively advance positive initiatives in e-govern-

ment and e-procurement, which are currently only in the intention or design status.” At the summit, it was noted that the UN 2008 e-Government Readiness Index compares various countries according to two primary indicators. These indicators are, firstly, the state of e-government readiness and, secondly, the extent of eparticipation. Indicative of Slovakia’s lack of progress in these areas is Slovakia‘s rank of 38th of the top 50 countries in the UN index.

“Unfortunately, this places it behind all of its central and eastern European neighbours,” Slegers said. “A greater sense of urgency is therefore expected by the respondents specifically in the areas of e-government and e-procurement.” The Slovak Business Alliance (PAS) noted similar problems in its Index of Business Environment (IPP), executive director of the alliance Róbert Kičina told The Slovak Spectator. “Businessmen point out corruption as the third most serious barrier to doing business in Slovakia, after weak enforceability of the law and the high level of bureaucracy,” he said. The investors surveyed by AmCham also strongly encouraged the Slovak government to decrease the administrative burden on businesses, reduce rapid and non-systematic changes of legislation and allow greater discussion and involvement by various stakeholders in preparation of new legislation. According to Kičina, the ineffectiveness of public expenditure was also ranked by the World Economic Forum, which conducted a survey that placed Slovakia 127th among 133 in an evaluation of cronyism. The complicated and ineffective social welfare system, legislation and

backward education system are also among the most significant barriers to business, according to the PAS. In the AmCham survey almost 50 percent of respondents saw the educational system as not adequately preparing individuals for Slovakia’s labour market needs and the lack of a qualified workforce currently belongs among the main challenges that companies face in the area of human resources. The surveyed investors recommended including more practical training and education in school curricula, and increasing the focus on language and communication skills, including soft skills, such as leadership training and the development of a service-oriented approach to business, Slegers said. However, PAS, which in its IPP recorded a continuing deterioration in the Slovak business environment in the second quarter of 2009, points out that the impacts of the crisis also show strongly in the country. “More and more often businessmen openly talk about lower performance, productivity and ability to fulfil their obligations,” Kičina said. “The crisis has caused the ability of companies to follow their aims and vision to drop.”

NEWS

October 12 – 18, 2009

AUDIT: Opposition calls for Štefanov to go Continued from pg 1

“It really could not have happened otherwise,” said Zuzana Wienk, director of the political ethics watchdog organisation, the Fair-Play Alliance. “It is completely evident that the European Commission is a body with a much stricter political culture than is standard in Slovakia and it really acts in the name of taxpayers and for their protection.” The consortium had been paid €11 million under the tender before it was cancelled. According to Wienk, it has been clear from the very beginning that the European Commission could not pay for money spent as part of a tender organised in the way it was. “The fact is, the only institutions that could achieve the return of the wasted money are

the Prosecutor’s Office or the Construction Ministry,” Wienk said. “The ministry has clearly shown that it does not protect taxpayers’ money and would not take such steps.” So Wienk thinks that the Prosecutor’s Office is currently the sole body which could recover some of the funds already spent. “If the Prosecutor’s Office protects the rule of law in this country, then it should do it,” Wienk said. “According to our analysis, the sums that have been paid to firms from the bulletin-board consortium are much higher than the market prices so the state budget could get back a relatively significant sum which could be spent for the benefit of taxpayers.” The parliamentary opposition parties had already called on Prime Minister Fico to recall

Štefanov, who prior to his appointment was a key lieutenant of the previous minister, Janušek, and whose signature appears on many of the key tender documents. Fico has thus far rejected sacking Štefanov, saying that he was only an officer of the ministry executing orders and that full responsibility lies with Janušek. Štefanov is claiming that Slovakia “won't lose a single euro” and that Slovakia’s taxpayers will not be affected since the EU funds designated for the tender will be used to cover other state activities and the money already paid will be replaced from the state budget. The chairman of the SNS, Ján Slota, responded to the recent developments by suggesting that since the funds from the tender were mostly spent

for media promotion and advertisements and because “those media are now the first to criticise” that perhaps the media should return money to the ministry, TASR reported. Ivan Mikloš, the deputy chairman of the Slovak Democratic and Christian Union (SDKÚ), the strongest opposition party, viewed the recent developments as the European Commission convicting the cabinet of Robert Fico of committing a scam, the SITA newswire reported. Mikloš also reminded the prime minister of what he had said a month ago: that the European Commission would reimburse a significant part of the funds already paid to the firms involved in the bulletinboard tender. The SDKÚ has also called for the immediate recall of Štefanov.

VÚC: Powerful but uninteresting? Continued from pg 3

The Interior Ministry has already started its preparations for the elections, as all materials and documents required for the elections must be delivered to municipal offices by November 3. The ministry has almost €8.5 million allocated for this purpose while the Statistical Office is authorised to spend €1.3 million, said Alena Koišová from the press department of the Interior Ministry. The power of the VÚCs

According to Slovakia’s 2001 Act on SelfGoverning Regions, the eight regions have two main governing bodies: the regional parliament and the president. Despite the rather lukewarm attitude Slovaks have shown towards the two previous VÚC elections, the regional authorities possess a significant package of public authority according to the law. “From the viewpoint of daily problems, the self-governing regions are definitely less important than the municipalities; that was the intention,” Viktor Nižňanský, an analyst with the MESA 10 think-tank and the former government plenipotentiary for the reform of public administration and later for decentralisation, told The Slovak Spectator. “The VÚCs tackle things that would be impossible or too complicated for the local governments to solve. Their main task is to create good conditions for the development of the region and the quality of life of its inhabitants.” Nižňanský said the regional authorities have decision-making authority in education and social services as well as in public

transportation and in maintaining 2nd and 3rd category roads, adding that they can also be active in inter-regional and crossborder cooperation, tourism and educational activities. Regional expenditures are financed mainly from their own resources flowing from taxes paid directly to the regions, including income and motor vehicle taxes. They also receive grants from the state ministries and from European structural funds. In 2010 they are expected to spend approximately €1.110 billion. Uninteresting?

Despite the rather big chunk of money the regional authorities handle, previous elections have repeatedly failed to stir the interest of voters. In 2001, when the firstever regional elections were held, 26.2 percent of voters came to the polls for the first round. Four years later, in 2005, only 18.2 percent of the electorate showed up to vote in the first round. This time, observers expect about 20 percent of citizens to vote. “The trend of falling turnout has stopped this year in all the other elections that took place, which makes me believe the forecast that 20 percent could turn up [in the VÚC elections],” sociologist Pavel Haulík told The Slovak Spectator. He said citizens are not interested in their VÚC mainly because it doesn’t represent an organic whole. “They have powers in several different areas without a systemic link between them,” Haulík said, adding that the public has a rather cold feeling towards the regional authorities.

“If the turnout doesn’t at least reach the turnout in the first elections, I think it should be an impulse to consider whether the VÚCs were created well, from the aspect of their functionality,” Haulík added. Nižňanský believes that the citizens are more interested in their local government since this is where they turn for help with their daily problems. Also, he said the VÚCs have been working properly only for four years, because in their first term they had only been acquiring the tasks that were previously done by the state administration. He also sees a problem in the fact that there are now eight VÚCs while Slovakia had been divided into only three regions during most of its history. “It would perhaps motivate people more if Slovakia was divided into the natural regions to which Slovaks have a strong, centuries-long relation,” Nižňanský said. Regional elections could be of more significance to citizens if the VÚCs had more powers and responsibilities but Nižňanský said it is also the duty of the politicians to motivate people to participate and vote. “Despite the legality of their election, the legitimacy of their decision-making is also lower because of the low voter-turnout,” he said. “The elected officials should turn to the voters more when making serious decisions and involve them in programmes and projects. Of course, those [elected officials] who are not serious about their duties are happy with the present situation, as they are less controlled by the citizens,” he concluded.

13

ADVERTISEMENT

JOB OFFERS Process Engineer Faurecia Leather Košice, s.r.o (Automotive Industry), Košice Min. education: University education (Master‘s degree) Languages: English - advanced

MRS System Engineer MANPOWER SLOVENSKO s.r.o. (HR consulting), Bratislava Min. education: Follow-up/Higher Professional Education Languages: English - advanced

Team Leader Data Management Swiss Re Business Services (Slovakia) s.r.o (Insurance), Bratislava Min. education: University education (Bachelor‘s degree) Languages: English - expert (interpreting)

Public Web Manager Lenovo (Slovakia) s.r.o. (Information Technology), Bratislava Min. education: University education (Bachelor‘s degree) Languages: English - advanced

SAP SD/MM Consultant Accenture, s.r.o. (Information Technology), Bratislava Min. education: University education (Bachelor‘s degree) Languages: English - intermediate or German - intermediate

Business Operations Specialist IBM International Services Centre s.r.o. (Information Technol.), Bratislava Min. education: University education (Bachelor‘s degree) Languages: English - advanced

Database Application Support Specialist/Developer Hewlett-Packard Slovakia, s.r.o. (Information Technology), Bratislava Min. education: University education (Bachelor‘s degree) Languages: English - advanced

System and Electrical Engineer EMERSON a.s. (Electrical engineering), Nové Mesto nad Váhom Min. education: University education (Master‘s degree) Languages: English - advanced

Sales and marketing manager 2J s.r.o. (Telecommunications), Bardejov Min. education: University education (Master‘s degree) Languages: English - advanced

Specialist in production Mobis Slovakia s.r.o. (Automotive Industry, Vehicle Manufacturing), Žilina Min. education: University education (Master‘s degree) Languages: English - advanced

Reporting Controller Junior SYRÁREŇ BEL SLOVENSKO a.s. (Commerce), Michalovce Min. education: University education (Master‘s degree) Languages: English - advanced

Actuarial Software Developer Zurich Insurance plc (Insurance), Bratislava Min. education: University education (Master‘s degree) Languages: English - advanced

Injection Process Leader Plastic Omnium Auto Exteriors s.r.o. (Automotive Industry), Lozorno Min. education: University education (Master‘s degree) Languages: English - intermediate or German - intermediate

Business Developer Process Industry AIR LIQUIDE SLOVAKIA, s.r.o. (Technical gases and application technologies), Bratislava Min. education: University education (Master‘s degree) Languages: English - intermediate

Any interesting job offers listed above? Find out more at www.profesia.sk SP90021/3

CLASSIFIEDS

ENGLISH LANGUAGE WORSHIP

SPECTACULAR SLOVAKIA

Bratislava International Church

The Slovak Spectator’s travel guide

Sundays, 9:30 at historic Small Lutheran Church (Maly evanjelicky kostol) in central Bratislava (near Hodzovo namestie); on Lycejna at intersection with Panenska 26/28. Children's Sunday School provided.

BE THE FIRST TO HAVE IT!

Information at 02-5443-3263 Web Site: www.bratislavainternationalchurch.org

REAL ESTATE Apartments for LEASE! • 2-3-room – downtow, Horský park, Nivy, Vajnorská,...... . • 2-3-room – city center, Palisády, III towers,.....

More info, more offers: 0905 - 659 156, [email protected], www.madison.sk SP90023/2

C 3489

●

●

Take you chance

and place your classified advertisement. For info call: 02 / 59 233 311, or e-mail: [email protected]

Price per copy €6.50

The more copies you order the bigger your discount. Contact: The Rock s.r.o, Lazaretská 12, 811 08 Bratislava, Slovak Republic, tel: +421 (0)2 59 233 300, fax: +421 (0)2 59 233 319, e-mail: [email protected], or [email protected]

Logo or picture insertion

+ € 7 (Sk210.88) Bold or capital bold letters + € 0.3/word (Sk9.04) ● Box + € 3 (Sk90.38) ●

● C 3573

Kramáre, Koliba, Polus area, Krasňany.....

Up to 20 words - € 10 (Sk301.26) Up to 50 words - € 20 (Sk602.52) ● Up to 70 words - € 30 (Sk903.78) ● Up to 100 words - € 40 (Sk1,200.04) ● Up to 150 words - € 60 (Sk1,807.56) ●

Ad dition al op tio ns

Everyone Welcome.

HOUSES for LEASE!

1. Prices of classified ad s (according to no. of words)

Box with shading + € 7 (Sk210.88)

2. Prices for business classified ads (according to size):

1/48 p ag e (43 x 44 mm) € 25 (Sk753.15) 1 / 2 4 p a g e (43 x 92 mm) or (91 x 43 mm) € 50 (Sk1,506.3) 1/12 p ag e (91 x 92 mm) € 100 (Sk3,012.60)

F requ ency disco unts: 3x - 10x 5% 11x - 19x 7,5% ● 20x and more 15% NOT E: Prices do not include value added tax (VAT 19%)! €1 = Sk30.1260 ● ●

CULTURE

14 October 12 – 18, 2009

Western SLOVAKIA

HISTORY TALKS

EVENTS COUNTRYWIDE

Bratislava l LIVE MUSIC: Double Down Live – ZZ Top,

Time grinds by at Nitra flour mill

the famed American rock trio founded in 1969, give their first ever concert in Slovakia. Starts: October 14, 20:00. Admission: €25. Sibamac Arena (The National Tennis Centre), Príkopova 6. Tel: 041/5004-136, www.vivien.sk.

POP-ROCK fans from all around Slovakia can look forward to hearing some of the bestknown hits by singer-songwriter Richard Müller, who only recently announced his comeback after several years of retirement, as he is touring the country between October 14 and 27. Within his 2009 Best Of Tour, the 48-year-old musician, former member of the Banket band, performs singles such as Milovanie v daždi (Making Love in the Rain), Tlaková níž (Cyclone) or Nebude to ľahké (It Won’t Be So Easy). This week the singer will perform in Bratislava, Levice and Ružomberok, and later in October, seven more towns will host his concerts. Tickets cost between €12.90 and €17. Further information can be found at www.muller.sk.

Bratislava l DANCE:

One – The PR-Evolution Dance Company from Hungary arrives in the country with a modern choreography about interpersonal relations and human existence. Starts: October 18, 19:00. Admission: €10. Meteorit Theatre, Čulenova 3. Tel: 0905/253-414, www.meteorit-theatre.com.

Bratislava l FASHION:

Bratislava Fashion Days – A fashion show featuring designs by renowned Spanish artist Agatha Ruiz de la Prada opens this 7-day festival celebrating beauty and savoir-vivre. Runs: October 16, 20:00. Admission: €100. Pavol Országh Hviezdoslav Theatre, Gorkého 17. www.agentura-promotion.sk.

Bratislava l OPERA:

The Plays of Mary – The Slovak National Theatre has added to its programme a new piece by Bohuslav Martinů, one of the most outstanding and best-known Czech composers, on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of his death. Starts: October 17, 19:00. Admission: €10 €30. The Slovak National Theatre, Hviezdoslavovo Square. Tel: 02/5778-2534, www.snd.sk. THIS idyllic scene with horses drinking and coachmen idling around was captured in the town of Nitra sometime around 1925. Today, hundreds of cars pass this place every day heading to a nearby bridge over the Nitra River. Also, interestingly, at the time when the picture was taken the location was situated in the town’s periphery while now it lies near the centre. The building on the left is the Árpád Mill, one of the oldest industrial sites in Nitra. Flour

from the mill was exported mainly to Hungary, Austria and Silesia but it also reached markets in Bohemia and Moravia. When a cholera epidemic broke out in Nitra in 1873, the mill was turned into a hospital. It later returned to its original role and in 1935 it became Slovakia’s first paprika mill. The building, however, no longer exists. A modern shopping centre has taken its place.

By Branislav Chovan

Bratislava l EXHIBITION:

The Brussels Dream – A comprehensive interactive display relating the story of Czechoslovakia in the late 1950s, when its pavilion at the Expo '58 World's Fair in the Belgian capital charmed the West. Open: Tue-Sun 10:00-17:30, until November 15. Admission: €3.32. Esterházy Palace, Nám. Ľudovíta Štúra 4. Tel: 02/5443-2081, www.sng.sk. Komárno l LIVE MUSIC: Parázs Tour – Révész Sándor,

former leader of two famous Hungarian rock bands, Piramis and Generál, visits southern Slovakia. Starts: October 12, 19:00. Admission: €16.

Photo: Courtesy of www.muller.sk

City Culture Centre, Hradná 035/7713-550, www.elokoncert.sk.

Tel:

Nitra l EXHIBITION:

Poznać Poznań – Three graduates from the Academy of Fine Arts based in the Polish city of Poznań, Kamil Wnuk, Diana Rönnberg and Pawel Polus, have prepared a multimedia display about borders and boundaries, bearing in mind their common motto “I do care”. Open: Tue-Sun 10:00-18:00, until November 8. Admission: €0.66. Nitra Gallery, Župné Square 3. Tel: 037/6579-641, www.nitrianskagaleria.sk.

Central SLOVAKIA Žilina l DANCE: Homecoming – Les Slovaks, a Brus-

sels-based Slovak modern dance ensemble, come back home to present their second show, full of humour and improvisation. Starts: October 13, 20:00. Admission: €5. The Stanica Žilina-Záriečie Culture Centre, Závodská Cesta 3. Tel.: 041/5623-564, www.stanica.sk. Banská Bystrica l FESTIVAL: Banská

Bystrica Music Days –

N A M E

Weather updates and forecasts from across Slovakia can now be found at www.spectator.sk.

1.

D A Y

Five concerts and the premiere of Giuseppe Verdi’s Simon Boccanegra make up the programme of the 16th edition of this classical music festival. Runs: October 16-22. Admission: €2 - €7 for a performance. The State Opera, Národná 11. Tel: 048/4154-544, www.stateopera.sk.

Eastern SLOVAKIA Prešov l LIVE MUSIC: 25 Years of Mloci – The Slovak

country-folk band celebrates its 25th birthday by inviting famous musicians - Peter Lipa, IMT Smile and Chiki Liki Tu-A to perform songs from Mloci’s (Newts) repertoire. Starts: October 15, 18:00. Admission: €10. City Sports Hall, Ul. Jána Pavla 2. www.mloci.sk. Poprad l FESTIVAL:

International Mountain Film Festival – For the 17th time, hiker-filmmakers from all around the globe gather to present their latest adventures on film. Runs: October 14-18. Admission: €1 - €3 for a screening. Gerlach Cinema, Nábrežie Jána Pavla II 3. Tel: 052/7763-296, www.mfhf.sk. By Dominika Uhríková

O C T O B E R

2 0 0 9

TMonday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

Maximilián

Koloman

Boris

Terézia

Vladimíra

Hedviga

Luká‰

October 12

October 13

October 14

October 15

October 16

October 17

October 18

A Slovak’s 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 Všetko najlepšie k meninám (Happy name day)

In cooperation with the Slovak Hydrometeorological Institute ADVERTISEMENT

The SME daily & the Slovak Film Institute present a special DVD offer:

SLOVAK MOVIES OF THE 1960S II Every Monday, starting September 25, you can buy a DVD from the newsstand nearest you featuring a famous Slovak movie with English subtitles for only € 3,29 (Sk 99). LIST OF MOVIES:

1. Skalní v ofsajde Soccer fans - coming September 25 2. Kým sa skončí táto noc Before tonight is over - coming October 2 3. Šerif za mrežami The sheriff behind bars - coming October 9 4. Zvony pre bosých The bells toll for barefooted - coming October 16 5. Majster kat Master executioner - coming October 23 6. Panna zázračnica The wonder-maid - coming October 30 7. Živý bič The living scourge - coming November 6 8. Tri dcéry Three daughters - coming November 13 9. Zmluva s diablom A pact with the devil - coming November 20 10. Vtáčkovia, siroty a blázni Birdies, orphans and fools - coming November 27 11. November 1989 očami slovenských dokumentaristov As seen by Slovak documakers - coming November 2

For more information go to www.petitshop.sme.sk or www.sfu.sk. Petit Press, a.s., Lazaretská 12 811 08 Bratislava Call centrum: (02) 5923 3411 e-mail: [email protected]

Now you too can experience the best Slovak movies of the 1960s!

Realised with financial support from the Ministry of Culture of the Slovak Republik Name: ........ ...................................................................................................................... E-mail: ............................................................................................................ ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... Address: ..... Cell phone: ................................................................................................. Phone: ............................................................................................................................ F I want to order the whole DVD edition – 11 movies for € 32,45 (Sk 979)*. The order will be delivered in two packages of 5 DVDs. F I want to order following movies. Price of one DVD is € 2,95 (Sk 89)*. Select movie movies:

1. F

2. F

3. F

4. F

5. F

6. F

7. F

Date and place: ............................................................

8. F

9. F

10. F

11. F

* The price do does not include postage. Postage will be calculated according to the price list of Slovak post office.

Signature: .................................................................. SP90036/1

CULTURE

October 12 – 18, 2009

Dreaming of Brussels Exhibition recalls Czechoslovak success at Expo ’58 in Brussels, and its aftermath BY JANA LIPTÁKOVÁ Spectator staff EVERYBODY knows Atomium, one of the most famous Brussels landmarks. Fewer people remember that this depiction of an iron crystal, magnified 165 billion times, was an iconic model built for Expo ‘58, the World’s Fair held in Brussels in 1958. And even fewer know that the Czechoslovak pavilion at that expo won the top prizes awarded by the general public and by the expo jury. The Czechoslovak participation in the Brussels Expo has become legendary in what are now the Slovak and Czech Republics: for many people who either participated in the creation of the Czechoslovak pavilion and its exhibits or who visited it, it represented a turning point in their careers. Indeed the overall victory of the Czechoslovak pavilion can be seen as having opened the door to a new lifestyle. The Brussels Dream exhibition in the Slovak National Gallery (SNG), subtitled Czechoslovak Participation at the Expo ‘58 World Exhibition in Brussels and the Lifestyle of the First Half of the 1960s, recalls the phenomenon as well as its aftermath. “The exhibition has two focal points,” Daniela Kramerová, curator of the exhibition said. “One is related to the expo itself and the second one focuses on what the fair brought to Czechoslovakia. This means the huge designer wave, which was dubbed ‘Brussels style’ and which laid the foundations for the golden 1960s.” The exhibition in Brussels was also very important in a worldwide context: it can be seen as the most important world fair of the second half of the 20th century. This is, in particular, because of the long peri-

A Tatra 603 car beneath Atomium.

od which had elapsed since the previous world fair, which took place at the end of 1939 and the start of 1940, according to Kramerová. “Not only Slovakia, but also the world powers and actually all participating countries invested a lot of energy and money into it,” explained Kramerová. “It was one of the great cultural but also political events of the time.” The layout of the exhibition in the Czechoslovak pavilion presented one day in Czechoslovakia, elaborated in three sections – work, relaxation and culture. As Kramerová recalled, Expo ‘58 took place during a tough period in the political life of Czechoslovakia and the Czechoslovak pavilion represented a top-level political goal. “What was presented at the expo in fact had nothing in common with the then-Czechoslovakia,” she said. “All the exhibits were unique artworks created specifically for

Photo: Svět v obrazech

this world fair. Or they were products presented as commonly manufactured in Czechoslovakia, but the opposite was the truth.” Products presented were often prototypes made for the expo, which in the end did not make it into production. “This is the Potemkin [Village] dimension of this Brussels illusion, of this dream,” said Kramerová explaining the name of the exhibition. Nevertheless, visitors to Expo ’58 left charmed by this dream. “Especially those from the West did not have the experience to enable them to expose this or they just allowed themselves to be charmed by this illusion and were not so interested in the reality of Czechoslovakia of that period,” Kramerová told The Slovak Spectator. Kramerová sees a number of reasons as having lain behind the success of the Czechoslovak pavilion.

“On the one hand it was a moment of surprise because since the period of the so-called First Czechoslovak Republic only limited information was availabe about Czechoslovakia,” Kramerová told The Slovak Spectator. “Further, I think that political motifs also played a certain role, in which Expo was a competition between the West and the East and Czechoslovakia still remained somewhat in-between.” “But when thinking about this from today’s perspective, I don’t think that we succeeded because of the individual exhibits – even though there were excellent pieces made from glass, textiles, Laterna Magica and other important things – but because of the overall concept of the pavilion,” said Kramerová. “It was done in a way which was very attractive for visitors with a minimum of written words, but with mainly visual information.” The Brussels Dream exhibition arrives in Bratislava from the Czech Republic, where it was originally presented in Prague and Brno to mark the 50th anniversary of the Czechoslovak success. Since Slovak participation in the pavilion was relatively small, the SNG has used this opportunity to enrich the exhibition with artworks from its collections created directly for the pavilion. Girls on the Bank, a work in natural baked clay by Jozef Kostka, is an authentic piece of art that was presented in Brussels. Other works include drawings by Ladislav Guderna, which served as patterns for graphic panels of individual parts of the exhibition. “This is a very unique opportunity to show why these works of art were created and from what they stemmed,” said Vladimíra Büngerová, who is cooperating on the display on behalf of SNG. What: Brussels Dream Where: Slovak National Gallery, Esterházy Palace, Štúrovo Square 4 When: Tue-Sun 10:00-17:30 until 15 November www.sng.sk www.expo58.info

Film review: District 9 Director: Neill Blomkamp Starring: Sharlto Copley FOR its opening half an hour, Neill Blomkamp’s District 9 is a bleakly realistic and shamefully familiar tale of organised prejudice and man’s intolerance of minorities. It depicts in startling documentary footage, interspersed with eye-witness and expert testimony, the government-sponsored dissolution of a fetid ghetto on the outskirts of Johannesburg, a vast shanty town of shacks and tents and squalor housing more than a million displaced creatures. Blomkamp grew up in apartheid-era South Africa and his personal recollections drive the film. The immigrants he presents are forced to forage in heaps of waste for their sustenance, to live on handouts of cat food, or else purchase contraband meat on the black market. Despite once being beckoned into the city, they are now considered a pestilence and resentments grow among the “legitimate” residents of Johannesburg. Hence the desire to shift them, hence a Government official named Wikus Van De Merwe (Sharlto Copley) dispatched with a party of heavies to evict them, hence this film detailing these thankless endeavours. Hence, the consequences. The twist – and it is fairly notable – is that this minority, these immigrants, are literally not of this world. In the film’s parallel reality, a gigantic spaceship appeared above the city in 1983, surprising observers by its choice of Johannesburg rather than, say, Manhattan, but then proceeding to do nothing but hover and cast a shadow across the landscape for more than three years. Humans eventually overcame their delight at not being instantly death-rayed but then could not contain their curiosity. Probes sent up to cut into the ship discovered the population of malnourished aliens and an inversion of tradition: they became man’s responsibility rather than their foes. District 9, then, is an alien movie. True, it’s an artfully rendered, multi-layered and intelligent alien movie, but it’s an alien movie nonetheless –

from Wednesday October

Away We Go / premiere Happy go Lucky / premiere District 9 Taking Woodstock The Wrestler Up (in Slovak) G-Force (in Slovak) Bottle Shock Orphan Normal Knowing

S S S S D D D S S OV S

I I I I I A A I I I I

15 12 15 15 15 7 7 15 15 18 12

1:50 17:50 19:50 2:10 17:40 2:10 10:30 11:30 13:00 14:00 15:30 16:30 18:00 19:00 1:40 10:40 17:40 2:00 1:55 14:40 1:40 12:40 13:40 15:40 16:40 18:40 2:00 11:40 13:50 16:20 2:15 18:50 1:45 2:10 11:50 14:20 16:50 19:30

21:50 20:20 20:30 21:30 20:00 20:40 21:20 21:50

The Accidental Husband S Jáno‰ík OV Inglourious Basterds S The Secret Moonacre S The Ugly Truth S Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (in Slovak) D That Boat That Rocket S

Notes:

15

and that means aliens. The principal tip-off for an audience comes with the words “PETER JACKSON presents” in the opening credits, and that is also our reassurance that our visitors from the planet CGI will be nothing like we have seen before. The label “prawns” is derogatorily applied to the creatures, apparently owing to their resemblance to a species of giant African stick insect, but they are also not dissimilar to an upright version of the crustacean. But there is something human about them too. The prawns are evidently intelligent (they have, after all, mastered intergalactic travel) and they care for their children in a human fashion, as well as sharing a love for sport and for guns. Van De Merwe asks for their signature, or tentacle print, on their eviction papers as if required of a lawful operation. But there are obvious ulterior motives: Van De Merwe smartly distils popular opinion into sound bites such as: “The prawn doesn’t really understand the concept of ownership of property” and news cameras tend to focus on the black market, run by Nigerians, and even inter-species prostitution. “There are a lot of secrets in District 9,” we hear intoned. One of those secrets is that the prawns aren’t exactly happy with their living conditions either and are working on an escape plan. But, true to form, the humans aren’t content for that to happen, at least not until man has harnessed their visitors’ genetic power for heavy-duty armaments. After studying a rare mutant, one top bod at the shady Multi-National United observes: “What happens to him is not important. What matters is that we harness from him all we can.” This is a gloomy assessment of human greed and the thirst for money. On the one hand, the cost is our intergalactic reputation, on the other it is the reduction of documentary articulacy into the language of the fugitive action flick. Still, perhaps we can redeem ourselves in the inevitable District 10.

By Howard Swains 7 - Wednesday October 14

12:10* 14:10 16:10 18:10 20:10 I 15 1:40 13:40* 16:40 19:40 I 15 2:40 11:20* 14:30 17:30 20:50 I 15 2:45 13:10* 15:10 I 12 1:43 11:10* 17:10 19:10 21:10 I 12 1:45 12:50* 15:20 A U 1:50 14:20 17:20 I 12 2:3010:50*

*Screenings on Saturday and Sunday only

S - Subtitles, OV - Original Version, D - Dubbing, U - Universal (Suitable for all ages) SP90061/6

from Wednesday October

Up (in Slovak) Orphan Normal Taking Woodstock The Secret Moonacre Knowing / premiere The Accidental Husband Inglourious Basterds Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (in Slovak) G-Force Jáno‰ík

OV S OV S S S S S D OV OV

A 7 1:55 I 15 2:15 I 18 1:45 I 15 2:00 I 12 1:43 I 12 2:10 I 15 1:45 I 15 2:45 A U 1:50 A 7 1:40 A 15 2:40

11:00

13:30

15:30

District 9 / premiere The Ugly Truth

17:40 11:40

20:20 12:30

19:00

S I 15 2:10 S I 12 1:40

13:20 12:00

15.50 16:10

7 - Wednesday October 14

18:20 18:10

20:50 20:10

21.20

14:10 12:50 13:00 11:30

15:20 15:10

17:50 17:20

20:30 19:20 19:40

16:40

21:30

12:00

Notes:

14:00 14:50 16:00 16:50 18:00

21:00

*Screenings on Saturday and Sunday only

S - Subtitles D - Dubbing

OV - Original Version U - Universal (Suitable for all ages) SP90060/6

FEATURE

16 October 12 – 18, 2009

AROUND SLOVAKIA compiled by Zuzana Vilikovská from press reports

Recalling Zamarovský SLOVAK writer Vojtech Zamarovský, who rose to fame thanks to non-fiction books about ancient and preancient societies, was born on October 5, 1919, in Zamarovce, today a part of the town of Trenčín, making 2009 the 90th anniversary of his birth. He was noteworthy of writing in an arresting style stories of the very earliest days of mankind. Zamarovský authored fourteen books altogether and the first one, a “historical travel book” published in 1960 entitled Quest of the Seven Wonders of the World, shot him to fame in Czechoslovakia. His other works included Gods and Heroes of Ancient Myths, Gods and Kings of Ancient Egypt, Quest of the Mystery of the Empire of Hittites, At the Beginning, It Was Sumer, Discovery of Troy, History Written by Rome, or Resurrection of Olympia. Vojtech Zamarovský is the descendant of an old family of minor gentry, which dates back to the 12th century, the ČTK newswire wrote. He graduated in law and economy and started to write more or less by accident. He had been fascinated by ancient times ever since childhood, but the impetus to write his own works came only when he was sacked from the State Planning Office for political reasons in the 1950s. From 1946 he lived in Prague, where he died on July 27, 2006, and from the first half of the 1960s he wrote in both Czech and in Slovak. His friends used to joke that after Ján Kollár and Pavol Jozef Šafárik, he was only the third real CzechoSlovak bi-linguist. Apart from other activities, he also translated from German, English, French and Latin into Czech and Slovak.

3

Bat lovers gathered in Jasov cave THE MUSEUM of Eastern Slovakia in Košice (VSM) has organised an event to help people get to know more about bats, and thus help protect them. It took place near Jasov Cave in Košice Region between 18:00 and 20:00 on September 24. Visitors were able to put questions to experts, researchers, and conservationists, Miroslav Fulín of the VSM said. The European Night of Bats was organised by museum employees in cooperation with the BAMBI Centre for Environmental Education in Moldava nad Bodvou and the Slovenský Kras National Park

1

administration. Visitors first heard a lecture in the entrance to the cave, which was followed by a demonstration of the research. Conservationists showed how bats were caught in a collision net, how they examined them and how they tell them apart. The event had previously proved popular with visitors and this year was no exception: the audience was large in spite of the fact that its practical elements had to take place in the dark, when the bats become active. Part of the attraction was that visitors could look closely at bats and even stroke them, Štefan Matis of the Slovenský Kras National Park administration said.

A lot of visitors means a lot of rubbish: volunteers collected 650kgs of it in the High Tatras.

More than 1,640 volunteers help clean up the High Tatras AFTER THE summer tourist season ended in the High Tatra mountains, on September 26, a large group of volunteers joined forces to collect rubbish in the area. The volunteers included tourists, locals, and employees of the State Forests of the Tatras National Park (ŠL TANAP-u). It was the 31st year of the Clean Mountains (Čisté hory) event, and more than 1,640 people filled about 800 bags with about 650 kilograms of waste. As every year, one third of the volunteers were elementary school pupils. The largest group of participants were in the western part of the mountains, in Orava,

2

Visitors were able to get to know bats intimately.

Photo: TASR

Photo: TASR

Habovka and Zverovka, where about 600 people volunteered. The least waste was collected in the valleys around Oravice, whereas the most waste was picked up in Hrebienok, near Rainer’s and Zamkovský’s cottages, and from around the cable car station in Tatranská Lomnica, the coordinator of the event Igor Stavný of the ŠL TANAP-u told the TASR newswire. He added that many Czech tourists took part in this year’s cleaning drive. The event also included cleaning of the brook in the village of Ždiar by 27 members of the top management of Enel Slovenské Elektrárne. From almost two kilometres of brook, they cleared about 700 kilograms of waste. On the banks of the stream and in the

water they found plastic bottles, metal plates, old prams, but also construction material like doors, windows and even wheelbarrows. Altogether, more than 33,000 volunteers from Slovakia and abroad have participated over the past 30 years. During that time they have collected about 51 tons of various types of waste from within the territory of the Tatras National Park. According to organisers, volunteers managed to rid the park of a significant environmental burden. On Saturday, October 3, the Pieniny National Park (PIENAP) in north-eastern Slovakia enjoyed a similar clean up, organised in cooperation with the PIENAP administration.