Slovakia - Factors To Watch on Sept 4

                                
 BRATISLAVA, Sept 4 (Reuters) - Here are news stories, press
reports and events to watch which may affect Slovak financial
markets on Thursday.
                                
 
                                
 PM FICO TO ADDRESS A CONFERENCE
                                
 Prime Minister Robert Fico will address a conference on
Slovakia's long-term development, 0700 GMT.
                                
 
                                
 NO-CONFIDENCE VOTE
                                
 Justice Minister Stefan Harabin, nominated by junior
government party HZDS of ex Prime MInister Vladimir Meciar, will
face a no-confidence vote in the parliament, initiated by the
opposition, 0700 GMT.
                                
 
                                
 GDP SLOWS TO 7.6 PCT, 2008 FCAST REACHABLE
                                
 Slovakia's economic growth slowed in the second quarter to
an annual 7.6 percent, but it remained one of the
best-performing European Union economies and its 2008 forecast
stayed on track, officials said on Wednesday.
                                
 [ID:nL3116818] [RTRS-GVD-DBT-POL-ECI-SK-LEN]
                                
 [ID:nL3387116] [RTRS-GVD-DBT-ECI-SK-LEN]
                                
 
                                
 GOVT PUSHES ON WITH MINIMUM WAGE HIKE
                                
 Slovakia's government on Wednesday approved a move to raise
the national minimum wage and sought its fast-track approval in
parliament despite failing to find common ground with employers.
                                
 [ID:nL3452784] [RTRS-POL-JOB-GVD-SK-LEN]
                                
 
                                
 Q2 REAL AVERAGE WAGE +4.8 PCT Y/Y
                                
 Real average wages in Slovakia rose by 4.8 percent
year-on-year in the second quarter of 2008, slowing from 6.2
percent growth in the first quarter, the Slovak Statistics
Office said on Wednesday.
                                
 [ID:nL3385757] [RTRS-MCE-ECI-SK-LEN]
                                
 
                                
 JULY RETAIL SALES +6.9 PCT Y/Y
                                
 Slovak retail sales rose above expectations by a real 6.9
percent year-on-year in July, accelerating from a 3.1 percent
increase in June, the Slovak Statistics Office said on
Wednesday.
                                
 [ID:nPRG000985] [RTRS-MCE-ECI-RET-SK-LEN]
                                
 
                                
 PRESS DIGEST
                                
 ------------
                                
 OPPOSITION SLAMS EURO LEAK REPORT
                                
 Ex-Finance Minister Ivan Miklos criticised the central
bank's report on an alleged leak of confidential information
before the revaluation of the crown's central parity against the
euro on May 28, saying the report failed to rebuff a suspected
inside trading.
                                
 Sme, page 7
                                
 
                                
 CONFIDENTIALITY OF PROPERTY
                                
 Slovak Constitutional Court ruling declared the law
enforcing politicians and civil servant to declare origin of
their properties unconstitutional. Smer party of Prime Minister
Robert Fico drafted the law before 2006 general election.
 Pravda, page 1
                                
 
                                
 OPPOSITION ROW
                                
 Opposition parties SDKU and the Christian Democrats will
debate stance ahead of Thursday's no-confidence vote against the
justice minister. Third partner, the ethnic Hungarians, were not
invited due to ongoing row caused by Lisbon Treaty vote.
                                
 Pravda, page 4
                                
 
                                
 Reuters has not verified the media reports, nor does it
vouch for their accuracy
                                
 
                                
 News editor of the day: Martin Santa on +421 2 5341 8402;
fax: +421 2 5341 8403
                                
 E-mail: editorial@reuters.sk,
martin.santa@thomsonreuters.com
                                
 
                                
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